Quest for Fire
1981 ‘La Guerre du feu’ Directed by Jean-Jacques Annaud
Synopsis
A colossal adventure odyssey that turns back the hands of time to the very beginning of man's existence. 80,000 years ago, when man roamed the earth, he was exposed to the many harsh elements of nature. Against the perilous atmosphere of rugged terrain, rival tribes and savage beasts, Quest for Fire examines a peaceful tribe's search for that all important element fire, and the knowledge to create it. Focusing on human dream as well as realistic insights into pre-historic man, the constant struggle for survival is vividly recreated in this sensational production.
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Remember when you were little, and could lose yourself in a movie? Just be eaten whole by a fictional world? I barely do, and truth be told, I can't say I've missed it much, since engaging with a work critically can be just as breathtaking in its own way. But last night I found myself back there again, like a kid, gawking at the screen.
I was stunned by how strongly La guerre du feu affected me, especially in the first ten minutes or so; an overwhelming sequence where a tribe of early humans are attacked and massacred by apelike aggressors (and wolves!). The film has plenty of such set-pieces, impressive in spite of their reliance on simple practical effects…
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This review reportedly contains spoilers. I can handle the truth.
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Greatest movie about prehistoric humans on a quest for fire ever made.
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Movie #9 of Berkens 30 days, 30 countries challenge
Even without intelligible dialog this move managed to completely suck me into the prehistoric setting, so much so that a scene of someone making fire has the same profound effect on me as it has on the baffled caveman. Also missionary seemed to be quite the revelation to those guys. The tribal enviroment is captured very naturally, at times like in a nature documentary, wich adds to the immersion. There are some impressive action scenes throughout this movie featuring prehistoric animals as well as people in costume, wich are appropriately gruesome and effective.
This is a truly unique film that makes me sad that there are not more films set in a tribal setting.
(I can only think of Apocalypto and The New World to some extend, if you know any good ones, feel free to recommend them, I would love to see some more) -
Quest for Fire is an all-time favorite film of mine. From the amazing landscapes (cinematography) to it's slow pace and heavy atmospheric sense it truly feels like you are peering in on a time long before any recorded history. The surprise of this film is it's humor that is displayed through the great characters. There is no language to this film and yet it conveys a deep narrative in the form of this incredible quest for life giving and "magical" fire. This film is simple. Simple, direct, powerful, moving and inspiring. Phillip Sarde's score is simply intoxicating, especially the romantic themes. Jean Jaques Annaud is nothing short of a visual and storytelling master. I am already wanting to see this film again (even though I have seen it many times already).
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The cinema of anthropological fantasy got a major boost from the surprise success of Quest for Fire wherein the so-called “dawn of humanity” got its most responsible and studied re-creation, far from the Saturday matinee dinosaur vs. man fantasies usually associated with this subject matter. Although arguably still a fantasy, it was made with an earnestness absent from this genre, to give it a documentary-like quality. Thus, to capture the movements of primitive humans, noted anthropologist Desmond Morris was brought in to choreograph a special system of body language modeled on his studies of simian behavior and to detail a primitive spoken language, noted author and linguist Anthony Burgess (who had created the teenage argot “nadsat” for his celebrated novel…
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Movie #9 of Berkens 30 days, 30 countries challenge
Even without intelligible dialog this move managed to completely suck me into the prehistoric setting, so much so that a scene of someone making fire has the same profound effect on me as it has on the baffled caveman. Also missionary seemed to be quite the revelation to those guys. The tribal enviroment is captured very naturally, at times like in a nature documentary, wich adds to the immersion. There are some impressive action scenes throughout this movie featuring prehistoric animals as well as people in costume, wich are appropriately gruesome and effective.
This is a truly unique film that makes me sad that there are not more films set in a tribal setting.
(I can only think of Apocalypto and The New World to some extend, if you know any good ones, feel free to recommend them, I would love to see some more) -
I can appreciate the idea of making a film like this. However, the camera needs to be a great deal more expressive, the proceedings more poetic, to keep up the interest throughout. Otherwise, the lack of language leaves the film languishing along from one narrative difficulty to another, without much to distinguish them. Further, the very modern and optimistic view of man as slowly overcoming our animal natures to evolve into more compassionate beings is a bit naive for my taste.
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Remember when you were little, and could lose yourself in a movie? Just be eaten whole by a fictional world? I barely do, and truth be told, I can't say I've missed it much, since engaging with a work critically can be just as breathtaking in its own way. But last night I found myself back there again, like a kid, gawking at the screen.
I was stunned by how strongly La guerre du feu affected me, especially in the first ten minutes or so; an overwhelming sequence where a tribe of early humans are attacked and massacred by apelike aggressors (and wolves!). The film has plenty of such set-pieces, impressive in spite of their reliance on simple practical effects…
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Ron Perlman is a caveman. Way to stretch those acting chops guy
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Having seen Clan of the Cave Bear, I'm aware just how awry this concept can go. Quest for Fire may be episodic and dull for long stretches, but it's essentially what you'd expect. A bunch of cavemen running around on their way to acquiring fire is about as compelling as it sounds. The Oscar-winning makeup is quite deserving, but it's Philippe Sarde's score that's the film's most sublime element.
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With the notable exception that there actually exists a plot, this is as art house as they come: no dialogue, deliberate and slow pacing, strict adherence to facts (as well as they were known), and a challenging story, Quest for Fire is definitely not for everyone. But I must say, I kind of loved it. It's an indulgent film that aims to recreate an era in human history that is at once close and yet impossibly distant. Visualizing pre-history obviously requires some degree of creative license, but the film never feels anything but authentic. For fans of history, science, evolution, and biology, there is much to like here.
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This review reportedly contains spoilers. I can handle the truth.
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Not sure why a tribe that treasures fire and doesn't know how to make it would hang out on an island surrounded by chest deep water. Just asking for trouble.
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Quest for Fire is an all-time favorite film of mine. From the amazing landscapes (cinematography) to it's slow pace and heavy atmospheric sense it truly feels like you are peering in on a time long before any recorded history. The surprise of this film is it's humor that is displayed through the great characters. There is no language to this film and yet it conveys a deep narrative in the form of this incredible quest for life giving and "magical" fire. This film is simple. Simple, direct, powerful, moving and inspiring. Phillip Sarde's score is simply intoxicating, especially the romantic themes. Jean Jaques Annaud is nothing short of a visual and storytelling master. I am already wanting to see this film again (even though I have seen it many times already).