Quest for Fire

Moedred

Administrator
Staff member
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quest_for_Fire_(film)

Finally saw this 1981 film in widescreen. I wish Apocalypto had been this insightful and humorous throughout. Not a lot of classic lines so you might as well listen to a commentary. Ron Perlman's first role, chosen because he required less time in the makeup chair! Hilarious bit where he drops a rock on a fellow Neanderthal's head - the first practical joke. Great MacGuffin too, the bone fire carrier thing. Though the tribe chose their bald fire tender poorly.

Avoid the 1986 Clan of the Cave Bear, occurring 50,000 years later, featuring Daryl Hannah as a sexy feminist Cro-Magnon mathematics prodigy / huntress / physician's assistant.
 

Stoo

Well-known member
Moedred said:
Not a lot of classic lines so you might as well listen to a commentary.
You may already know that the main language was created by Anthony Burgess, the man who wrote, "A Clockwork Orange". What you may not know is that one of the other languages used in the film is a hodgepodge of native Cree 'Indian' and Inuit 'Eskimo'. When the movie came out, I remember hearing that those audiences were having a laugh because they could understand the words but the dialogue didn't make any sense.:)
Moedred said:
Ron Perlman's first role, chosen because he required less time in the makeup chair!
It was also the first film role for The Great Antonio. He played the big dude and wouldn't have needed much make-up either.

When the film was released in my area, it generated a huge media buzz because much of the filming was in Canada, it was a Canadian co-production and was directed by a Frenchman. Plus, a local Montreal celebrity, The Great Antonio, was in it. He had set Guinness World Records for pulling a train, 4 coach buses full of people, etc. I'd often see him walking around downtown like a homeless person in the late '80s/early '90s (I think he actually was homeless). Even if he had a bed to sleep in somewhere, he definitely LIVED on the streets.

GreatAntonio_zps8802cd2f.jpg


Moedred, I remember that you started a thread about "The Name of the Rose" so I take it that you're a fan of Jean-Jacques Annaud. That guy doesn't make many movies but when he does, man, are they ever good. "Quest for Fire" is an excellent film. Haven't seen it widescreen since the theatre but will have to rectify that.

Have you seen "Caveman" (1981) with Ringo Starr and Barbara Bach? Adolescent stoner comedy that came out earlier but the characters also have their own language (and there are stop-motion animated dinosaurs in it).
 

Moedred

Administrator
Staff member
Stoo said:
Have you seen "Caveman" (1981)
Nope, or "When Dinosaurs Ruled the Earth," but I think I'll give the Ray Harryhaysen dinosaurs (and Raquel Welch) from "One Million Years B.C." a look!
 

Stoo

Well-known member
Wise choice. Don't expect any classic lines when you watch it, though.;) It's a prehistoric 'road-flick' and the best of Hammer's 4 Stone Age/Cave Girl movies. (The other 2 are "Prehistoric Women" and "Creatures the World Forgot".)

Back to "Quest for Fire":
Rae Dawn Chong is Canadian and I remember when her celebrity status was blossoming because of this movie (possibly helped by the fact that her father is Tommy Chong of Cheech & Chong). She showed up in a couple of episodes of "St. Elsewhere" so I checked her out on the intranets just now. Turns out that she was in a 1974 Disney TV movie that I loved & have a rare copy of ("The Whiz Kid and the Mystery at Riverton")! Will have to watch it again to figure out which part she played.

Does J-J Annaud do the commentary on the "Quest" DVD?:confused:
 

Moedred

Administrator
Staff member
Yes, there are 2 commentaries on the DVD and region B blu-ray, one with Perlman and Chong. Wasn't completely sure from the DVD but I think she runs around the entire movie without a stitch, like a painted Sports Illustrated swimsuit-less model. It has its share of stoner comedy, I suppose, being from that era... Naoh & Amoukar's Still Smokin'.
 
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