Daryl Hannah, Emma Floria, James Remar

Every statuesque, beautiful blonde woman has spent more time in the company of Neanderthals than she cares to remember. Seems it's always been that way: Clan of the Cave Bear, a 1986 feature ...( read more  read more... )scripted by John Sayles and based on Jean Auel's bestselling novel set in prehistoric times, stars former mermaid Daryl Hannah as an intelligent Cro-Magnon woman adopted and raised by lesser-evolved Neanderthals. She is berated for her brains and strength, sexually exploited, and generally treated as uppity chattel. Sayles's writing on this project is forceful but cheeky. Subtitles are used to decipher caveman grunts, clucks and sign language. Michael Chapman, ace cinematographer of Mean Streets and The Wanderers, directed with an eye toward primitive exotica and made this a terrific-looking movie. Author Auel was reportedly unhappy with the final results on screen, but the film is well worth a fascinated look.

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49% liked it

5,806 ratings

Critics

13% liked it

8 critics

R, 98 min.

Directed by: Michael Chapman

Release Date: January 17, 1986

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DVD Release Date: November 23, 1999

Stats: 224 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (224)


  • December 17, 2008
    Slow and pointless. Lacks great elements like Quest for Fire, which had Ron Pearlman and tons of monkey people fights.
  • March 31, 2008
    I've seen some bad reviews of this, even the author of the book, on which this is based, evidently didn't like it. I did like it though. I thought the minimal use of spoken dialog and consistent primitive sign language was well done. The subtitles did not distract, they helped...( read more) because the characters do not use a known language. I identified with the theme of having to walk alone in the end because of questioning the ways of the clan too much. Ebert says, "it never quite makes them seem frightened and ignorant and vulnerable and bewildered." In a way they are subject to nature and these qualities, especially Brun who's fault is the way in which he tries to deal with these qualities. But I don't think Ebert has a legitimate critique because most cultures won't show these traits because they think they have it all figured out. Ebert also sees the fact that "every one of these people has motives that are instantly recognizable and predictable" as a fault. I think this is the point of the story, the books were bestsellers because they are about how human motives have always been the same.
  • January 5, 2008
    It's been a long time since I've seen this but I remember lots of grunting.
  • November 10, 2009
    This movie sucked! But I guess it's hard to make a movie of this book. Hope they try to make a new one soon.
  • August 5, 2009
    Both diffrent and interseting in good ways. Diffrent as in not really any manuscript (its a movie about cro-magnon and one homosapien), interesting as in a succesfull movie about a homosapien growing upp amongst cro-magnon. The story as i understand comes from a book which you no...( read more)tice as a bad thing. I recomend it because its diffrent and intresting, if you haven´t seen it try it!
  • July 12, 2009
    (1986 Director: Michael Chapman) This was not bad, some entertainment value. NOT as original as I had hoped.
  • February 17, 2009
    The book was better (as is usually the case), but this rendition wasn't bad. Note: There is little or no dialog in this movie.
  • December 27, 2008
    What did I just watch? This is strange and I really wasn't that interested.
  • December 22, 2008
    good job staying fasithful to the book
  • October 27, 2008
    inevitable compararla con la guerra del fuego.. y sale perdiendo.
    aun así merece verse

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The Clan of the Cave Bear Trivia


  • Which of the actors in Kill Bill acted also in "Clan of the Cave Bear"?  Answer »
  • What is the name of the movie thats main atress plays as Alah. It is also a book by Jean Auel.  Answer »
  • Daryl Hannah plays Ayla in this 1985 film based on Jean M.Auel's fantasy novel series. A young Cro-Magnon child is adopted by very primitive Neanderthals. She helps advance ideas and culture to the society. Name the movie.  Answer »
  • Who played the adopted cro-magnon child in "Clan of the Cave Bear"?   Answer »

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