Other Titles • Quest for Fire (1981) • La Guerre du feu • Am Anfang war das Feuer (1982)
Synopses for Quest for Fire (1981)
1.
Quest for Fire is so detailed in its depiction of prehistoric man that it might have been made by time-traveling filmmakers. Instead it's a bold and timeless experiment by visionary director Jean-Jacques Annaud (The Bear), inviting scientific debate while presenting a fascinating, imaginary glimpse of humankind some 80,000 years ago. Using diverse locations in Kenya, Scotland, and Canada, Annaud tells the purely visual story of five tribes (some more advanced than others) who depend on fire for survival. They "steal" fire from nature, but the actual creation of fire remains elusive, lending profound mystery and majesty to the film's climactic, real-time display of fire-making ingenuity. Employing primitive language created by novelist Anthony Burgess and body language choreographed by anthropologist Desmond Morris, a unique ensemble of actors push the envelope of their profession, succeeding where they easily could've failed. They're carnal, violent, funny, curious, and intelligent; through them, and through the eons, we can recognize ourselves. --Jeff Shannon
2.
During the Ice Age, the fire used by a clan of cavemen is extinguished during a battle. Subsequently, three members leave in search of new embers to renew their flame. This journey proves to be more event-filled than expected, however; for example, they rescue a young cavewoman from cannibalistic savages and she leads them to her tribe, where the trio learns the secrets of fire -- and love.
3.
"Tense, touching...and fascinating." -Leonard Maltin
Set 80,000 years ago, this accomplished "cinematic spectacle" (New York Magazine) follows the lives of four tribes of early man-each with their own customs and stages of development. As they all face perilous terrain, human rivals and savage predators, one peaceful tribe searches for the element that will bring comfort and safety to all of mankind: fire. While celebrating human drama, this stunning film, shot on location in Scotland, Iceland, Canada and Kenya, also offers fascinating insights into prehistoric man's survival.
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