Into the Wild movie

bowl of soup · Sep 19, 2007, 04:30 PM

Opens this friday. I haven't been this excited by a movie in years, so I'm bound to be let down. Easily my favorite book ever. Pick it up and you'll read it in one sitting and then read it again. Into thin Air, also by John Krackauer, got more acclaim (and it is great), but this is just haunting. I read this over ten years ago and I still think of it all of the time.

It seems as though the movie spends some time on a dysfunctional family subplot that really isn't the focus of the book - so I'll be interested to see how they deal with this. My nemesis Eddie Vedder did the soundtrack and a review I read said it's really annoying, who knows.

TEO · Sep 19, 2007, 04:43 PM

Remember reading the article in Outside magazine like what, 13 years ago, and found it haunting/fascinating how someone with such incredible intelligence just gave it all up and went "out there." Makes me wonder what was driving him? Also was featured on Sunday Morning (CBS) and did not know that Sean Penn was involved in this project until then. My hero Spicolli has really become a thoughtful man in his old age!

bowl of soup · Sep 21, 2007, 10:33 AM

OK, I don't pretend to understand these things, but... Apparently you have to live in a really cool city (well, New York or L.A.) to see this movie today. For the rest of us, we'll have to wait until early October. Why they would have all of this build-up (Articles in Time, Entertainment Weekly, etc... and Oprah gave Mr. Penn and company her whole show on Thursday - the first Oprah I've watched in 10 years or ever) and then make 95% of us wait 3 weeks to see the movie is just strange. Seems to me that those with a passing interest will just move on. Can somebody make sense of this?

dragonboy · Sep 21, 2007, 10:36 AM

Try living in Japan (no current release date, I'll probably end up buying this on DVD) then your wait won't seem quite so bad ;)

TEO · Sep 21, 2007, 04:36 PM

BOWL-I feel like it is not mainstream enough for the general market as I mentioned it at work today and nobody had the faintest idea what I was talking about, nor did they really care.

TEO · Sep 21, 2007, 04:37 PM

Have yet to watch the oprah show on my dvr featuring Mr. Penn.

crazylove · Sep 21, 2007, 05:41 PM

QuoteHave yet to watch the oprah show on my dvr featuring Mr. Penn.

Make sure you don't miss the Oprah show! I saw it and thought it was totally amazing.

Finally Oprah gushing all over some one with real talent!

bowl of soup · Sep 21, 2007, 06:05 PM

QuoteBOWL-I feel like it is not mainstream enough for the general market as I mentioned it at work today and nobody had the faintest idea what I was talking about, nor did they really care.

I agree with this on some level, but there is allready building Oscar buzz and Oprah gave it her blessing. The Oprah blessing alone is worth several million dollars as her loyal army does what she says without question. Oprah said see the movie, they will see the movie - but they might forget about it in 3 weeks.

And yes, the Oprah program was good. I was very happy that his sister was there and that John Krakauer came out towards the end - he's an interesting dude.

dragonboy · Sep 24, 2007, 07:46 PM

Interview with Sean Penn:
http://www.laweekly.com/film+tv/film/sean-penn-with-his-own-two-eyes/17242/

TEO · Sep 25, 2007, 06:07 AM

It is featured in the current Rolling Stone as well.

sweatboard · Oct 17, 2007, 01:41 AM

I was lucky enough to win tickets to an early screening here in Knoxville. I can't stop thinking about how amazing this movie was. I took my wife and she decided that she is going to pick "Into The Wild" for her next "book club" selection. I'm going to read this book and attend the next book club meeting as well (even though I'll be the only male). I remember fantasizing about doing something like what Chris did all the time during high school and college. It was so beautiful to see someone do it and to see the story told on screen by someone as intelligent and genuine as Sean Penn. The casting was outstanding; the old man that played the leather (belt) maker is the best actor I've ever witnessed. The guy that played Chris was OUTSTANDING as well. As many of you know I'm a HUGE PJ/Eddie Vedder fan. Having said that I have really mixed emotions about the soundtrack. Watching the movie I was so enthralled by the story that I really didn't want to be interrupted with the conscious thought of "hey, here is another one of Eddie's songs" of course I couldn't help but be. I think the songs were edited at some times beautifully into the film and at other times very poorly. I listened to the soundtrack casually before I had seen the film and it didn't really reach out and grab me. After seeing the movie I understand more fully that the soundtrack IS NOT AN EDDIE SOLO ALBUM, these songs work in the context of the movie and both the movie and the songs benefit from being part of each other. After seeing the movie the song "Hard Sun" just takes my fucking breath away. The cover of "Society" was perfect for the movie, what a great choice. I can't wait to read the book, I want to see/read every interview about this story that I possibly can so if any of you have links please post them. I also would like to find a photo of the book cover without the stuff written underneath it, so if any of you find that please let me know. I'll end my post with an interview I found with Sean Penn. SEE THIS MOVIE!!!!!!!!!!

http://www.visimag.com/hh/hh0006_itw.htm

sweatboard · Oct 17, 2007, 01:48 AM

QuoteInterview with Sean Penn:
http://www.laweekly.com/film+tv/film/sean-penn-with-his-own-two-eyes/17242/

This is a GREAT link..Thank you.

"Penn found out a lot of Hollywood folks were trying to nail it down"

I'm glad Sean Penn got it.

I told my wife that I'm so glad that (while great actors) I'm so glad that Leonardo Dicaprio and Jeff Bridges didn't get cast.

dragonboy · Oct 17, 2007, 02:02 AM

Cheers 4 your review Brian! Pleased to hear that the movie didn't disappoint.

I think it's Feb here so I've got a few months to wait yet :(

sweatboard · Oct 17, 2007, 03:06 AM

I would suggest reading the book if you haven't already.

also.....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2LAuzT_x8Ek

;)

sweatboard · Oct 17, 2007, 03:31 AM

As for Chris's parents. I think the fact that they allowed this film to be made says volumes about the impact Chris's life has had (on specific individuals) and can continue to have on the world at large.

I can see how the way my grandparents brought up my parents has had an effect on them, and how it in turn has had an effect on me. The important thing is that some sort of evolution takes place. It might not be pretty sometimes but we learn from what we disagree with, just as our parents hopefully did...............or do.

dragonboy · Oct 17, 2007, 03:35 AM

QuoteI would suggest reading the book if you haven't already

I read the book a few years ago, it's one of my favourites.

sweatboard · Oct 17, 2007, 03:51 AM

"It seems as though the movie spends some time on a dysfunctional family subplot that really isn't the focus of the book - so I'll be interested to see how they deal with this."

Yeah, I'm guessing this became more of a focus of the film after Sean had problems getting permission to do the film. He may have had to delve more into this aspect of this part of the story than Krackauer did. It seems like it may have become a bigger part of the story as time passed. It's very admirable of the family to put themselves out there in the light because there are so many families that are exactly the same way. They shouldn't feel ashamed of themselves they should only feel proud of their son.

It comes down to this line "they're somewhere out there living their lies"

If this was the damming statement by Chris toward his family then the fact that they supported this film being made is both the redemption and the victory of Chris's and his parents lives.

sweatboard · Oct 17, 2007, 03:57 AM

Quote
QuoteI would suggest reading the book if you haven't already
I read the book a few years ago, it's one of my favourites.

Ha, I think we all must be of the same species.

BH · Oct 17, 2007, 05:43 PM

Brian, you really need to get more sleep. I'm worried about you.

Seriously though, thanks for the thoughts. I heard one of Eddie's songs from the movie on the radio today and it reminded me I need to see this.

bowl of soup · Oct 18, 2007, 04:41 PM

Quote"It seems as though the movie spends some time on a dysfunctional family subplot that really isn't the focus of the book - so I'll be interested to see how they deal with this."

Yeah, I'm guessing this became more of a focus of the film after Sean had problems getting permission to do the film. He may have had to delve more into this aspect of this part of the story than Krackauer did. It seems like it may have become a bigger part of the story as time passed. It's very admirable of the family to put themselves out there in the light because there are so many families that are exactly the same way. They shouldn't feel ashamed of themselves they should only feel proud of their son.

It comes down to this line "they're somewhere out there living their lies"

If this was the damming statement by Chris toward his family then the fact that they supported this film being made is both the redemption and the victory of Chris's and his parents lives.

First, I'm very jealous that you have seen this movie. It seems to be some sort of top secret as to when they're going to let us see it around here.

There was an excellent piece on either 20/20 that aired around tht time the book came out. They went with Krakauer and retraced the steps of his journey. A clip of that is here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aBXTltNyhH8

The whole story is amazing, try to get your hands on it - the person who posted it on youtube has some difficult to navigate website, it may be in there somewhere. At the end the show where the bus was in realtion to a rope bridge across the river. It was something like less than a mile away.

You sound like me after I first read the book - it just kills you.