Customer Reviews

Quest for Fire [VHS]

5 star:		(100)
4 star:		(29)
3 star:		(16)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

Already people are fretting about this movie Mel Gibson is making about the last days of Christ in which everybody will be speaking Latin and/or Arameic without subtitles. Well, if you are a-feared of such a prospect you can warm up on 1981 Canadian/French production from Jean-Jacques Annaud. "Quest for Fire" ("Le Guerre du feu") should be a good test for you because in this story, set among the Cro-Magnons of eighty thousand years ago, you know neither the characters nor the plot.

The genesis for this story is quite primal. A tribe of Cro-Magnons is attacked by its neighbors and has its fire stolen. This requires a small band to go forth and seek fire, which is necessary to ensure the tribe's survival. The trio consists of the brains of the outfit, Naoh (Everett McGill), the hulking brute, Amoukar (Ron Perlman), and the wiry comic relief, Gaw (Nameer El-Kadi). Along the way they hook up with Ika (Rae Dawn Chong), a young woman who is rescued from slavery because she actually knows how to MAKE fire, as opposed to waiting for lightning to hit something and start only a very small little fire.

The authenticity of the "language" in this film comes from the work of authors Anthony Burgess("A Clockwork Orange") who created the spoken languages and Desmond Morris ("The Naked Ape") who worked on the body language and gestures. I have certainly met a few people who were bothered by the lack of sub-titles, but never anyone who did not understand what was going on or what was being communicated. Without your eyes darting to the bottom of the screen throughout the movie you can pay attention to the nuanced performances and each viewing allows you to further amplify the dialogue you are conjuring up in your mind. For realism, "Quests of Fire" has everything from "One Million B.C." to "Clan of the Cave Bear" beat big time.

Ultimately, this story is not just a quest for fire, but a quest for love at a time when we think men simply knocked a woman over the head with a club and dragged her home to his cave, and if the film had not suggested the birth of true civilization came with the discovery of the missionary position, this film would enjoy a much better reputation. Annaud was probably trying to make a point about the importance of romance as a contributing factor to human evolution, but that idealization goes up in smoke when Ika shows Naoh a better way of doing it (it was almost enough to cost this film a star, but overall the ambition and execution on this one is too good to be that petty over one small screw up). For now the biggest complaint is that "Quest for Fire" is not yet available in wide-screen, because Claude Agostini's cinematography loses a lot in the scan-and-pan version of this decidedly "foreign" film.

Undoubtedly Jean-Jacques Annaud is an unconventional director. With only ten films done up to this moment he has managed to impact the audience more than once.
His movies in brief: "Black & White in Color" (1976) won the Best Foreign Film Oscar, "The Name of the Rose" (1986), "The Bear" (1988), the controversial "The Lover" (1992) and "Enemy at the Gates" (2001) a realistic recount of the Battle for Stalingrad completes his works.

In "Quest for Fire" ("La Guerre du Feu 1981) French Cesar Award, Academy of Sci-fi Award and Best Make-up Oscar, tell the story of a cave-man in search of fire, with a vocabulary almost reduced to grunts and growls.

A Cro-Magnon tribe is deprived, after a combat, of its major treasure: fire.
They know the value of fire but hasn't the technique to produce it by themselves. So a group of three tribe-men start the Quest for Fire, a sort of prehistoric Grail Quest.
In their journey they encounter other tribes with different stages of culture; ranging from bestial cannibalistic to fire "technocrats".
They have time to rescue an endangered stone-age lady and of course the hero falls in love with her... and discovers many interesting new possibilities.

There is an amazing anthropological reconstruction work by far better than other filmic intents as "The Clan of the Cave Bear".
Anthony Burgess (author of "The Mechanical Orange") has created a neo-lingua for this movie and Desmond Morris (author of "The Naked Ape") all corporal and gestural language.
The actors and actresses under heavy make-up deliver a very convincing performance, depending mostly on mimics to express themselves.
Musical score in charge of multi-nominated to Cesar Awards Philippe Sarde, underline the action.
Finally a special mention must be done to praise Jean-Jacques Annaud work, who as director, takes a huge risk and complies with honors.

This is a great film for audiences interested in history, anthropology or just uncommon adventures.
Reviewed by Max Yofre.

Quest for Fire is a film that will not only alter one's perception of modern human behavior but also show the dawn of what we call human civilization. This movie portrays man distilled to his original raw instincts, many of which in today's ultra modern society would be denounced as barbaric and foreign. It is hard to fathom that 8,000 years ago our predecessors had pretty much the same cognitive ability as modern humans do. It is simply the continual growth of technology and civilization that separates us from the characters in Quest for Fire. After knowing this morsel of knowledge, it was apparent that this movie not only defines life in the ancient world but also paints vividly shocking portrait of who we really are. Simply put, watching this film is quite humbling. The film climaxes when the main character discovers that man can create fire. This moment is quite inspirational and thought provoking simply because it is more important than man discovering the atom or the structure of DNA. That is, man is now capable of changing his environment instead of being controlled by it. In essence, the progress of humanity is a long and detailed history. In order to understand who we really are we must learn from where we came. Quest for Fire delivers a wonderful image of where we once were and who we are now.

Quest for Fire is a presentaton through the cinema arts about the foundations of civilization. The things that are shown are fundamental and sophisticated simultaneously. They are group and blood bonds; sacrifice; tangeable and intangeable. The quest originates with a prehistoric tribe that has evolved socially due to the realization of the strength in there community and on the power of fire. Fire is the centerpiece of their communal settings, and ultimately there best tool for protection of their very lives. The group is forced from its home when they are raided by a less socially evolved, but physically stronger group that covets there fire. Once they have regrouped they choose three of their youngest and strongest to search out fire. The accomplishment of this presentation is as important to cinematography as some of Shakespear's plays are to theatre. The effect of this movie allows for the involvement of historical inquisitives with true artists. Artists who focussed on making use of technology to truely recreate historical vision. I first saw this movie on a premium movie channel within a year of its original release. I was fourteen then. I remembered it an picked it up some 12 years later. The fact alone that its impression, on me, lasted is an accomplishment as I am of the Star Wars generation and still blinded by the light of some of its special effects. I will say that I was and still am impressed by Quest For Fire. It portrayed an opinion of how life actually is without the things we value and protect. For example, there was the harsh cold of the marsh after the tribe was driven from its home. I know a particular family that lost its home, ironically, to fire. They reflect on it often and I can see the same types of shivers in their memories that the tribe members suffered on the marsh. The script and the acting touch the very important issues that family is about today. For example, commitment; the young leader of the search party is side tracked by a female of a different clan that his party comes accross during their quest. He follows her to her home village and experienced what must have been delicacies. It turns out that her tribe had mastered the producton of fire and could protect themselves against most pitfalls of their environment. They could create fire and protected themselves from those that would take fire, as fire was not there only technological advancement. They also had superior weaponry. Making the quest the search party is driven by somewhat trivial in their realm of understanding. The leader of the search party upon arriving at the village drank fresh milk (creme), he was shown how to protect his skin from the harsh sun, experienced the drive of a man that claimed a woman, given superior weapons, and ultimately, was driven to tears by witnessing the creation of fire. Through all these things he, with the help of his friends, returned home to complete the quest they set out to accomplish. However, had the other members of the search party experienced what their leader had and received the same treatment as their leader, they may have not been so interested in returning home so quickly. I shared the movie with a respected friend and we through conversing about it and watching it several times came to a greater understanding of each other. It is not uncommon that we get together on occasion and watch the movie; it is without fail that each time I and the people that I watch it with see something that was not noticed before. This is noteworthy considering I have seen the movie in its entirety roughly 10 times, and several times more piecing together partial viewings. I recommend it to anyone who appreciates cinema, but cinema from an unobtrusive view into social dynamics. In effect, life and death situations and their effects on individual and group character were depicted. The effects I am discussing are what allowed growth of community and civilization to develop.

I LOVE this movie! Touching, gripping, scary, suspensful, moving and hilariously funny, no matter how many times I watch it (and I watch it a lot!) I am always amazed how emotionally involved I become with a group of characters who (it must be stated) have VERY little in common with ME (or anyone ELSE who has lived on earth in the past twenty thousand or so years!)

The characters, none of who have names or can speak, are marvellously three dimensional and avoid being 'Flintstone-esque' at all times. Top marks go to Ron Perlman as the slightly LESS intellectually gifted of the fire-seekers (Jean-Jacques Arnaud used him again to great effect as the deformed monk, 'Salvatori', in the wonderful 'Name of the Rose'.)

It doesn't really matter how anthropologically accurate QUEST FOR FIRE is - that's not the point. It's a movie to be watched and enjoyed and 'lost' in, and if nothing else, it makes you REAL glad that you don't live in Neolithic times; life on the tundra ain't easy!

Recent archaeological and anthropological discoveries have rendered many parts of this film innacurate and out-of-date. Despite that, it remains an engaging and involving look at early man. As the title implies, the story revolves around a primitive tribes' (the Ulams) hunt for life-giving fire. Tribesman Naoh and two others embark on a long and dangerous trek through a world rife with peril. They encounter Ika of the Ivakas (Rae Dawn Chong, in an excellent performance), who teaches them remarkable new ways to hunt (a primitive bow and arrow type weapon, comparable to the spear-throwers in Jean Auel's "Earth's Children" books), to make love, to laugh (one of the most delightful moments of the film) and most importantly, how to create fire.

As we discover more and more about early humans, we see that they were not grunting savages, but rather, dynamic and advanced beings. This film offers a little of both. The possibility that interaction between tribes led to the spread of new technology and ideas has been vigorously debated; some support the idea that harsh climates and predators would have forced such advancements to remain localized. Personally, I agree with the filmmakers here. Also, it is likely that by 80,000 years ago our communication skills had already evolved beyond the simple grunts, hand signs, and body postures employed by the people in the film, though how far beyond is open for debate. Some authors on the subject have suggested that such a communication system was in use at an even earlier point in man's history; so, the linguistics represented in "Quest for Fire" are a remarkable simulation of what communication may have been like millenia before. Kudos to Anthony Burgess ("A Clockwork Orange") and Desmond Morris ("The Naked Ape") for an interesting--if debatable--realization of early language.

Even with its possible (and proven) inaccuracies, "Quest for Fire" remains a dynamic and breathtaking film. It's not for the faint of heart; there are moments of bloody violence, cannibalism, and some graphic depictions of sexuality. Not surprising, given the world of early man. Jean Jacques-Annaud's direction makes good use of the beautiful locations used for the film, and some of the scenes are exhilarating. The film can pack an emotional punch, especially in the powerful and touching closing shot. As an anthropology lesson, it leaves something to be desired. But as a film and as a speculative piece on the origins of humanity, it works.

If you've ever tried to light a wet match, or been entirely without the means for starting a blaze, then you'll appreciate the extremely fascinating 1982 film, QUEST FOR FIRE. Set 80,000 years ago in time, we're introduced to a tribe of primitive, human cave dwellers, which relies on fire to survive in its Ice Age, forest environment. Unfortunately, the tribe doesn't know how to actually create fire, but must (presumably) steal it from other tribes, or wait for the fortuitous lightning strike, literally. The tribe's fire is maintained and protected between encampments in the form of a live coal carried in moss inside a hollowed-out animal skull. Talk about pressure on the Keeper of the Flame! Anyway, while fleeing an attack by a vicious group of even more primitive ape-men, the tribe stumbles into a swamp, where the hot coal is accidentally doused. Oh, oh ... now what? The solution is to send three members of the group, led by the Everett McGill character, out into the larger world in a QUEST FOR FIRE, to be brought back before the rest perish of exposure.

There's no dialog, as we know it, between the human characters. Specifically for the film, a language consisting mainly of monosyllables and body gestures was devised, the latter by Desmond Morris, the renowned zoologist and human behaviorist, who wrote the 1967 book, THE NAKED APE. It's brilliantly done, and the audience has no trouble understanding the communicative interactions.

Along the way, the three knights-errant encounter the usual animal and human hazards, including a group of cannibals. From the latter they rescue a damsel in distress, a member of a distant plains-dwelling tribe captured to be eaten. The rescuers take her back to her people, who, lo and behold, know how to create fire from scratch.

My wife thinks I'm nuts for considering this one of the cleverest movies ever made, which simply proves that not everyone possesses a discriminating taste. The script, costuming, plot, photography, acting and "dialog" are all first rate. Moreover, the close-up camera shot of the McGill character's face when he first watches fire being made is, by itself, worth the price of the video rental and the gas it took to drive to the Blockbuster.

I would give this movie three and a half stars maybe four stars because it is excellent, although the historicity in it is pretty fragile now it was up to date twenty years ago. I give the DVD five because this is truly a DVD par excellance. The commentaries alone are worth buying this DVD.

The movie itself is not at all politically correct, which I appreciate, too often we wish to impose modern morals and social behaviour on the ancient world, as one sees in Clan of the Cave Bear. Not here, this film tackles clanwars, cannibalism, rape, sexuality, and even alcoholism. The one thing that did surprise me was that apparently the main characters, the Ulum tribe, were not supposed to be neanderthals, even though (based on modern understanding of neanderthals) their social behaviour was very much like the neanderthals' and was totally unlike archaic homo sapiens. However, this movie functions very well in familliarizing modern man with the totally alien world of our ancient ancestors.

Now for the DVD special features. The special features are what really set this DVD apart. Through the director commentary, and also a commentary with the exec. producer and a couple actors one really gets a sense of what a harrowing project this film was to make for all involved. From shooting in the remotest wilderness, to training animals, to working under the harshest conditions imageinable from neckdeep in frozen water in Canada to barefoot on 140 degree rocks in the middle of Africa, this movie must have been as hard to act through as life must have been for our ancient ancestors. Ron Perlman, in part of his commentary mentions that he still feels the frostbite he got while shooting this movie every time it gets cold. The special features really are brilliant and they will give you a much deeper appreciation of the movie you are watching.

I have to say, this has to be one of the all-time boldest ideas behind a film: to make a movie about prehistoric times, but do so anthropoligically as accurate as possible while still keeping the story entertaining. The courageous experiment is a success in my opinion. The effect is not only interesting it's believable. This is one possible past that might have been.

I really like this movie. I think that director Jean Jacques Arnnaud is a brilliantly innovative film director. He takes some big risks and the risks pay off most of all for movie-lovers everywhere: we get to see some very original and highly creative films that are as memorable as they are fun to watch. I think this director loves to play with unorthodox period styles. Whether as Neanderthal men in the Ice Age here or as Medieval monks in the 14th Century in his 1986 film "Name of the Rose", director Jean Jaques Annaud always keeps things unique.

This DVD is well-done. The picture looks great. The sound is in 5.1 surround and there's two wonderful commentary tracks to listen along to: one by director Annaud himself and another by three of the actors including Ron Pearlman and Rae Dawn Chong.

I give this DVD four stars. It's well worth the low price but isn't at all budget-quality. I'm glad I dished out the money and added it to my collection. It's a treat, and a rare one at that.

Was so excited that this movie is finally coming out on DVD. First time for me to watch it in its' full form.(was not allowed to view it during the time of its release cause I was only 11 yrs. old)
The movie is great except for the DVD... Generally, video quality is pleasing...but there are scenes which are grainy specially landscape views...grainy to the point of distraction..
In short, the DVD release did not do justice for the film. I gave it 3 stars cause its just a so and so DVD release. Was not pleased with the video quality. They could have made it better. For fans of the movie...get a copy..but...don't expect too much on the video quality...