Into the Wild
| Rating: | ★★★★ |
| Category: | Movies |
| Genre: | Drama |
Screenplay/Director - Sean Penn
Based on a book written by Jon Krakauer. See - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jon_Krakauer and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jon_Krakauer
Lead Role - Emile Hirsch http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emile_Hirsch
Release Date (Philippines) - Not shown in Phil. cinemas but is now (first week of March and probably longer) being shown in HBO (Asia).
Short summary - Top student and athlete Christopher McCandless abandons his possessions and gives his entire $24,000 savings to charity, so that he could hitchhike to Alaska and live in the wilderness. On the way, he meets different people who shape his values and life. (Source: HBO Asia - http://www.hboasia.com/hbo/movie/3553)
My Take - I don't know much really about American culture or whatever it is that influences young people to leave the comforts of their home and family and try to live a life of adventure alone with nature - in the wild, so to speak. But it is that urge or force that drove a young man of 24 by the name of Christopher McCandless, played by Emile Hirsch, to pursue "a great Alaskan adventure," i.e. back-packing alone from his Virginia home northwards to Alaska.
My being a Filipino I guess would definitely make it truly hard for me to understand this "urge." But the journey, the experiences, the lessons, the wisdom gained from the people that this young man meet along the way, are quite familiar if not same as those I have or could possibly have had in my own personal travels and interaction with people. For instance, while I enjoy being with family, it is sometimes quite rewarding to be on a journey or a trip by myself. I remember a trip I did a long time ago up to a mountain village to observe the rites and rituals of Holy Week, specifically the ritual called "Pabasa," the chant-like reading of the story of Christ's leading up to his crucifixion. (I wrote something about this earlier - http://chitoirigo.multiply.com/journal/item/30/Pabasa). There I met very interesting people and one (my host) who particularly gave me a very different if not an ideal way to view life, happiness and contentment in the simple way that an upland farmer does - no complicated community politics, just simple direct, sincere and even productive relationship with the neighbors. No movie theaters showing the latest films but the daily wonder and awesome sight of dusk and dawn. No fancy drinks, cola, or beer but just the warm and fresh buko juice in the morning and some tuba at night. No animated discussions about the state of politics or economy of the country, just simple stories about what one must do to scare the birds preying on the grains of palay or what bait to use best to catch fish in the nearby stream. No air-conditioning or electric fans to relieve oneself from the heat of the sun, just the gentle breeze under a mango tree, especially just before the sun sets in the horizon. And when darkness falls, the calming silence is only punctuated by the sound of nocturnal creatures, e.g cicadas, drawing one even closer to oneself, just perfect for a dialogue with one's soul.
Indeed there is so much in nature that one can enjoy, for free. It is as the character in the movie says, "...the freedom and simple beauty is too good to pass up..." But as the the main characters later soon finds (and writes in his journal), "happiness is only real when shared."
This movie is based on the real story of a young man who went out to pursue what he thought was the ultimate in terms of freedom and happiness. You have to see the movie to find out if he does.
By the way, this film also stars Kristen Stewart of the "Twilight" movie series. And the role she plays here, albeit a short one, is one very classic romantic role, in my view.
Here's one cut from the original soundtrack:
ReplyDeleteinto the wild guaranteed mp3 | lyricsfree music downloads | music videos | pictures
I love this movie. A bit too painful to watch though, as I am a mom. But I see his trek as very credible and noble.
ReplyDeleteThe American youth leave because it is in the culture that by 18 they ought to. This young man comes from a rich, loving family so, like you, I was belaboring the idea of "why leave a family when there's so much love going around?" AT one point he even had to leave his car, burn his money, etc He was in a search.
I have ambivalent feelings about this pronouncement though: I wish his journey for many a young person especially of today. He finds out just in time that fulfilment and happiness is best enjoyed with loved ones.
Until the movie ending. Urgh.
If you want a copy of the DVD, I could burn you one, Toch.
Is that a crime? :-)
Yes, Choie. This movie strikes us all very differently depending on one's perspective - mine, from one who could have wished for such an adventure, and yours, the perspective of a mother (American or Pinay would be irrelevant), who could possibly go insane just thinking about the son and the possible dangers he could be facing.
ReplyDeleteThis is the part that I don't quite understand. Search for what? For happiness? I'm beginning to look at this view of life or quest as a truly selfish one. More so when he finally realizes what happiness is really like in the end.
ReplyDeleteThank you very much, Choie. I'd like that. For the record, burning one copy as a gift to another person, which is in turn for his or her personal consumption, is not a crime. But if it is and you are jailed, I promise to visit you every day, hehehehe....
ReplyDeletehere in the Philippines, NPAs? CAFGUs? bakla?
ReplyDeletehere in the Philippines, NPAs? CAFGUs? mapag-trip-an?
ReplyDeleteMcCandless was inspired by writers like Tolstoy, Thoreau and his favorite Jack London. I'd sometimes think that he must have loved his family but grew apart from them while in the university.
ReplyDeleteSuch a waste. You could say that he was a victim of his own idealism.
I thought about this...i would not have minded him/her going for the great adventure....it's more like not knowing if he/she will come out of it alive. :-(
ReplyDeletehanep ka Toch...pero eto na, I'm burning it na hehehe
ReplyDeletehanep ka Toch...pero eto na, I'm burning it na hehehe
ReplyDeleteFrankly speaking, during my time, the real danger was not from the NPAs. Hindi rin ganun ka-laki ang risk ng "mapag-tripan." Actually, if you were young, looking like a university student, carrying things like books to read, or things like that, the real danger was from the military. Kasi ang conclusion agad nila, aktibista ka.
ReplyDeleteBut of course, iba na ngayon. Di ka na basta-basta puedeng umakyat ng Mt. Apo for instance. Especially if you're alone or on your own. Possible talaga na ma kidnap ka (by either the NPAs or muslim rebel groups or just plain bandits).
Yes, you could say that he was probably inspired by these people most notably perhaps by Thoreau. And this sort of inspiration may have been fed by the kind of idealism that one finds in the confines of the university. And on this aspect, I can truly say that I can really identify with the character. My own frustration with the so-called "system" or "establishment" at that time, and the nurturing environment of the university, did have a direct influence in my decision to quit school, go back to the province, and "learn from the masses."
ReplyDeleteBut in the movie, the main character was also driven by what to him was a betrayal of his father (when he found out that they were, in a sense, illegitimate children as their mother was a mistress). It is also probably his contempt for the growing commercialism and materialism in the environment that he was growing into. His rejection of all this took the form of an idealized back-to-nature kind of existence.
Here's a trailer:
ReplyDeleteThanks again Choie. I could sure use some ashes.
ReplyDeleteHi, Toch. This boy was from my area and I do know the story...pero sige, I'll watch the movie. Very sad story....but I sort of "grew up" with some kids who had the same mindset....people used to call them hippies.*tongue in cheek*
ReplyDeleteShould I edit so you get some stars? :p
Will contribute when I have a bit more time to write.
ReplyDeleteLove the music...thanks.
I'm sure the 5-star-rating is what you really intended. No need to edit :-)
ReplyDeleteSo you really have some kind of "ties" with the story.
ReplyDeleteYes, in the 60s they were called the Beatniks and in the 70s they became the Hippies. Today, I believe they are just simply referred to as homeless or probably those referred to as Hobos.
This seems like a story with "Gari" written all over it. Especially this line. :-)
ReplyDeleteremember yung Holy Week together natin ni Gari sa Tagaytay? Sana maulit - ito yung panooring natin. Daig ang Jesus Christ Superstar atsaka Brother Sun and Sister Moon sa cinematog at chikahan after.... :-))))
ReplyDeleteAlam mo, Toch, I cannot really explain the subculture in the DC suburbs....but it is not an easy place to grow up in, especially for one with tendencies such as McCandless'.
ReplyDeleteAfter we moved here from Dallas County my son used to lament that as soon as he started to get to know a kid and learned to like him, the kid and his family would relocate...."All my best friends move away." Many of the residents here are transient; people are on the move a lot. Some of that is because of the nature of the jobs of the people who work in the Pentagon...or in the embassies....or in politics and other government jobs.
Additionally, in certain pockets here, there is (or was...I think the downward spiraling of the economy has left very few unscathed even in the affluent burbs) clear evidence of excess in materialism, which according to some accounts, something that McCandless was running away from.
We'll never know what exactly went on in his head. As trust is that attribute that can break or strengthen one's spirit, I'm guessing that McCandless suffered more than a little when he found out about his dad's secrets. It was as if he himself had been living a lie all along and therefore did not know who he really was. He tried to find himself, but he probably was too naive...running to find truth in nature...and abandoning the fact that nature, in all its goodness and beauty, is also harsh.
Alam mo, Toch, I cannot really explain the subculture in the DC suburbs....but it is not an easy place to grow up in, especially for one with tendencies such as McCandless'.
ReplyDeleteAfter we moved here from Dallas County my son used to lament that as soon as he started to get to know a kid and learned to like him, the kid and his family would relocate...."All my best friends move away." Many of the residents here are transient; people are on the move a lot. Some of that is because of the nature of the jobs of the people who work in the Pentagon...or in the embassies....or in politics and other government jobs.
Additionally, in certain pockets here, there is (or was...I think the downward spiraling of the economy has left very few unscathed even in the affluent burbs) clear evidence of excess in materialism, which according to some accounts, something that McCandless was running away from.
We'll never know what exactly went on in his head. As trust is that attribute that can break or strengthen one's spirit, I'm guessing that McCandless suffered more than a little when he found out about his dad's secrets. It was as if he himself had been living a lie all along and therefore did not know who he really was. He tried to find himself, but he probably was too naive...running to find truth in nature...and abandoning the fact that nature, in all its goodness and beauty, is also harsh.
Five stars for the music you embedded, Toch. I love Eddie Vedder and this song. Didn't listen much to Pearl Jam during their heydey, but after I heard their cover of Last Kiss, I paid attention to Vedder.
ReplyDelete