So who here watched or read "Into the Wild"?

[RiffRandell]

I watched the movie last week and am now reading the book. What an uplighting, but sad story. Chris McCandless had a heart of gold.

[bigwillq]

1. I always wanted to see it

but still never have. I need to put it on my netflix. Thanks for reminding me. :hi:

[malta blue]

2. in my top 5 movies.

Chris and a friend of mine may have shared a soul.... they surely shared a story.

[aquaman]

3. How weird.....

I am reading that book for the third time, over the course of many years. I waited to see the movie until it came on cable. Appreciated it, as it stayed true to the story which many movies don't. I picked the book back up after seeing the movie. I think Chris was a good soul, but I can see how some would classify him as a very foolish man thinking that he could walk into that situation that he did and not suffer some consequences. Maybe he did know! But I wonder if he regretted his decision at the end?

[fishwax]

4. I've seen the movie and read the book

I thought both were very good. The movie should have been nominated for best picture that year.

I read the book after seeing the movie, and was very moved by it as well, though there were a handful of things that did irk me a bit (such as Krakauer's treatment of Jack London--London was certainly flawed, but Krakauer's assessment of his death is inaccurate and unfair), but on the whole it was a great book.

I was really impressed, in both film and book, at the humanity afforded all parties in this affair. It was a sad and inspiring story, and both Krakauer and Sean Penn did a great job with it.

[hibbing]

5. good movie

Hi,
I really enjoyed the movie, I have not read the book. I thought Hal Holbrook was especially good.

Peace

[LynneSin]

6. I need to get the book - I love the movie

I was reading the Wiki site about Chris and it was so sad to know that just a few basic things like a Map or Compass may have saved him from death. The only reason he stayed as long as he did was because he couldn't cross the river - but it turns out there was a bridge only a few miles down river and a map would have showed that.

[RiffRandell]

23. I know--that totally sucked.

It was only 1/4 mile away. Read the book---it's good. Into Thin Air by the same author is good too.

[kwassa]

7. tried to watch the movie last week....

and I admired his bravery, but thought he had a serious deficit of sense, and much young and foolish arrogance about the world.

I turned it off halfway through. He can grow up on his own time.

[aquaman]

9. I tend to agree....

I try to put myself as a 37 year old man in the mindset of Chris at the time of his "adventure". I can't. I think he had a good heart, but was amazingly naive!

[Inchworm]

8. Movie is so .. so.. amazing

:*

[1]

10. chris was a moron. nice thoughts, but basically he committed suicide...

i am all for going off and living a free and unconventional life, if that is your choice...

but dude ran off into the wild with no concept of what he was facing. the wild overcame him because he didn't bother to study up on the subject. and he died.

that's about all you can say about this overly-celebrated idiot...

[aquaman]

11. Yeah.....

Your subject line says it all!

[realisticphish]

12. meh

Nice intentions, but for all his love of nature, he had no real respect for it.

The movie's good, no doubt, and I respect his dedication, but I don't think he's worthy of any adulation

[aquaman]

13. Yes......

Your quote is great... "Nice intentions, but for all his love of nature, he had no real respect for it." I think that is the key! He loved nature, but did not respect the brutality of it!

[1]

14. "but for all his love of nature, he had no real respect for it."

perfect!

[fishwax]

15. I don't think adulation enters into it

for most people, anyway ... certainly there are some who see it that way, but neither the book or the movie takes that approach, and the book, in particular, avoids romanticizing the whole thing.

For most people who enjoyed the book or movie and are fascinated by McCandless and his story, I don't think it's so much adulation as an ability to relate to the impulses and sentiments that underscored his wandering, coupled with a blend of gratitude (and perhaps curiosity) that their own experiences were not so tragic.

[realisticphish]

16. certainly

as I said, I enjoyed the movie.

and perhaps adulation WAS the wrong word.

[KT2000]

17. Saw the movie and it

reminded me of the late 60s, early 70s when there were many people seeking such adventures. It reminded me of the people who extolled the virtues of freedom but who seemed to be hitting up others for their needs. (prior to his going into the wild)

The guy pissed me off. He was in the end an arrogant and selfish person, and like someone else said - disrespectful of nature - and that which was not "self." He did not think much about the pain he caused others.

So for that reason, I hated the movie.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

18. Saw it in bits and pieces a few days ago...

There was a great deal that I missed, so I really need to watch all the way through. But I have to say, all I could think was, "What kind of nutcase would just bop on up to Alaska with no map, and next to no survival skills?"

There are places...even in suburban Washington DC...where he could have gone to learn how to take care of himself. Seems like a waste.

Unless the moral of the story is "You live. You die. It makes no difference when."

[Dammit Ann]

19. sad.

sad. sad. sad.
Sean Penn nailed the direction though and Emile killed it.

[WolverineDG]

20. I personally thought he went insane, at least temporarily

how could he put his family through that? no contact at all for years? for what? because his dad had an affair or something? :eyes:

dg

[cwydro]

21. I liked the book,

but couldn't get into the movie for some reason.

[peekaloo]

24. the lead actor ?

I don't know why but that kid annoys me.....same in 'Milk'. :shrug:

[RiffRandell]

22. FYI---too late to edit, but I meant to say uplifting.

Sorry---don't want the grammar police on my ass. I was exhausted, and went to bed right after posting.

[peekaloo]

25. no worries.

at least you didn't type "upskirting".

[applegrove]

26. I read it. That kid was so self-indulgent. I didn't like him. Was sorry he died

by mishap.

[suninvited]

27. I read it, too

that wasn't my take on it. I just thought he was lost.

[applegrove]

29. I just remember thinking...his poor family. They didn't know where he was.

[anneboleyn]

32. Yes, his parents paid for his college education and put 24k in a savings account for him.

They also offered to buy him a car and pay for his education at Harvard Medical School.

I also wasn't sure what to believe about the "abuse" that was implied (father towards the mother). This was mentioned but it didn't seem to be the reason for his actions.

Not everyone has a free ride through college and many students need financial aid, work study, and many student loans. He did receive a lot of advantages that he later dismissed as part of the evil "bourgeois" conspiracy.

[Ikonoklast]

28. Struck me as a lost soul, but no one I'd want to emulate.

Nature doesn't care if you live or die, and if neither do you, Nature will accommodate.

[XemaSab]

30. I read it

and the chapter where all those people REALLY screwed up and died depressed the hell out of me. :(

[likesmountains 52]

31. Read Vagabond For Beauty for a similar story from the 1930's

if you liked Into The Wild.I was more sympathetic toward McCandless reading the book than after seeing the movie, but I liked both the movie and the book.