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

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:

[last lines]
Narrator: Ayla walked with the Cave Bear. She had spoken out for Creb because she loved him. The sign had finally come. She understood the vision. Durc was of the Clan, and one day he would be their leader. She must find her own people. She must walk alone. Everything she had lived through had prepared her for this journey - and she was not afraid. For the first time Ayla felt the strength of her own spirit.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "A Different World: Those Who Can't... Tutor (#1.4)" (1987)

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.