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Quest for Fire

"A Science Fantasy Adventure"

1981-12-16 Adventure 1hr 40m

In the prehistoric world, a Cro-Magnon tribe depends on an ever-burning source of fire, which eventually extinguishes. Lacking the knowledge to start a new fire, the tribe sends three warriors on a quest for more. With the tribe's future at stake, the warriors make their way across a treacherous landscape full of hostile tribes and monstrous beasts. On their journey, they encounter Ika, a woman who has the knowledge they seek.

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Quest for Fire
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Storyline

In the prehistoric world, a Cro-Magnon tribe depends on an ever-burning source of fire, which eventually extinguishes. Lacking the knowledge to start a new fire, the tribe sends three warriors on a quest for more. With the tribe's future at stake, the warriors make their way across a treacherous landscape full of hostile tribes and monstrous beasts. On their journey, they encounter Ika, a woman who has the knowledge they seek.

  • Released
    1981-12-16
  • Revenue
    $55,260,558
  • Budget
    $12,000,000
  • Runtime
    1hr 40m
  • Genre
    Adventure, Drama
  • Status
    Released
  • Language
    No Language
  • imdb-logo
    7.3
  • Production
    Belstar Productions, Stéphan Films, International Cinema Corporation (ICC), Ciné Trail, Gruskoff Film Organization, Royal Bank of Canada, Famous Players Limited, 20th Century Fox

Crew

Jean-Jacques Annaud
Director
Gérard Brach
Writer
Denis Héroux
Producer
Keywords:
fire based on novel or book mammoth stone age bear prehistory ape man saber-toothed tiger cavemen neanderthal wolves cenozoic

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Cast

Everett McGill

Everett McGill
Naoh
Ron Perlman

Ron Perlman
Amoukar
Nicholas Kadi

Nicholas Kadi
Gaw
Rae Dawn Chong

Rae Dawn Chong
Ika
Gary Schwartz

Gary Schwartz
Rouka - tribu Ulam
Naseer El-Kadi

Naseer El-Kadi
Nam - tribu Ulam
Franck-Olivier Bonnet

Franck-Olivier Bonnet
Aghoo - tribu Ulam
Jean-Michel Kindt

Jean-Michel Kindt
Lakar - tribu Ulam
Kurt Schiegl

Kurt Schiegl
Faum - tribu Ulam
Brian Gillin

Brian Gillin
Modoc - tribu Ulam
Terry Fitt

Terry Fitt
Hourk - tribu Ulam
Bibi Caspari

Bibi Caspari
Gammla - tribu Ulam
Peter Elliott

Peter Elliott
Mikr - tribu Ulam
Michelle Leduc

Michelle Leduc
Matr - tribu Ulam
Robert Lavoie

Robert Lavoie
Tsor - tribu Ulam
Christian Benard

Christian Benard
Umbre - tribu Ulam
Tarlok Sing Seva

Tarlok Sing Seva
Tavawa - tribu Ivaka
Lolamal Kapisisi

Lolamal Kapisisi
La faiseur de feu - tribu Ivaka
Matt Birman

Matt Birman
Morah - tribu Ulam
Joy Boushel

Joy Boushel
Ulam Tribe Member
Adrian Street

Adrian Street
The Kzamm Tribe
Martin Ruane

Martin Ruane
The Kzamm Tribe
George Buza

George Buza
The Kzamm Tribe
Jean Gagné

Jean Gagné
The Kzamm Tribe
Antonio Barichievich

Antonio Barichievich
The Kzamm Tribe
Tai

Tai
Woolly Mammoth (uncredited)

Videos and Photos

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Quest for Fire
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Movie Reviews

Reviews for Quest for Fire
reviewer avatar

A Review by Geronimo1967 7

Written by Geronimo1967 on 2023-11-27

Without even a bar from "Thus Spake Zarathustra", Jean-Jacques Annaud takes us on some brutal and authentic time travel back to caveman days... read more

Without even a bar from "Thus Spake Zarathustra", Jean-Jacques Annaud takes us on some brutal and authentic time travel back to caveman days. That's where we encounter three warriors who are violently dispossessed of their home (and their fire) and find themselves at the mercy of the wilderness, the weather, the wildlife and some other tribesman who are perfectly happy to endorse the kill first speak afterwards philosophy. On that latter point, a whole new series of verbal communications - not words as such - has been developed for an on form Ron Perlman ("Amoukar"), Everett McGill ("Naoh") and Nicholas Kadi ("Gaw) to use as they roam in search of their stolen life giving element. The dynamic amongst the three friends becomes a little complicated when they are captured and escape with the addition of "Ika" (Rae Dawn Chong) who arouses in them passions hitherto suppressed. It's the bleakness and simplicity that makes this film work. They are dirty, injured, bleeding, tired, exhausted - indeed watching it can be quite a tiring experience as nature makes it quite clear that before man began to cultivate it's brain, it was mid-table on the chart of evolution and at a distinct disadvantage most of the time when facing the animal kingdom. Will they find fire? What will they do with it if they do? Well I found myself quite enthralled by their journey, the complete lack of a traditional script and a look at an existence that really was survival of the fittest, tempered by some quite human - even funny - moments.

reviewer avatar

A Review by Wuchak 6

Written by Wuchak on 2024-08-16

**_A well-done fantastical portrayal of early humans_** After a tribe of cave-dwelling homo sapiens in prehistory are attacked by neander... read more

**_A well-done fantastical portrayal of early humans_** After a tribe of cave-dwelling homo sapiens in prehistory are attacked by neanderthals, three members of the group (Everett McGill, Ron Perlman and Nicholas Kadi) leave to apprehend fire, since they don’t know how to create it themselves. On their journey, they run into saber-toothed tigers, cannibals, a friendly female in body paint (Rae Dawn Chong), woolly mammoths and Ika’s more evolved tribe where the chief is interested in eugenics. "Quest for Fire" (1981) is a serious attempt to depict people from prehistorical times in the tradition of “One Million Years BC” from fifteen years earlier (the one with Raquel Welch), although don’t expect any dinosaurs. Like that movie, there's no talking as we understand it; only grunting and primitive lingo. This of course prevents the flick from being compelling in the sense of interesting or entertaining dialogues, which leaves us with a dramatically dull film with amazing locales and visuals. But there are some worthwhile scenes, such as a member of the Ivaka tribe showing Naoh their advanced knowledge of creating fire with a hand drill. The special effects were shot live with no optical additions done in post-production. The Smilodons (saber-toothed tigers) were obviously just lions with long canine teeth added while the woolly mammoths were played by trained circus elephants. Rae Dawn Chong does well in her role as the lithe girl, but don’t expect a stunning female on the level of Lisa Thomas as Sura in “One Million Years BC” or Beth Rogan in the 1961 version of “Mysterious Island.” The film runs 1 hour, 39 minutes, and was shot in Canada (Greig's Caves on the Bruce Peninsula near Lion's Head, Ontario, and Cathedral Grove on Vancouver Island), Kenya (Lake Magadi) and Scotland (the Highlands and Tsavo National Park). I heard the mammoth scenes were done in Iceland. GRADE: B-

Read Full Review (The thoughts and opinions expressed here are solely those of the reviewer.)
A Review by CinemaSerf

Without even a bar from "Thus Spake Zarathustra", Jean-Jacques Annaud takes us on some brutal and authentic time travel back to caveman days. That's where we encounter three warriors who are violently dispossessed of their home (and their f...

reviewer avatar

A Review by Geronimo1967 7

Written by Geronimo1967 on 2023-11-27

Without even a bar from "Thus Spake Zarathustra", Jean-Jacques Annaud takes us on some brutal and authentic time travel back to caveman days. That's where we encounter three warriors who are violently...

read more
reviewer avatar

A Review by Wuchak 6

Written by Wuchak on 2024-08-16

**_A well-done fantastical portrayal of early humans_** After a tribe of cave-dwelling homo sapiens in prehistory are attacked by neanderthals, three members of the group (Everett McGill, Ron Perlm...

read more