Into the Wild yet anyone?

[DanaG]

Has anyone seen Into the Wild yet? I read the book a few years ago, loved it. Like so many, I could definitely relate to "Alex". Such a sad, sad story. Some called him foolhardy and foolish, but he was following his own passion.
Can't wait to see the movie.

Sorry if this is a repeat thread, I couldn't find anything about it yet.

 

[Maddy]

Some called him foolhardy and foolish, but he was following his own passion.

Dittos!
I drove 120 miles (round trip) to see it on Wed and saw it again yesterday. I loved it as much the second time around as the first. I think Sean Penn did a great job capturing the essence of the book on film and Emile Hirsh acted it out beautifully. Really nice visuals and the soundtrack is great.
It is playing at Cinema Showcase North in Worcester and it finally came to Eastfield yesterday. One "free" showing at Amherst Cinema today or tomorrow.
It is a very poignant film and I think a real tribute to the life Chris lived and now shares with all of us.
I suppose some might call him "foolhardy and foolish" but so was I at that age...and then some.
I did read the book 3x, once very recently.

 

[una_dogger]

MichaelJ, Leaf and I saw it about a week ago. Its a beautiful film, Sean Penn did an amazing job.
We loved it!

 

[MichaelJ]

I thought Penn downplayed some Chris' mistakes a little too much. I think it's great that he left it to the audience to decide what they felt were mistakes and what weren't, but for example while emphasizing the running out of rice, I'm not sure he ever mentioned that the 10lb bag of rice was the *only* food he brought with him. Penn really didn't note the lack of preparedness Chris had when he stepped on the Stampede Trail.

Now where did the Copenhagen campers on the Colorado come from? I don't remember that from the book!

 

[Snowflea]

Saw it last night. Ditto the wonderful job by Penn, et al. Especially loved the footage of Alaska!

Many of us can probably relate to what Chris did on some level, at some point in our lives--escaping into the mountains to live indefinitely, living spontaneously, etc. What I cannot understand, however, is why he couldn't have sent his parents a postcard saying "I'm alive" or called his sister, with whom it sounds like he had a close relationship. IMHO that was just plain cruel.

 

[una_dogger]

I thought Penn downplayed some Chris' mistakes a little too much.

I agree. And I also think Penn was very much trying not to create an atmosphere in this movie for those to judge McCandless for his mistakes, many of which were common sense and obvious. (and I don't think you were judging McCandless, just commenting on Penn's choices!)

I'm glad that Penn's interpretation was not to make a hero out of McCandless, he simply painted him as a young idealist with a troubled childhood who needed to break free from his parents and discover who he was and heal. While its sad that he died doing so, I do believe that he found the inner peace on his journey, which was what he was striving for.

I think if I were to have met McCandless on the road, I would have befriended him like the many others whom he met on his road trip. McCandless was a bright little ray of sun in the lives of those he met along the way, sparking a sense of renewal in those who's lives had become stale. I think that was the beauty of his journey.

I think I would have really liked him, and would have probably tried to gently suggest a map, a compass, some better gear, etc etc.

What I cannot understand, however, is why he couldn't have sent his parents a postcard saying "I'm alive" or called his sister, with whom it sounds like he had a close relationship. IMHO that was just plain cruel.

I think it really comes down the fact that McCandless was young and full of alot of trauma/anger/resentment from what he experienced in his family life --I think its hard to understand the state of mind that comes along with that for those who've had good relationships with thier parents. His sister understood that he'd touch down when he was emotionally ready. At his age, being so close to that kind of anger; I can completely understand why he needed to detach and heal and find himself -- he was ready to reconnect with his family toward the end, which I guess makes the timing of his death so tragic for me. I found it interesting that Penn seem's to have gotten alot closer to the McCandless family than Krakauer; and had some very compelling insights.

On line I really enjoyed was "once you forgive, you can love", I think he found that in Alaska.

 

[sardog1]

Well, I'm going to be a real contrarian on this one. This quote from the director sealed the deal for me -- I'm not going. From "The Cult of Chris McCandless", in Mens Journal:

"I'm not trying to romanticize him," insists Penn, who has little patience for McCandless's critics. "There are few people in Alaska who have done anything comparable to what Chris did. We're not talking about a week with another buddy and ATVs, hunting. This was 113 days, 79 of them by choice. And he did pretty damn well. Did he make mistakes? Sure. A lot of people do. But however many miles he needed to walk to become a man was up to him. So I think he did very well by any standard, including Alaskan."

Having lived there and known lots of Alaskans who have done many things far superior to McCandless's starvation death, in myriad fields of endeavor, I find this statement atrocious.

 

[dvbl]

I'll definitely see it...when I can borrow it for free from my local library. Sean Penn isn't getting a penny from me.

 

[Maddy]

I think Chris wanted to live off the land entirely, eating edible plants/berries/fishing and hunting game. It was never his intent to haul lots of food, Mountain House freeze dried dinners, Ramen Noodles, etc. to survive.
There is a statement by Thoreau in the book re: food. "I believe that every man who has ever been earnest to preserve his higher or poetic faculties in the best condition has been particulary inclined to abstain from animal food , and from much food of any kind.."
Had he not been poisoned he most likely would have survived this.
I think Chris was an avid reader and serious student of "life". He sought to solve his problems in unconventional ways and it didn't matter to him if others approved or not. He was on a mission of self discovery and he had the guts to follow it through.
I agree with Una-dogger in her conclusion that he did resolve many of his issues and was ready to move on, forgive and start over. It is so very sad that he never had that opportunity. I hope his family finds some consolation in that knowledge.
I thought it was a very poignant and powerful film and I am very grateful for the "food for thought' it has nourished me with. I, for one,will not soon forget "Alexander Supertramp" and what he represents in a society gone wild. A society that is always hungry in the "land of plenty".

 

[injektilo]

I haven't seen it yet but plan to. I'm also going to buy the soundtrack as I'm a big Ed Vedder fan.

 

[dentonfabrics]

I'm reading the book now and I'll go see the movie when I'm done. I'm glad you guys like the movie because I'm loving the book. Great story!!

Boy, I'm glad McCandless didnt wander off into the Whites on a rainy day with just a bag of rice in his pack. We'd have been ripping him to shreads if they had to call S&R in to save him!!


bob

 

[sardog1]

Boy, I'm glad McCandless didnt wander off into the Whites on a rainy day with just a bag of rice in his pack. We'd have been ripping him to shreads if they had to call S&R in to save him!!

It's still going on, including one who lasted all of three days in his effort to mimic McCandless, until boredom from the rice and fright from the bears took over: Alaskans tired of rescuing 'pilgrims' in the wild .

 

[caleb]

I agree. And I also think Penn was very much trying not to create an atmosphere in this movie for those to judge McCandless for his mistakes, many of which were common sense and obvious. (and I don't think you were judging McCandless, just commenting on Penn's choices!)

I'm glad that Penn's interpretation was not to make a hero out of McCandless, he simply painted him as a young idealist with a troubled childhood who needed to break free from his parents and discover who he was and heal. While its sad that he died doing so, I do believe that he found the inner peace on his journey, which was what he was striving for.

I think if I were to have met McCandless on the road, I would have befriended him like the many others whom he met on his road trip. McCandless was a bright little ray of sun in the lives of those he met along the way, sparking a sense of renewal in those who's lives had become stale. I think that was the beauty of his journey.

I think I would have really liked him, and would have probably tried to gently suggest a map, a compass, some better gear, etc etc.



I think it really comes down the fact that McCandless was young and full of alot of trauma/anger/resentment from what he experienced in his family life --I think its hard to understand the state of mind that comes along with that for those who've had good relationships with thier parents. His sister understood that he'd touch down when he was emotionally ready. At his age, being so close to that kind of anger; I can completely understand why he needed to detach and heal and find himself -- he was ready to reconnect with his family toward the end, which I guess makes the timing of his death so tragic for me. I found it interesting that Penn seem's to have gotten alot closer to the McCandless family than Krakauer; and had some very compelling insights.

On line I really enjoyed was "once you forgive, you can love", I think he found that in Alaska.

Thanks U dogger. well agreed. A big difference (for me) between the movie/screenplay and the book, is that Penns version tells of a MUCH tamer and known/knowable Mccandless. Not completely, but he is nearly reduced to stereotype. Kraks genius, OTOH, was in seeing and translating the guys extreme and extraordinary nature. People in Chris's path were transformed by his empathy and generosity, not just lifted. And Chris, yeah, he rolled the dice with his own life and hardly even blinked. Not a bad telling, but overbuffered. Read the book.

 

[SAR-EMT40]

Loved the book. Read it several times. One of my all time favorites. Does the movie follow the book or is there a lot of artistic license taken?

Thanks,
Keith

 

[una_dogger]

I have to say that I liked the movie better than the book for a change!

I liked what Penn did alot. Krakauer's writing is a bit slow for me at times, in "Into the Wild" and other books he's written. I did, however, like learning more about Krakauer himself through his writing of the book. Your points about Krakauer's interpretation, Caleb, are interesting. I hadn't looked at it that way!

 

[forestgnome]

I'm with Sardog1 on this.

I might read it one day, but I don't think much of movie stars, and therefore movies.

I don't respect people who don't take care of themselves. Plus, I'm cranky because I just saw a dead moose on a hunter's trailer.

 

[MichaelJ]

The movie tells the same story as the book, but does it in a very different way. He flashes back and forth between two timelines, one starting at graduation, the other at his arrival in Alaska. There is some artistic license here and there, including a lot of time spent on his visit to the colony at the hot spring.

One note is that you have to really not blink at times. Penn's McCandless rarely "talks to himself" so a lot of information comes not from dialog, but from either subtitles or even a camera zoom in on a book page.

 

[Maddy]

The movie tells the same story as the book, but does it in a very different way. He flashes back and forth between two timelines, one starting at graduation, the other at his arrival in Alaska.
page.

Before I saw the film I kept wondering how Penn would present the info. I really liked the way he put it all together. I was happy that I had read the book (3rd time)very recently. I had been reflecting on the content for several weeks and I was not disappointed in the least when I viewed the film.
I love your personal quote Michael. Very fitting!

 

[eddogg12]

I read the book, Still trying to locate a theatre where the film is being played. I just can't understand why the film wasn't released in more areas.

 

[Gris]

The book

is outstanding because the story is so powerful it just tells itself. i read it when it first came out a few years ago and wasn't any kind of news. it made an impression on me on several different levels. like much of life it didn't make sense but was beautiful nonetheless. havent seen the movie yet...