Clan of the Cave Bear (1986)

Yet, another wordless caveman movie

I'll start by saying that I haven't read the books. I'll have to put them on my list because I did like this film.

Having said that I will say that it's a bit far fetched. Ayla, played by Daryl Hannah, is an uber feminist Cro-Magnon woman. Sure, that's a big boost for womankind, but totally unrealistic when it comes down to it. Having been raised by a group of male first Neanderthals chances of her being such a feminist in this hard time is really not that high.

But then there wouldn't have been a story. The "sets" were very nice and I felt put you into the mode of caveman. Their world would have been harsh, but still beautiful because of the lack of machines and high rises. Not that they would have had time to notice. The costumes and make up were pretty good too. And following the tradition of no modern languages this has subtitles for you to figure out what's going on in the story, as well as sign language to help convey what they wanted to say.

Apparently those who've read the books didn't much like the movie, but that's usually the case. For a movie for movies sake this isn't bad. It's short though. I expected a far longer film.

October 9, 2008

Big plusses, Bigger minuses

The cover art is great and Daryl Hannah can't help but be beautiful. The music is full of portent as it highlights the arrival of a superior being. Unfortunately, the movie is difficult to watch: enough to make one throw one's hands up in dismay with the realization it isn't going to get any better. Where is the acting? Not the high school kind, how about some real acting? How about some material or direction for the actors to work with? Buy the soundtrack CD if you like, but don't waste your money on the movie. July 26, 2008

pleasantly suprised

My dad asked me to order this movie for him. I had never heard of it, but I watched it when I received it in the mail. I wasn't really sure what to expect, but I really enjoyed the movie.

The characters consist of neanderthals and cro-magnons (prehistoric people) so you might think they run around grunting and throwing rocks or something. That's not what you get with this movie. The dialogue consists of simple sounds and hand gestures (you have to watch the movie with subtitles, there's no modern language in it) and it's actually consistent enough that you can pick up a few words if you pay attention. Also, I really liked that the subtitles weren't done in the stereotype usually used for "cavemen" - there's no "Crag want food! Crag crush head!" or anything like that. Although their language is simple, the subtitles are spelled out in full sentences, and the characters actually show emotion. The people involved in this movie obviously took it very seriously, and it turned out beautiful because of that. May 7, 2008

What did you expect...a four hour epic?!?

Read the book in back in the 1980's...just so there's no confusion.

Okay, now to the movie. First of all, at 98 minutes, this movie was
just WAY too short! I'd really love to know what ended up on the
cutting room floor, and whether any of that footage could have helped
flesh out what's otherwise a pretty decent movie anyways.

Remember that this movie came out just a few years after the release
of The Quest for Fire. Before that, there was what...One Million BC
staring Raquel Welch, The Flintstones, It's About Time...any wonder
those cave guys in those GEICO commercials get so upset?

Hey, given the time-frame this movie had to work with, I believe it
turned out pretty darned good! Locations and sets worked well, the
acting was believable, and the story line kept the feel of the book.
And let's be real...Daryl Hannah simply looked GOOD running around in
that pre-historic bathrobe! My only compliant is the length of the
movie...and that a sequel was never made!
March 26, 2008

Makes you were born in the centery you were!

Clan of the Cave Bear tells the story of a pre-historic child that looses her tribe and was found by a male dominating tribe (Cave Bear tribe). Ala being of a different race was thought to be a bad omen so she was descriminated by most of the tribe. The leader's son hates her the most and tries his hardest to make her life miserible. He rapes her repetedly (they are fully clothed) so it's not supprising that she eventually became pregnant. In this tribe it is punishable by death for a woman to touch a weapon but she teaches herself how to use a sling. When the tribe is out in the forest a pack of wolves almost killed a clan toddler but Ala saved the baby by killing the wolf with the sling. Because she saved a clan member her life was spared but she was cast from the tribe for a month. During that month she gave birth to a boy she named Derk and was the only one to have ever servive and come back to the tribe. She earned most of the tribes respect after that and was permited to hunt for her son since she had no mate, but that made the leader's son even more angery. When he became leader the first thing he said was that he would take Ala as his mate and ordered Ala to give Derk to another clan member to be brought up by them. Ala's adopted father, Crom, was ordered to be cast out where being an old cripple would die. Because Ala loved Crom (who always stood up for Ala) she stood up against the new leader and was cast out again. The new leader hit Crom to make him leave too so Ala began to fight him for Crom's sake and won. The old leader took the necklace (that showed him to be leader) back and said that Ala was much more than he would ever be and wished Ala was his child. Ala being banished from the Cave Bear clan left seeking her people leaving her son who would eventally become clan leader.
Although I don't think the movie is historically correct, it was a good movie. There is a nerrative, the rest of the movie is in subtitles. Because the region is so cold everyone is fully clothed but there are a couple of senes that show butts and anothers that show women's breasts. March 4, 2008

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