The Clan of the Cave Bear

Although much abridged and some incidents altered for dramatic effect very enjoyable and close to original story. Will watch again many times. Disc in very good condition

If you've read the book, you'll be slightly disappointed that some elements of the story were changed - but let's face it, emulating J M Auel's story in cine in its entirety would be more than one dvd's worth!Immerse yourself instead in the marvellous scenery and cinematography of the struggle (daily) for life in this marvellous interpretation of one girl's story of adoption by (almost) animals and re-learning social and life skills vital to survival. Put yourself in the place of the subject and wonder how you would cope amid the dangers and the practical problems the modern world never challenges us with any more.Thoroughly enjoyable. I had the VHS tape of this beforehand, and wondered whether I'd ever get a replacement when DVDs came out and my VHS player gave up the ghost. Will be treasured as long as I live.

I've read all the books and thought this film was ok as far as it went. It would have been better had it progressed further than the first novel. It was a little unsatisfying ending as it did, especially when we know what happened next in the subsequent books. Perhaps it was planned to produce a follow up film, but that never happened. The acting was reasonable and the photography and special effects were good. To criticise it for not slavishly following the book is a little churlish I think - it was only 90 minutes long, not an epic and a lot of the book's content was desciptive of flora, medicines, scenery, etc which would not easily translate into an entertaining film. All the essential points of the book were there and I enjoyed it.

entertaining but the books should be read

It is always a problem trying to film a book with a rich level of description. At the start I was pleasantly surprised that it seemed to be trying to be faithful to the narrative. Sadly it lost track a little later and for some reason Creb was not killed in the earthquake denouement at the end. Other deviations from the story and foreshortening combinations of events seemed more reasonable to me. Ayla being raped and becoming pregnant at an older age for example, plus her hiding out in her small cave to have her baby at the same time as her being cursed. I suspect that reading the book first would help to follow the film narrative but then that could cause some irritation with the movie script as well. The original author Jean M. Auel appears to me to be a "New Age of Aquarius" type person, into astrological witchcraft, spirituality and a "homeopathic rather than allopathic" medicine type point of view, whereas the movie appeared to me to be boringly materialistic and "modern" in outlook. Quite possibly the arcane astrological witchcraft Gaia type references to Mother Earth, to Ursus Constellation (Cave Bear) or The Wolf Star (Sirius) etc. in later books were just too obscure for the materialistic movie people.

I Love Jean M Auels book and when I saw the DVD advertised I just had to get it. It was very true to the story although, there is a lot missing. This is no surprise as the book is very long but the main elements have been captured including the sign language etc. Daryl Hannah plays a wonderful role, I felt transported to pre historic times and watched the film twice over imediately. I am going to be waiting with bated breath for the next film, Valley of the Horses? if it ever gets made. All in all a refreshingly different film from the usual stuff we see on the screen educational for youngsters although there are one or two semi explicit scenes, but they would probably rise over the heads of very young children.I would recomend this film wholeheartedly, Well done everyone involved in the making of the film.

Not as good as the book but they never are ok film but disappointed

I've just watched this film after enjoying the books enormously.I think the film made a brave stab at conveying Auel's vision of the Cro-Magnon and Neanderthal types. The Neanderthals were too pretty, but to have them looking as Auel portrayed them would have alienated audiences and produced unsympathetic, off-putting characters. Much was left out and the ending was changed.However I was charmed by the attempts to render the Neanderthals' means of communicating, by means of sign language, and I found it convincing in the depiction of the cave lions and cave bears-before the sophisticated use of CGI we have nowadays.All in all, I'm pleased to have seen the film, I found it absorbing.