Into the Wild
I often talk and write about dropping out; moving somewhere without people where I can just enjoy nature. Like Thoreau, I’d need little else beyond the basics but would love life the same as the compromisers do, without all of the greed. I still have this dream. I also have a real affinity for the Northern Woods of Wisconsin and will probably move there at some point. In the meantime, I’m working- and dreaming.
Christopher McCandless really did drop out in the early 90’s, giving away all of his material possessions and moving to Alaska to live off the land. Jon Krakauer wrote the book Into the Wild, and now Sean Penn’s made the movie. I saw it this weekend when I was out of town visiting a friend.
I loved the book, so maybe it was inevitable that I’d be let down by the movie. Hitchhiking across country and taking odd jobs on farms, McCandless lived my dream. He survived mainly by his charm. He had a sweetness about him that everyone loved, and everyone wanted to help him reach his goal. You got that in the book, and it was hinted at in the movie, too.
I loved the real people who appeared in the movie as themselves, like folk artist Leonard Knight, and real places, like the squatters’ Slab City (the “last free place on earth”)- they were the best parts of the film. The cinematography was beautiful, especially detailing McCandless' arrival in Alaska. Brian Dierker, in his first film, and the luminous Catherine Keener glow as the older hippie couple who benefit from knowing Alexander Supertramp, McCandless’ adopted persona. The rest of the acting and the adapted screenplay, ehhh. Just so-so.
I was disappointed at the interplay of Alexander Supertramp’s journey and his family life. I think Penn should have either given us more information about what was happening in the family, or left it out altogether. William Hurt and Marcia Gay Harden were portrayed as difficult parents, but they were too one-dimensional.
Or maybe it’s just me; maybe, in spite of my wish to move away from everyone, I need more social interaction, even in my movies. The movie felt draggy at times, taking too much time with the moose kill and the berry-picking. If you love Alaska, you’ll love the scenery. But I’d wait for the DVD.
By the way, the Alaskans I know aren’t very sympathetic to McCandless’ story. My brother/my hero lived in Nome for some time and he especially didn't have much use for the inexperienced Supertramp. E.g., “How can you kill and animal and not know how to clean it properly?” “How can you not know that rivers thaw?” “Who goes into the woods without proper supplies?”
I found that curious, since he’s something of a folk hero now (McCandless, not my brother- yet). But my family members take their hunting and gathering seriously. And as avid nature lovers, they have trouble comprehending someone like Alexander, equating a lack of experience with a disrespect for nature. I think Alexander Supertramp had the right idea, he was just too innocent. If you want to know more about him, buy the book.
Christopher McCandless really did drop out in the early 90’s, giving away all of his material possessions and moving to Alaska to live off the land. Jon Krakauer wrote the book Into the Wild, and now Sean Penn’s made the movie. I saw it this weekend when I was out of town visiting a friend.
I loved the book, so maybe it was inevitable that I’d be let down by the movie. Hitchhiking across country and taking odd jobs on farms, McCandless lived my dream. He survived mainly by his charm. He had a sweetness about him that everyone loved, and everyone wanted to help him reach his goal. You got that in the book, and it was hinted at in the movie, too.
I loved the real people who appeared in the movie as themselves, like folk artist Leonard Knight, and real places, like the squatters’ Slab City (the “last free place on earth”)- they were the best parts of the film. The cinematography was beautiful, especially detailing McCandless' arrival in Alaska. Brian Dierker, in his first film, and the luminous Catherine Keener glow as the older hippie couple who benefit from knowing Alexander Supertramp, McCandless’ adopted persona. The rest of the acting and the adapted screenplay, ehhh. Just so-so.
I was disappointed at the interplay of Alexander Supertramp’s journey and his family life. I think Penn should have either given us more information about what was happening in the family, or left it out altogether. William Hurt and Marcia Gay Harden were portrayed as difficult parents, but they were too one-dimensional.
Or maybe it’s just me; maybe, in spite of my wish to move away from everyone, I need more social interaction, even in my movies. The movie felt draggy at times, taking too much time with the moose kill and the berry-picking. If you love Alaska, you’ll love the scenery. But I’d wait for the DVD.
By the way, the Alaskans I know aren’t very sympathetic to McCandless’ story. My brother/my hero lived in Nome for some time and he especially didn't have much use for the inexperienced Supertramp. E.g., “How can you kill and animal and not know how to clean it properly?” “How can you not know that rivers thaw?” “Who goes into the woods without proper supplies?”
I found that curious, since he’s something of a folk hero now (McCandless, not my brother- yet). But my family members take their hunting and gathering seriously. And as avid nature lovers, they have trouble comprehending someone like Alexander, equating a lack of experience with a disrespect for nature. I think Alexander Supertramp had the right idea, he was just too innocent. If you want to know more about him, buy the book.
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