Quest for Fire Movie Review

An interesting attempt to create a serious film set in prehistoric times. During the Ice Age, a small group of proto-men lose their carefully guarded fire during an attack from an enemy tribe, and are forced to wander the land searching for a way to renew the flames. The fire is serious business; without it, they are dangerously vulnerable to the elements. During their journey, they encounter and battle various animals and tribesmen in order to survive. The story is fascinating, and a refreshing change from the usual “Women in Fur Bikinis Threatened by Dinosaurs” story familiar from earlier prehistoric epics. The film also has moments of disturbing violence and a somewhat bleak tone that may make it challenging to some viewers. The characters’ language was developed by A Clockwork Orange author Anthony Burgess, while the primitive movements were designed by Desmond (The Naked Ape) Morris. Ron Perlman went on to play Vincent, the Beast in TV's Beauty and the Beast; Rae Dawn Chong is the daughter of Tommy Chong of the comic duo Cheech and Chong.

1982 (R) 75m/C FR Everett McGill, Ron Perlman, Nameer El-Kadi, Rae Dawn Chong; D: Jean-Jacques Annaud; W: Gerard Brach. Academy Awards '82: Best Makeup; Genie Awards '83: Best Actress (Chong). VHS, Beta, LV FOX, INJ