The Films Set During the Stone Age subgenre resides in the Historical genre and covers years 100,000 B.C. to 3,300 B.C. Films About the Stone Age also cover the different periods of the Stone Age with the Paleolithic Era, Mesolithic Era and Neolithic Era. This subgenre also covers Films About Cavemen, Neanderthals and Cro-Magnon people. While most films in this subgenre tend to be historical in nature, there are many that use creative license showing Neanderthals and/or Homo Sapiens in the same time period as Dinosaurs. Spoiler Alert – that didn’t happen as there were about 60-65 million years separating the mass extinction event of Dinosaurs and emergence of modern humans. Also, while there are a few films set during the Stone Age that include Fantasy elements like Conan the Barbarian (1982), Conan is a fictional film and those types of films are included in our list of Sword and Sorcery Films.
As for the Stone Age Films subgenre, there aren’t many films that have been made that utilize this time period. 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) is likely the most famous film that showed the dawn of man (but even that film only shows this time period for a total of about 15 minutes before jumping forward thousands of years). The 1960’s and 1970’s also had two other films set during the Stone Age with One Million Years B.C. (1966) and When Dinosaurs Rule the Earth (1970).
It wasn’t until the 1980’s that there was sustained interest in the films that were set during the Stone Age. The best film that has depicted this time period was released in this decade with Quest for Fire (1981). Following that film were the popular Fantasy films Conan the Barbarian (1982) and Conan the Destroyer (1984). Other popular Stone Age film subgenre films during this decade included Caveman (1981), History of the World: Part 1 (1981), Ironmaster (1983), Iceman (1984), The Clan of the Cave Bear (1986) and Missing Link (1988).
From 1990 – 2005, there were only two films set during the Stone Age and these were live action filmed versions of the famous Flintstones cartoon of the 1960’s. The Flintstones (1994) and The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas (2000) were the films released during this period but were not historical films and fell more into the Parody Comedy subgenre.
The 2000’s and 2010’s saw a resurgence of films set during the Stone Age with 10,000 BC (2008), Year One (2009), and a Conan remake with Conan the Barbarian (2011). More historically driven Stone Age films from this period included Ao: The Last Hunter (2010), Iceman (2017) and Alpha (2018).
Our list of Films Set During the Stone Age includes over 22 films from 1966 – 2018. As we mentioned previously, these films cover different eras of the Stone Age: Paleolithic, Mesolithic and Neolithic. For films that occurred after the Stone Age, we have a separate list of Films Set During the Bronze Age & Iron Age which covers films set in years 3,300 BC – 1,200 BC (Bronze Age) and 1,200 BC – 500 BC (Iron Age). For our list of Top Films Set During the Stone Age, we had to leave one film off our list that technically isn’t set during the Stone Age but includes elements of the Stone Age in modern times. This film is Iceman (1984) and is about a 40,000-year-old man that is found frozen in ice and brought back to life. It’s a great film to watch and recommended for Stone Age subgenre fans (even if it isn’t set during that Stone Age era).
We have embedded a compilation video of our Top Films Set During the Stone Age You Haven’t Seen and more details on these films can be found in the list below. Note: We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
Plot: Stone Age man is banished from his tribe and falls in love with woman from another tribe.
KBZ’s Take: While most people likely watched this film for a very scantily clothed cavewoman in Raquel Welch, it’s Ray Harryhausen’s stop motion effects that make the film worth seeing. Yes, they look dated now with the advancement in CGI effects, but back in the 1960’s, Harryhausen’s animated effects were revolutionary and turned fantasy into reality. Not a great film but recommended for fans of the subgenre.
Where to Stream / Buy: https://amzn.to/3WOmAvY
Plot: A violent conflict erupts between cave-dwelling tribes when twin brothers fight for chieftainship and the affections of a beautiful woman.
KBZ’s Take: Unlike One Million Years B.C. (1966), there aren’t any CGI dinosaurs in this film. It actually strives to be historically accurate with a focus on survival of the early human race. Though the plot can get convoluted at times, it’s still worth watching by fans (and completists) of the subgenre.
Where to Stream / Buy: https://amzn.to/40ZbmYS
#8
Ironmaster
Plot: A man is ejected from his tribe and discovers a way to make weapons out of iron.
KBZ’s Take: While this film plays very loose with historical facts and events, it’s still fun to watch for nostalgic purposes. It’s a 1983 Italian film that also falls into the Sword and Sorcery Film subgenre and is a Conan the Barbarian type clone. However, there’s little to no fantasy elements in this film and it’s more of an old-fashioned exploitation and revenge film set during a different era.
Where to Stream / Buy: https://amzn.to/3HEIoEX
#7
Caveman
Plot: Atouk gets banished from his tribe and becomes leader of other caveman misfits.
KBZ’s Take: Like Year One (2009) this is a comedy and parody of films set during the Stone Age. And while both films have sophomoric and gross-out humor, Caveman is more consistently funny. This was a very funny comedy from the early 1980’s that many Gen X and Boomers will remember watching in theaters. Ringo Starr (from The Beatles), Dennis Quaid and Shelley Long star in this film with some very funny performances and John Matuszak shines as the Alpha tribal leader.
Where to Stream / Buy: https://amzn.to/3jex2zd
Plot: A young Cro-Magnon woman is raised by Neanderthals.
KBZ’s Take: This film was savaged by the critics at the time mostly for how it wasn’t as good as the novel it was based on. However, it’s one of the only films that covers a time period when Neanderthals and Cro-Magnon people co-existed. What it alludes to but doesn’t answer is how the Neanderthals died out and Cro-Magnon lived on. As with most serious films set during this time period, there’s hardly any dialogue or what little dialogue there is ends up mostly being grunts. But that doesn’t stop you from following the story and this is a film still worth checking out by fans of the subgenre.
Where to Stream / Buy: https://amzn.to/3Hi6Yv6
#5
Iceman
Plot: Neolithic man seeks revenge after rival tribe kills his wife and child.
KBZ’s Take: At the heart of this film is a simple revenge tale – rival tribe kills man’s wife, child and member of his tribe and he seeks to avenge them. What makes this film unique are the Neolithic setting (at end of the Stone Age), the man seeking revenge while still looking after his surviving baby, and the method of how he exacts his revenge. This is a German film with dialogue in the Rhaetian language, but you don’t need subtitles to follow the simple story. Highly recommended film for fans of the subgenre.
Where to Stream / Buy: https://amzn.to/3kSqJBJ
#4
Alpha
Plot: A young hunter befriends an abandoned wolf and become allies in their adventure home.
KBZ’s Take: This is an exciting, action-adventure epic film that also features the alliance between man and dog. Featuring amazing cinematography, this film is a must for dog lovers who are interested in how wolves (and dogs evolving from wolves) became man’s best friend. Side note: There’s a great article here on the theory of how man’s best friend developed.
Where to Stream / Buy: https://amzn.to/3jf9biH
#3
Missing Link
Plot: The last of Ape-humans discovers his clan has been killed by humans and goes searching for others of his kind.
KBZ’s Take: This film is a bit like a documentary but the story itself is fascinating. It’s an adventure film with both emotional and thrilling moments – and there are times you will forget that the “Ape-human” is actually an actor in costume. It’s one of the only films (outside of documentaries) to tackle the subject of the link between human and ape, and it’s a highly recommended film of the subgenre for audiences of all ages.
Where to Stream / Buy: https://therokuchannel.roku.com/watch/6106130d3196580c97c5723c694f970
Plot: Neanderthal’s wife, baby and clan are massacred so he leaves to find his brother but encounters a Homo Sapien woman.
KBZ’s Take: French film that does a wonderful job of recreating the Stone Age era and a chance encounter between a Neanderthal and Homo Sapien woman. While it does have some Romantic Drama elements between the different species, the film excels with it’s pacing and exciting action sequences. While some people might be turned off by incorporating modern ‘romantic’ elements into a Historical Stone Age film, it somehow works and is a highly recommended film of the subgenre.
Where to Stream / Buy: https://amzn.to/3wCDG5r
Plot: Cro-Magnon tribe members go on a quest to find fire.
KBZ’s Take: The best film about the Stone Age and best film of the subgenre. Even though this was a popular film back in 1981, it’s the first film any fan (or new fan) of the subgenre should see. It’s a unique film and the best film that portrays life between Neanderthals and Cro-Magnon people living together at the same time (though that timeline has been disputed by some historians). It’s also a great action-adventure film as the three tribe members encounter many trials and tribulations on their quest. Finally, the acting is superb in this film – especially by Everett McGill, Ron Perlman and Rae Dawn Chong. Highly recommended film of the subgenre.
Where to Stream / Buy: https://amzn.to/3DOkiGH
