The Clan of the Cave Bear (1986)

Good start, but then it gets ruined

A bit overrated, but still an amazing film

it is the rare 'crazy' movie that actually has something to say.

A film of deceptively outspoken contemporary relevance, this is cinema at its most alert, alarming and alive.

I just recently watched this film for the first time, in 2011. With many of the new movies out, I've been making it a point to re-visit the 60's-90's films I haven't seen yet.I wasn't at all disappointed. According to other reviews, I agree that it seems 'short'. Even though I've never read the novel it still has that feel to it.To be honest at first I really didn't think I'd care for it, but the acting is good and the story very good as well.As far as 'accurate' I don't think anyone can claim it is or it isn't, considering that the only clue we have that people even existed at that age in history is a few bones and other circumstantial conjecture. I do suppose there was a time between humans being raw animalistic and 'civilized'. Even though 'civilized' is still a stretch for humanity even now in 2011.It's not the BEST movie I've seen, but it left me wanting to see more, which few films do, so I'll give it a 10 just for that, along with the acting and story. There were a couple twists in the film that I wasn't quite ready for seeing it for the first time, which also strikes me as it's rare that I can't predict 80% of the movie just because the stories are so cliché. I can't say I've seen a new movie, including Avatar that wasn't pretty much wholly predictable.

I admit, I was disappointed. Having been a fan of the books since I was 14, I was at least hoping to enjoy the film but felt sadly let down. There was just something lost - perhaps the magic - that the books had. And Daryl Hannah was far too old to play Ayla at 11 or whatever. The second girl to play Ayla should have stayed on for the rest of the movie, she looked about the right age. And I was sad to not see more of Brun. In the book you get a sense of the respect between Ayla and Brun that was missing in the movie. In fact I think this is an overall issue, that I feel the connections were not strong enough between the characters. Still, the movie is interesting if only to see the interpretation of the language, and look of the era.

I'm in the middle of the 2nd Clan book, Valley of the Horses, enjoying reading the series tremendously, and held off on seeing this film till I was well past the first title.The usual rule seems to hold that if you really love the book, you ain't gonna dig the movie. I wonder, though if it's partly the look of the film, and not just the inability of one genre to capture the best of another genre's take on "the bad old days," complete with thoughts and lots of solitary scenes for the main character.Maybe a really great animated version using the latest technology and some good-old fashioned character building could come a little closer to a strong depiction of the chinless, "flathead" Neanderthals than the comical looking folks with the bad wigs and prosthetic brow ridges that crowd this picture. While I haven't lost my critical faculties reading the books, they've never prompted me to smile or wince so much as this film did.Just a facetious suggestion--I suspect the story is just not one that's good for film adaptation.

I wish the powers that be would continue the series. The Clan Of The Cave Bears is A great movie,showing how women can be great leaders in life too! Yes the struggle can easily reflect the struggles a girl can go throughout life and will go through in the future. This movie shows when you(man or Woman) believe in yourself there is no obstacle that can restrain the will to fight to live. Beside I would love to see Miss Daryl Hannah star in another blockbuster not only is she hot she is wickedly talented! I don't want to forget the director and producer and all the other people who this movie. Because of every individual in even the smallest way added enough of themselves just so perfectly it has inspired me to stand up and tell someone,anyone this is a really fucken cool movie about people for people yeah its dated,but thats why we have Hollywood! please take me away for an hour or two today my work week was tough. Thank You. Michael