Clan of the Cave Bear

My mom said it was good

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Loved this. I had read the book, and thought they did a beautiful job with the movie.

Book of course was better, like many book to movie projects, this one lacked something, but overall it was a good movie.

Neanderthals were not dumb brutes; which this movie nicely illuminates. Plus, well, Daryl Hannah. As good as "Quest for fire" but in a more fiction genre than historical probability.

It's sort of difficult to judge TOO harshly- seeing as the people communicate a nearly-silent language, there is a lot to cover, and this movie was done over 30 years ago- but I believe the creators could and should have done better justice to the book and the author. Maybe that's just the deal when you make a movie labelled after the book, but when you call your movie the same as the book, readers who become viewers typically expect there to be more unity in events.Many scenes are out of order, or completely different circumstances from the book, or just plain invented, changing not only the story, but the flow of the tale. Some of the most poignant scenes of the book were glossed-over in the movie, barely giving you an idea of what's going on. They almost completely leave out WHY Broud is so spiteful and obsessed with Ayla, for one, which is pretty much the entire POINT of the story, aside from there being two species of Man at the time. (She upstaged him and his ego every time he accomplished something, but you never get that impression.)Two of the main impressions you OUGHT to come away with is the rigid and ancient culture she was surrounded in, and their ability to craft high-quality, simple items. Instead, the movie appears to be very casual about the rules governing their life, (except about women touching weapons,) there's very little evidence of honing any skills, aside from Ayla's sling, and the items crafted are NOT of the quality that are described in the book, but rather of the stereotypical, crude, and unimaginative variety of cave-man idea. A good portion of the story is about Ayla learning the healing arts from Iza- however it's treated almost as a side-note in the movie, as if it were not of any real importance to the story. Not being a "speaking" movie, more narrative would have perhaps helped the flow, although I understand if they might have wanted to intrude as little as possible on the viewer's experience.They DO convey the deep emotional bonds between Ayla, Iza, and Creb, although Uba's character is almost an afterthought, and Broud is a sideline until the very end with no character development overall. But then they COMPLETELY trashed the ending with their own... and the bit about the ceremony at the Gathering was SO not-like-the-book....Overall it was "Okay" but I'd love to see a newer version pop up some day, perhaps with a little more in-depth story-making and fewer liberties with the storyline. Also, can't help it, but I bet some modern CGI would help the viewers visualize the real differences that made the Cro-Magnon and the Neanderthal so very different to each other... the Neanderthals ARE called Flatheads by the newer species for very good reason, in the rest of the books. I know, I know- they did the best they could with makeup artistry in the mid-80's and it's difficult to simulate having less of a forehead and a flat-top skull. But still.It's nostalgic, mostly, so I watch it now and again. But then I get irritated because they futzed too much with one of my favorite stories EVER. Perhaps they ought to have considered making two movies of this, instead of one, so they could have told a more complete tale and done justice to Jean Auel's stories... After watching this, I think I'll just go re-read the books.... again. ;)

Movie came intact and plays.Story is amazing. Slightly different than the book. Still worth watching!

12/05/2013 12:54am The Clan of Cave Bear (Spoiler)This movie was a surprise in many ways, I had heard/read negative things about the film. I had read the original novel and I wanted to see this film. When I opened the DVD box they had that rare Scene Selection brochure with multiple chapters, each one listed I was familiar with from the original book. I had expected a total destruction of the novel based on rumors and crap. Darryl Hannah, plays Ayla, and she does a marvelous job, the central character in the book and the movie. Her family has been killed in an earthquake and she has to fend for herself. At the same time a group of Neanderthals have left their destroyed home, a cave, they seem walk for miles in cold and warm weather. The leader of the Clan, Brun find Ayla lying along a path, she's injured, the leader Brun, refuses to help the child, Iza the medicine woman and sister to Brun, wants to help the child. Brun objects, but he allows Iza to take the child. The Clan avoid The Others, a new tribal group moving into the land, and they take over more and more land. Most movies that I purchase don't put that Scene Selection chart in the DVD box, I don't know why, it is so helpful to look up a particular scene, even on the DVD the Chapters are skimpy, limited. The major change for the leader is Brun's acceptance of Ayla, came when she found their new home, an old cave but a new home. Iza, is pregnant, her mate was killed in the quake, he was a brute, violent, he is not missed, Iza has superior memory and talents handed down by her mother and her mother. Iza knows medicine, she uses Plants to cure ailments and aid in relieving pain, she knows what they are for in terms of healing simple wounds, cooking, drinking teas, she teaches Ayla her ways and Ayla takes it far beyond what Iza would or could have done.