Ape to Man Backdrop Blur
Ape to Man Poster

Ape to Man

Scientists from the mid-nineteenth century have searched for the fossil remains of the "missing link" in evolution - the half-man, half-ape that would explain where mankind came from. But over the last century and a half, it has been the idea of what a missing link is that has evolved. The history of this scientific quest - peopled with fanatics, frauds, amateurs, professionals, the lucky, the unlucky, the unfairly neglected and the undeservedly praised - is the subject of this documentary. Reenactments depict scientists making their discoveries and then stretch back hundreds of thousands, even millions, of years to depict the typical lives of our human and human-like ancestors. Interviews with leading scientists fill in the details.

Top Cast

  • Edward Herrmann

    Edward Herrmann

    Narrator

  • Leslie Aiello

    Leslie Aiello

    Herself - Head of Graduate Schoo

  • Joe Caine

    Joe Caine

    Himself - Science & Technology Studies

  • Kevin Hudson

    Kevin Hudson

    Mr. Human

  • Tessa Jubber

    Tessa Jubber

    Dora Dart

  • Chris Rogers

    Chris Rogers

    Svänte Paabo

  • Thorsten Wedekind

    Thorsten Wedekind

    Johann Fuehrott

Overview

Scientists from the mid-nineteenth century have searched for the fossil remains of the "missing link" in evolution - the half-man, half-ape that would explain where mankind came from. But over the last century and a half, it has been the idea of what a missing link is that has evolved. The history of this scientific quest - peopled with fanatics, frauds, amateurs, professionals, the lucky, the unlucky, the unfairly neglected and the undeservedly praised - is the subject of this documentary. Reenactments depict scientists making their discoveries and then stretch back hundreds of thousands, even millions, of years to depict the typical lives of our human and human-like ancestors. Interviews with leading scientists fill in the details.

Rating

7.0 / 10
6 Reviews
0 Popular

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