The Clan of the Cave Bear (DVD, 1999)

Clan of the Cave Bear is my favorite book. I wasn't expecting much from the film and this is certainly not the worst way to spend an hour and a half. But that's about the most it has going for it.

If I did not already know the book and characters, I would be lost. There is no character development; you don't get a chance to really meet/understant/much less love Ayla, Creb and Iza. Other characters may be mentioned once or twice, otherwise there is no mention of them. There's a really annoying voiceover that attempts to explain the plot and push the story, because the characters and their actions certainly don't move the story forward. Then there's the bad special affects and makeup.

If you haven't read the book, this movie will not make you want to start reading. This film will give you an idea of some of the events that take place in the book (all out of sequence), but I would still recommend reading a Cliff/Sparks Notes version over watching this film. If you have read the book and have 90 minutes to spare I would recommend skimming your favorite parts and just forget about even bothering to watch this film.

I have read all of Jean Auells books the series beginning with Clan of the cave bear, Valley of the horses, The Plains of passage, Etc.
The movie has to do with survival as an outsider and adaptation to her enviroment, and the companions she makes along lifes journey.This movie follows the book pretty close, granted you can get into more detail in a book, whereas a movie due to time has to be condensed. But all in all it is an attention getter, you will become involved with AYLA.

I am the number one fan of the books by Jean Auel. Clan of the Cave bear series is my favorite of all time. Do not buy this movie, unless you have read the book otherwise you will have no idea what is going on. This is the most boring, poorly made movie I have ever seen. GRADE F- I'd say skip it, and I am pretty confident you will agree.

This film was just okay. I have previously read the book, "Clan of the Cave Bear", which was wonderful, so I was curious to the see the film. Unfortunatley, like most movies that come from books, it was not even comparable. The book itself was so long, there where things in the film that they didnt even touch on that where facinating and there where parts in the film that you wouldn't understand if you hadn't read the book. My boyfriend sat there and was like "what are they doing?" So, this film isn't something to watch on Friday nite unless you are bored, really bored. A couple scenes where a little sexually explicit (and not in the good way), so keep that in mind with the kids.

It was true to the spirit of the book. The primordial politics of the tribe were presented well within the compressed framework of a two-hour movie. I think they could have developed the main character a little better, because we don't get to see her progress in the tribe actually played out.
I bought Cllan of the cave Bear because it's one of those many movies I meant to see when it was in theaters, and for a medley of reasons failed to catch.