Alone in the Wilderness
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Movie Reviews of Alone in the Wilderness
Movie Review: Heaven Is Only 4000 Miles to the North
Summary: 5 Stars
I left Colorado's light several days ago to work in hazy Los Angeles. The drive out is always a reminder of what I am leaving, as the intimidatingly enormous 14ers (like Gray's Peak) loom over I-70 -- almost daring me to leave -- slowly disintegrate into staggered planes and red rock plateaus, in turn losing their scorched colors and fading into a clay-type desert. It is here I feel really alone.
In the motel during my night-over in Utah, I watched Alone in the Wilderness. I had missed the first few minutes, but wasn't paying attention much. What caught my eye right off the bat was the color. Films don't look like this today, they are all cartoony, over-saturated digital oilslicks. Wilderness was grainy, faded, low-contrast, and quite remarkable to watch, until I realized what was going on, really noticed what the film was about.
Here was a man, who left his job to live secluded from the (technological) world. He built a cabin without disturbing the trees directly around his plot. He eventually added a beautiful chimney, made of stones collected throughout various hikes at varying altitudes. He built snowshoes and a dog-sled (despite the lack of dogs), and a backpack that could carry anything (slab of wood for a table top, or nearly an entire caribou). At one point, he needs a wooden spoon, so -- where today we would hop in the car, drive through traffic to a store and purchase one -- he carves a wonderful spoon out of wood, polished and perfected and filmed in less than an hour.
I couldn't help but wonder if this film was a godsend; am I doing the right thing moving away from the mountains, where I am constantly outdoors in the sunshine? In California, I spend my days indoors, looking out into traffic, and usually I'm too busy to care. In the evenings, I have headaches, and easily become grumpy.
What is it we want in life? Alone in the Wilderness does not preach "leave the complex, live for simplicity." The film doesn't preach at all, in fact. The viewer simply watches this man's life, which is a far cry from "simple," by the way; it is constant work to stay warm and well-fed. The dangers of the surrounding wildlife isn't far from Mr. Proenneke's walls of comfort. In one hilarious moment, though, Mr. Proenneke turns the camera onto a wolverine that had been avoiding him, only to capture it rolling (literally sprawled out, rolling!) down a huge snowy hillside, enjoying the powdery snow and the bright sunshine.
At my young age, I must do what I feel is right for me. But that doesn't mean I can't put this disc in the player and vicariously live through a man far more brave and happy than I could ever be.
Movie Review: Lowest of low-budget documentaries is nevertheless fascinating
Summary: 5 Stars
Dick Proenneke almost lost his eyesight after some diesel fuel splashed into his eyes while on the job. That was in the early 1960's. So, he decided that, while he still could, he would take his brains and brawn into the Alaskan wilderness to see if he could carve out a life for himself in some of the harshest conditions imaginable. Fortunately for us, he brought along a little 8mm film camera to film some of his exploits, and he also kept a daily journal. 35 years later, at the age of 82, he decided that he had proven himself and left his little slice of paradise behind. Those minus-forty degree temperatures in the height of winter get a little tough for the old bones.
The result of Dick's little film clips and his journal is the documentary, "Alone in the Wilderness." Much of the hour-long DVD is given over to clips of Dick building perhaps the perfect log cabin with his own two hands - even making his own tools. Even a master carpenter would have to feel a little inadequate watching Dick cut his own lumber, carry logs over one shoulder, build a fireplace and chimney, and even use Alaska's natural permafrost to create his own refrigerator! This is all after Dick makes several of his own tools - truly amazing.
Other segments of the film are simple explorations of the wilderness by Dick and his camera. Look for some amazing shots of fish, moose, bear, mountain goats, wolves, and most charmingly, a wolverine playing slip-and-slide down a snowy slope. Proenneke's journals are read in voiceovers by the filmmakers, and he writes with a plain Iowa sensibility ("Winter comes on, quick as a broken shoelace."
This is back-to-basics filmmaking about a back-to-basics man. Yet through this simple film perhaps the simplest questions are asked and answered - how much does a man need, how much can a man withstand, and how much of our modern-day baggage is really all that necessary. The answers are, in order, not much, a lot, and very little. An excellent film.
Movie Review: The best ever
Summary: 5 Stars
There are a lot of great reviews here and I don't think enough can be said about Dick and his life. It's interesting to read all the reviews and see what other people's perspectives are and how his life has inspired them. The things that stood out for me is Dicks self discipline, work ethic and values. I highly recommend watching the video first and then reading the book (One Mans Wilderness). The video was made off the 1972 best selling book but helps you visualize Dick's daily activities as you read. The book fills in all the holes that you miss in the video; they definitely go together well. Dick reminds us (me) about keeping priorities straight, specifically what a person needs versus what a person wants. I have been guilty of allowing my "wants" in life dominate me at times and not keeping things in perspective. Dick's life serves as a reminder to me that all people "need" shelter, nutrition and good physical and mental health; everything else is a want. Hard work and accomplishing something with your own hands is one of the best rewards a person can give to themselves.
This video is watched almost everyday in our house. My wife and son watch it too and it never gets old. There is a peace to it that you'll never get from TV. I made the mistake (not really) of loaning it to a friend who has watched it with his boys more than 20 times in the past couple of weeks. I can't imagine too many people that would not gain something from this and Dick's legacy.
Don't pass up the opportunity this video offers. I would love to see this expanded on and learn more about Dick and his life prior to his first full year in Alaska (1968). I welcome one of our era's great movie directors/producers get a hold of this, do the research and accurately put his life on the big screen for all to cherish.
Movie Review: Alone No More!
Summary: 5 Stars
This film saved me alot of time and money. I'd always had a dream to do this. It's one thing to leave everything, when there wasn't much to leave, but this man left modern convenience behind. He left TV, radio and telephone. He left everything that we take for granted in our lives, everything that everyone can't live without. He didn't take bug spray! He didn't even have a dog! The lure of freedom is enormous. Most people want what this man got in some form or another, but the price tag for most is way too high. In todays world, you could buy this kind of freedom, but once you get channeled by "the system" you become hardened, and are conditioned by the rules and regulations invented by man. Todays environment preaches hard-work and structure to "get ahead". To chuck-it-all would be an embarassment in the eyes of peers and family, and therefore we are all victims of our own environments and self-made realities (no matter how much money we have). What this man did was not easy, just think about what he had to leave, what he had give up, and once so, could never go back. Those cold -80 nights and -40 days. It's amazing he did it, and us viewers not knowing what he left behind. What were the motivators? We can only speculate. But for anyone who's ever experienced a BAD camping trip, and know how miserable it is to be wet, cold and dirty.. what this man did was nothing short of amazing, and I could watch it over and over.Movie Review: Alone by the telly
Summary: 5 Stars
What can I say but watching this is best done when you get peace form the wife/kids/dog etc.
First lets get the technical bit out of the way, the DVD is sold in NTSC (yankee) format and we use PAL in good ole blighty. But when I stuck this in my DVD player it works fine! It also plays fine on the PC, so you won't have any issue watching it and you won't need any fancy multi standard players/TV's.
Ok, now the subject matter, it's about this guy Richard Proenneke who goes off to live in the wilds of Alaska Now as you might imagine, Bovis/Wimpy/Laings etc haven't got there yet so he has to build his own house to start with.
This turns out to be a log cabin watch as he chops out the logs and builds this from the ground to the roof, all the time watching out for bears, fishing for his dinner and doing a bit of the amateur naturalist.
There is a commentary by one of his friends Bob Swerer, which really goes well with the film. So whether you are into woodwork on a large scale, watching nature or survivalism then there is something here for you. I would rcommend you buy the book and read it, most of the commentary comes directly from it and you get a fuller picture of his life there and some excellent glossy photos too. Worth the 20 quid or so for the book and similar for the DVD.