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This was a bit overrated which is what I think of Sean Penn in general. I once stood near him at a show - No Doubt, no less. I was working pit. He was in the front row with his daughter perhaps. He caught me looking at him and gave me such a glare I thought he was going to punch me. I felt bad after that.
But back to the flick, if I was younger and still filled with rebellion, it might have had more impact. Now I look at the car gift at graduation and I think, well, I was given a car when I failed out of graduate school and I took it without blinking. William Hurt delivers a knockout breakdown scene. Odd role for Vince Vaugh. Great role for Hal Holbrook. You'd think if you were alone in Alaska, reading all these great books, you'd pay just a little more attention to the one on edible plants. On character, the hippie dude in the bus, totally reminded me of a old friend. I know a lot of hippies and idealists. They are never so noble. They tend to be more psycho. That part just didn't work for me. Beautiful scenery.
Shadow boxing the apocalypse
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Really enjoyed the book, even if I didn't like the kid very much. Self-involved twit. Saw a talk by Krakauer regarding that book and Into Thin Air, and understood more why he wrote about the kid.
In the Tudor Period, Fencing Masters were classified in the Vagrancy Laws along with Actors, Gypsys, Vagabonds, Sturdy Rogues, and the owners of performing bears.
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There was an overdubbed narration, mostly by the sister character, but some by the self-involved twit. Seemed to be reading straight out of the book. Some of the dialog seemed that way too. Who's perspective is the book written from?
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The Denali tour guide talked about the kid. The Denali guides thought he was a moron on many different levels. It put me off reading the book and seeing the movie.
So much for the flickr badge idea. Dammit
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...glad I jumped on that grenade for y'all. The film makes the self-absorbed twit into some one rather noble. He even turns away Kristen Stewart in panties and a bra, alone in the back of her trailer home. That was just too much of stretch.
Shadow boxing the apocalypse
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Kee-RIST! I hate movie-fying non-fiction. It only worked in Blackhawk Down. The book was a journalistic endeavor, and a good one, I thought. POV was from author. No bra and panties present in book. I recommend all of Krakauer's books, including his short pieces (collection called "Eiger Dreams"). All non-fic.
Perfect Storm was another good non-fic book made into a crappy movie.
In the Tudor Period, Fencing Masters were classified in the Vagrancy Laws along with Actors, Gypsys, Vagabonds, Sturdy Rogues, and the owners of performing bears.
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What about the topless German girl on the river and her boyfriend that gives him a hot dog?
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Nope. 0 tatas in the book. Is "giving the hot dog" a euphemism?
In the Tudor Period, Fencing Masters were classified in the Vagrancy Laws along with Actors, Gypsys, Vagabonds, Sturdy Rogues, and the owners of performing bears.
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what did he die of in the book?
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Insufferable arrogance.
A more nuanced reply might be a combination of malnutrition, pneumonia, food poisoning, and exposure. I may not be remembering the "nuances" correctly, as it has been a long time since I read the book.
In the Tudor Period, Fencing Masters were classified in the Vagrancy Laws along with Actors, Gypsys, Vagabonds, Sturdy Rogues, and the owners of performing bears.
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In the film, it was all about eating some stupid berries. He freaks out because he can't find anything to eat. He shoots his ammunition 'into the wild' at random screaming 'I'm hungry!' Then he decides to read his book on edible plants. Then he gets sick and re-reads the book to find that in the fine print in this book on edible plants, it says that this certain plant with horizontally striped berries will shut down the digestive system and cause you to starve to death, no matter how much you eat. You'd think that would be in bolder print. Or you'd think he'd at least read it a little more. Sure enough, he examines his baggy and the berries look just like the lethal ones. The ending was rather contrived and you wind up feeling short sheeted. But then they showed a pic of the real dude, sitting in front of the real 'magic bus' looking all happy. It was allegedly one of the last undeveloped pics in his camera. So that redeemed it a little.
In retrospect, the best parts of the film were the scenery, William Hurt, and Kristen Stewart (although her character was completely unbelievable).
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I would recommend the book without hesitation, or any of his books (the Mormon book, Under the Banner of Heaven, was pretty disturbing).
In the Tudor Period, Fencing Masters were classified in the Vagrancy Laws along with Actors, Gypsys, Vagabonds, Sturdy Rogues, and the owners of performing bears.
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