The Clan of the Cave Bear (1986)

Director:

Michael Chapman

Writers:

Jean M. Auel (novel)
John Sayles (writer)

Release Date:

17 January 1986 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Drama | Fantasy

Tagline:

At the dawn of mankind, a woman led the way.

Plot:

A young Cro-Magnons woman is raised by Neanderthals.

Plot Keywords:

Neanderthal | Cave Bear | Survival | Cro Magnon | Spirits

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar.

Cast

Daryl Hannah	...	Ayla
Pamela Reed	...	Iza
James Remar	...	Creb
Thomas G. Waites	...	Broud
John Doolittle	...	Brun
Curtis Armstrong	...	Goov
Martin Doyle	...	Grod
Tony Montanaro	...	Zoug
Mike Muscat	...	Dorv
John Wardlow	...	Droog
Keith Wardlow	...	Crug
Barbara Duncan	...	Uka
Gloria Lee	...	Oga
Janne Mortil	...	Ovra
Lycia Naff	...	Uba
Linda Quibell	...	Aga
Bernadette Sabath	...	Ebra
Penny A. Mesa	...	Ika
Penny Smith	...	Ika
Joey Cramer	...	Young Broud
Rory L. Crowley	...	Durc
Nicole Eggert	...	Middle Ayla
Emma Floria	...	Young Ayla
Pierre Lamielle	...	Brac
Mary Reid	...	Ayla's Mother
Samantha Ostry	...	Young Uba
Shane Punt	...	Young Vorn
Christiane Boyce	...	Baby Durc
Catherine Flather	...	Baby Durc
Amy Cyr	...	Young Girl #3
Colin Doyle	...	Young Boy
Natino Bellantoni	...	Gorn
Rick Valiquette	...	Voord
Alan Waltman	...	Norg
Paul Carafotes	...	Brug
Salome Jens	...	Narrator (voice)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Bart the Bear	...	The Bear

Directed by
Michael Chapman

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Jean M. Auel		novel
John Sayles		writer

Produced by
Richard Briggs	....	associate producer
Mark Damon	....	executive producer
Peter Guber	....	executive producer
John W. Hyde	....	executive producer
Gerald I. Isenberg	....	producer
Sidney Kimmel	....	co-executive producer
Jon Peters	....	executive producer
Stan Rogow	....	co-producer

Original Music by
Alan Silvestri

Cinematography by
Jan de Bont

Film Editing by
Wendy Greene Bricmont

Casting by
Karen Hazzard

Production Design by
Anthony Masters

Set Decoration by
Kimberley Richardson

Makeup Department
Jocelyne Bellemare	....	makeup artist
Susan Boyd	....	head hair stylist
Michèle Burke	....	makeup department head
Todd McIntosh	....	makeup artist
Michael Mills	....	prosthetic makeup artist
Francisco X. Pérez	....	prosthetic makeup artist (as Frank Carrisosa)
Michael Westmore	....	co-makeup department head (as Michael G. Westmore)
Michael Westmore	....	special makeup design and creation (as Michael G. Westmore)
Steve Johnson	....	assistant makeup artist (uncredited)

Production Management
Justis Greene	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Max Kleven	....	second unit director

Art Department
Alain Giguère	....	scenic painter
Geoff Hilliard	....	carpenter
Charles Leitrants	....	construction coordinator
Grant Swain	....	property master
Gary J. Williams	....	greensman
William Stout	....	set designer (uncredited)

Sound Department
Teri E. Dorman	....	sound editor
Walter A. Gest	....	sound re-recordist
Chris Glyn-Jones	....	cable person
Victoria Rose Sampson	....	supervising sound editor
Larry Sutton	....	location sound mixer

Special Effects by
Michael Clifford	....	special effects coordinator

Stunts
Bart the Bear	....	bear fight stunts
Tommy G. Bows	....	stunts
John Giesbrecht	....	stunts
Mark Harden	....	stunts
Michael Langlois	....	stunts
Mariah Massengale	....	stunts
Steven Mowry	....	stunts
Lionel Thomson	....	stunts
John Wardlow	....	stunt coordinator
Keith Wardlow	....	stunts
Clint Youngreen	....	bear fight stunts
Kevin J. Andruschak	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Drew Davidson	....	lighting technician
Gail Harvey	....	still photographer
Joseph Lederer	....	still photographer (as Joe Lederer)
John W. Scott	....	lighting technician

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Nazhat Hester	....	specialty costumes

Editorial Department
Alan Baumgarten	....	assistant editor
Christine Cholvin	....	assistant film editor (as Chris Cholvin)

Music Department
Kenneth Karman	....	music editor

Other crew
Mark Harden	....	animal trainer
Robin Mounsey	....	safety expert
Robin Mounsey	....	survivor expert
Doug Seus	....	head bear trainer
Lynne Seus	....	first assistant bear trainer
Jean M. Simpson	....	animal trainer
Randee Lynne Jensen	....	creative assistant (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Decade
• Guber-Peters Company, The
• Jonesfilm
• Jozak
• PSO
• Warner Bros. Pictures

Distributors

• CBS/Fox (USA) (laserdisc)
• Fox Video (USA) (VHS)
• Fox Video (USA) (laserdisc)
• Globo Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)
• Warner Bros. Pictures
• Warner Home Video (USA) (DVD)

Special Effects

• Makeup Effects Laboratories

Runtime:

98 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.20 : 1

Sound Mix:

70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) | Dolby (35 mm prints)

Certification:

Iceland:14 | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:11 | UK:18 | USA:R | West Germany:12 | Australia:M | UK:15 (video rating)

Filming Locations:

Cathedral Grove, MacMillan Provincial Park, British Columbia, Canada

Company:

Decade

Trivia:

A planned back-to-back sequel never made it into production.

Quotes:

Brun: You want to be a leader, Broud, but a man who hits his people can never lead the Clan.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Boffo! Tinseltown's Bombs and Blockbusters (2006)

Soundtrack:

HEROINE

And we thought that cavemen yelled "yabba dabba doo!"

This is one of the films that I grew up watching, and even now, I love it and admire its beauty as much as I ever did.

First of all, comparing movies to their books isn't something we should do, because they are two different forms of entertainment, and can take different liabilities. What is important is if the movie still tells the basic story, and in the case of the Clan of the Cave Bear, it stuck to the original story in a very suitable fashion. I must admit that when I first saw this movie, I did not know that this was from a book. It wasn't until 15 years later that I read the book, and it confirmed my statement that the movie kept the story intact.

As far as the acting was concerned, I have to admire a cast that had to convey throughout an entire script in a totally different language, and manage to keep it consistent. Watching the film, you can see that certain gestures always mean the same thing, as well as certain grunts and sounds. Folks, that is the result of a lot of hard work, and to put down that part of the film is like looking at the Empire State Building as just the result of an erector set.

The basic story of the movie is to show prejudice against what is new and not understood. Ayla's presence is meant to show the Clan what the future holds, which is the underlying reason why they fear and hate her, though they are unaware of the reasons. Ayla endures many trials throughout the movie in order to gain their trust and approval, which ultimately prepare her for a journey into the world without the Clan.

A movie worth watching again and again. The book is great also, by the way, so I recommend them both.