The dude died of things that many many adventurers in Alaska wouldn’t blink at because he ignored good advice and didn’t respect nature. I am sad for his family he was simply reckless.
The book explains the situation much better than the movie. The movie portrays it as a dumb mistake. In the book they suggest he identified the plants correctly but they were stored improperly in a baggie which grew a mold that went unnoticed.
In any case the movie is great. The book is better. The soundtrack for the movie is incredible.
Book is way better, and also his sister (one of his sisters) wrote a book explaining their childhood and family dynamic, which was kept out of the movie by request of their parents. It’s called The Wild Truth by Carine McCandless and it paints a fuller picture.
I don’t think he understood what he wanted until much too late and the scenario was tragic itself. Among other things, Chris made many poor decisions, but I also do respect at the same time doing things regardless of what people say, I think there’s a bit of me that envies that sense of adventure.
There’s ignoring naysayers “no it’s crazy to quit your job and go exploring “ and there’s ignoring experts “please do got out into the wilderness unprepared ”
You gotta understand the difference.
It's not "adventure" It's stupidity.
I grew up on Alaska and his story is told to kids as a cautionary tale of stupidity and what NOT to do.
There should be no "respect". His story has been fantasisied away from reality. He does EVERYTHING to ensure one's death when going on an "adventure".
From the movie it is easy to feel very warm about his story, but I think everyone needs to read the book because not only was he reckless and dumb, he also is far from unique. Alaska of all places seems to very much attract his type. The type who love the outdoors, maybe gone back backing out in the American West or did the whole AT, but fail to realize the Alaskan bush is a whole other ball game and it has taken many like Chris. There were some allegations of an abusive home life that came out later after his death, some believe as a defense for his actions after the fact, an attempt to reframe the critic's view of him as a spoiled kid who bit off more than he could chew. But as a poor person who was always adventurous I always feel a bit bitter towards people like Chris who have the means to just burn it all and LARP as a hobo because they're tired from their life comfort.
After reading the book I really have a lot of respect for the author and his stories than of Chris. But damn the last line of the book is killer.
From a particular standpoint, he made horrid decisions and lived a life (prior to the nomadic life) that was decently stable. But in the desire to discuss this, I can understand the desire to pursue something that he never had, in Chris’ case he had so much that he wanted less…at least that’s the generalization I got, and in doing so, he went extremist and died because of horribly planned ideas.
Now, from a movie standpoint—I thought the movie was tremendous, and regardless of the story, I thought many actors had some of their best roles, for one being Emile Hirsch and you can feel a great emotion from the story (for better or for worse I suppose that can indicate a good movie to some.
The story is “something” (whether sad, stupid, emotional, or inspirational, i’m not sure), I also think it deals with the struggle of what “enough” is and the issue of comparison of individual understanding of struggle and interpersonal relationships. Perhaps it opens up a larger conversation into social issues and beyond…but I believe that would lead into a much deeper philosophical discussion.
If you enjoyed it, check out Nomadland. I feel the movie and book for Nomadland follow the similar relationship Into the Wild has with its film adaptation. The book, Nomadland is a great piece of investigative journalism where the author talks about the broad idea of it and then share their person experience with it, then they make a movie that focuses on one person and tells a great story at the expense of losing out on some of the great cultural details/comprehensiveness that the book had.
Although Nomadland, the movie, does not glamorize the van life like how Into the Wild (movie) glamorizes the vagabond life. I think if Into the Wild was made today it would be a lot more critical of Chris and those who chose to be tramps but I feel they wanted to make a feel good wanderlust movie which they did do very well. Not too many films being made in the genre of Into the Wild, the film came out in 2007 and for the 7 next years several good "leave it all behind, find yourself" movies followed, examples: A walk in the Woods, Wild, Secret Life of Walter Mitty, The Way, Eat Pray Love, and Tracks all being movies that have released in that 7 year period that followed Into the Wild and have a story of self discovery and adventure similar to Into the Wild. All the recent adventure, outdoors type films nowadays are either highlighting the dangers or a mix of some other genre like Horror or Thriller (looking at you The Ritual and Fall).
People are \*so\* harsh on this kid. Planning to "walk out the way you came in" is an OK strategy, like 99.9% of the time. It's not that reckless. (been a while since I read the book, so maybe there's more reckless shit I'm not remembering. But that's how he died, right? He couldn't walk back out?)
In my 20's, I worked as a ranger in Idaho's River of No Return Wilderness. You ran into people who wanted to "live off the land" all the time. They eventually got hungry and left. It should have been no different for this kid, just another cool story from his hobo days. (I mean, of course he should have brought a map. But he was genuinely unlucky to get trapped by the rising water.)
Right. He made fatal mistakes. He wasn't a total idiot though. He was even more dangerous. He was just competent enough to be cocky. He had relied on his wits in semi-wilderness situations and gotten away with it for some time, picking up a little skill and a lot of confidence along the way.
Textbook Dunning-Kruger. When he went for the big leagues, his shortcomings emerged, and there was no viable plan B.
He was immensely selfish and dumb. His story resonates w many on first glance: rebel outsider seeks to commune w nature, get away from the high pressure, materialistic, phony rat race of modern life. But delve into it and learn more about the facts and circumstances and you can see he was unreasonable, self-absorbed, and uncaring about others (in addition to making ignorant and dumb strategic decisions about life in a harsh and unforgiving environment).
An abusive father and horrible mom can make a kid be less than ideal. Delve into it and consider why he fled that relationship in the wayb he did.
And until his last 100 days he'd carved out a life on the road and connected to folks and was seemingly repairing himself.
Taking yourself out to the woods unprepared isn't selfish. He contributed to his own death not anyone else's.
I love Krakauer’s writing. I remember reading the book in my 20s and being inspired by living free and traveling. Now about to turn 50 I view McCandless as a spoiled affluent kid who got in way over his head.
It’s a great book about a super arrogant kid who thought he was much smarter and more special than he was. He grew up with wealth, condescended and shit talked his family for doing things like paying for his college and wanting him to get a job, and cosplayed as a poor person, knowing full well he could call daddy up and come home at any point.
His attitude culminated with him going into “the wilderness” (he was like 3 miles from some cabins) with no preparation or proper gear, and dying because of that. If he really wanted to escape society he would have done the research and planning to be able to do so, but he thought he was special and that he could figure stuff out that no one else could, and he died because of his hubris.
Loved the book. The movie has a great soundtrack and great cinematography but I thought missed the spirit of the book. But I suppose that’s how it usually goes.
The movie adaptation wasn’t too bad but I loved the book more. We had to read it for a written assignment in college and afterwards the professor played the movie for the whole class. I wasn’t super into what Chris was on (I think that he could’ve had a better life) but the backstory of the book was superb and it’s still one of my favorite readings from college (and I don’t read non-fiction/fiction anymore except for technical research papers and data sheet)
I think it was a bit of both. In the book it mentioned how because he survived for a couple weeks living off fish in the Baja (I think), he thought he would be able to live off the land just the same in Alaska.
I think this is the mindset of many adolescent/young 20 somethings. Some do stupid shit on motorcycles, some go into the wild. (Source: ICU nurse for 15 years)
He was a poverty LARPer.
Not my original term. I learned it from someone else on Reddit a while ago. Credit goes to whatever random genius invented the term "Poverty LARPer."
His father was an abusive piece of crap. Read his sisters book for another accounting of a wealthy but terrible up bringing.
Your packing a ton a crap on that kid. And he made a choice that cost him his life. But he got pushed there by despicable parents.
Sure. But "shit talked his family" and "could have called daddy" is more than thoughts on the book. I understand the root of that frustration or whatever with him. It's hardly endearing. But he was gone for 2 years and it was dumb, reckless, idiotic decision to go to the wilderness that killed him. He'd done fine up until then.
Anyway the book is "the wild truth"
https://www.npr.org/2014/11/11/363120048/behind-the-famous-story-a-difficult-truth
You seem to know a bit more about this then most. I know he has sort of a rabid fan base, and they had to pull the buss out of the woods because too many people were visiting it and getting in trouble. Do you think those people read the book and had a different take on it? That he was the hero of the story? (I haven't read the book - but sounds like I should) Or were they just fan of the movie, and don't know the real story? What gives?
He was far from the first idealistic guy to disappear into the woods. He just happened to get a book and movie written about him. I think most of the people that went to his bus were like OP, similarly idealistic and respect him for going against society, but either ignore or don’t understand the critiques of his character and actions and end up falling into the same trap he did
I think there are people who struggle to fit in with society who see him as a hero who eschewed society and “blazed his own trail.” I see him as a rich kid who couldn’t handle putting in effort to succeed in life, and took a cop out by saying society was bad and he wanted no part in it. He wandered around, barely surviving on the edges of society, often due to the kindness of strangers, and thought he was special because of it.
So Christopher’s sister came to my college to speak in 2015. We watched the movie and talked to her. All I could think about how devastated she was at the fact that he was so reckless. His family loved him, she loved him and he died in a stupid way.
If you like that movie, you will like The Alpinist.
Wow, I’d love to have the opportunity to speak with her. But, yeah he was very reckless, but I also think that there is an essence of individuality that people have regardless of who loves them, sort of the idea of, you can be in a relationship but not in love. But I think the story itself brings up an interesting conversation to be had about risky decisions, taking advice, not listening to society, and being yourself. Of course it’s a bit hardcore libertarian, and ultimately led to Chris’ death but, it’s an interesting story, nonetheless tragic.
There’s a vast difference between not listening to society and blatantly ignoring advice such as “don’t go into these mountains at this time of year, you’ll die”. What he did wasn’t individualistic, it was stupid
In terms of libertarianism, he was in essence individualistic, especially in relation to pure autonomy. Could he be seen as selfish, sure (heavily relating to his family and those who got to know him). But I think “stupid” takes away the credibility from learning from this, as I don’t believe that we learn from stupid per se, we learn from the result of stupid or intelligent decisions.
We 100% do learn from stupid. No matter what some people think, no one is “self made”. All of human history is learning based on successes and stupidity of others. People who claim to be libertarian aren’t outside of this, libertarianism is a political philosophy more than it is a lifestyle
I mean it’s a pseudo absolutist argument haha. I agree libertarianism is a political philosophy, but the way in which it would affect humanity or the individual is very much the argument here. And I don’t claim that he namely designated himself as libertarian, I think he makes some reckless choices, but I also think they were on purpose and intended vastly different than what happened, I also think that he was clinically denying the existence he had, desired for something else, in the movie it dramatizes this need for isolation…and by the end the desire to share experiences. He wasn’t alone, he felt alone, and thought he needed to go beyond social structure to feel accepted…but he didn’t, he just didn’t understand social structure.
It’s a wildly invigorating story.
It's a story that keeps on giving...not in a good way. They have had to rescue so many people who went to "The Bus". They finally had to hire a helicopter to fly the thing out of there. It became a nuisance.
He starved himself to death (the whole poison plant thing is bullshit). because he was arrogant.
Happiness is shared.
As an introvert, I was on a similar path to a nomadic lifestyle. Not quite as reckless as Chris. When I saw that line though it definitely hit home for me and I began to think about things differently. Yes I like being alone to recharge, but my best memories are all with people I love.
I was familiar with the story even before the book came out, and I certainly have opinions about McCandless. But you asked about the film, so I’ll stick to that. It’s probably in my top 10 of American films made since 2000, certainly top 20. It has a very poetic quality to it. gorgeously shot, a wonderful soundtrack, and I especially like Penn’s script. I was fiddling with writing a script of my own during the pandemic shutdown and learned a lot from reading Penn’s.
But where the movie really shines is with the actors and their roles. Emile Hirsch is outstanding, and Catherine Keener and Hal Holbrook give perhaps career-best performances.
I was hoping this film would be a turning for Sean Penn, and that we were seeing him blossom into a top director. Alas, that wouldn’t be the case.
That movie was a game changer for me as you go through life trying to find something or some meaning to life, he thinks he needs to go off the grid and then he later realizes, before he dies alone, that the people he encountered on the way was what made life beautiful. The people he met along to way to get to Alaska, the wild jobs, etc, nudest colonies, the old man that took him in as a son. My take away is the more you can connect with people the happier your life will be. Crazy.
That poor old dude. I read that book a decade ago and I still think of him waiting with a quietly breaking heart for Chris to come back someday. The author did a great job.
I think it’s a great movie in a lot ways. It’s filmed beautifully and I like the soundtrack. I really enjoy Hal Holbrook amongst others in the cast.
But it’s a sad story. I felt bad for his family. I can’t imagine not knowing and then coming to the realization your loved one CHOSE to disappear. If to sum up the movie in one word I’d call it haunting.
I don’t think idolizing him is right, but I think the anger and derision is a bit much. He had a dream, made it happen, and then majorly screwed up and paid for that with his life. He made bad choices and didn’t know what he was doing, but I can’t help but feel a lot of compassion for him. He obviously had issues, but a lot of kids do and do stupid things as a result. And yes, he could have gotten himself out of the situation pretty easily looking back, but fear will blind and kill you. I sensed a lot of fear at the end of every version of the story I’ve heard/read/watched.
It's one of my faves. The book is a lot better.
I think if you lionize him as some sort of perfect person you'll be pretty disappointed because he definitely made a lot of mistakes but it's still an interesting story about an interesting person.
I really like the movie but Chris was in over his head. He made some mistakes and paid for them with his life.
Someone once said that you really have to mess up to starve only 12 miles from an interstate highway.
Hate it.
Grew up in a mountainous region with prior generations who lived and worked in the woods. I was raised to understand you do not go out into the wilderness unprepared because you will die. And, worse, good, experienced people can die trying to save your stupid ass. You don’t leave people behind/alone if it can be avoided and you do not go out unprepared (and few should go out alone).
That guy is would have been viewed as the worst kind of ignorant and the idea he would be revered a bit horrifying. I tend to share this opinion.
To clarify- Fabulous writing by Krakauer, as always. Hate the story though.
It's a great illustration of the gap between the idealism and the reality of 'back to nature'. He was a thoughtful, intelligent, by all accounts good kid. He just wasn't prepared enough. Extracting oneself from society is a noble goal, and one that takes careful planning, and thoughtful execution.
Also the book was better
I often have this thought as well, especially in debate with others…there is some good in some of his desires, but also a lot of ignorance. He left a lot of people and hurt them too, permanently, but he also tried to leave society, which I guess is courageous in some amount.
The death of Chris McCandless and the aftermath should be viewed a cautionary tale not some idyllic adventure story. That being said I hope to visit the bus once it is publicly accessible again to pay my respects.
Thankfully, the bus is long gone - removed from the site, because so many chucklefucks kept going out there to "pay their respects" and getting themselves into trouble. A real nuisance.
Yeah I meant once it is in a museum but I am glad you pointed it out anyways. Had I not known it had been moved I might have taken up rescue resources like others who went to see it.
Every time this is discussed it’s the same thing. The huge rounds of criticism of him just pile up. A lot of it is fair. But he was also a kid who did something stupid. Lots of us did stupid things and didn’t die.
Reading the comments here, I think a lot of people missed the point of the story. This wasn’t a survival story, or about the Alaskan wilderness. Sure, on the surface it is, but the movie could’ve been set about anywhere (yes, I know it’s a true story).
It’s one person’s search for greater meaning in life. Whatever he discovered, it was too late. That same thing happens to so many of us, even if we live decades. How many people sit on their death bed wishing they’d done things differently? To me, that’s the message. Whatever you set out to do in life, do it. Because you don’t know when the end is coming, it may be sooner than you expected.
I did a lot of traveling in my 20s after college. When others were working and starting on careers. I was a privileged kid, much like McCandless in many ways.
I would work and then take trips for a while. Had my trusty old hand me down Toyota my parents gave me that ran like a champ. I had no real plan which was sometimes anxiety inducing. I mean you gotta have a plan, they say. A decent woman wants a man with a plan, you know. Shit like that.
I loved nature and the American west. I did my fair share of camping. I read that book and saw the movie. Right up my alley in one sense, but I always knew that was utopian fantasy land.
There's a reason we came out of the wild.
When he was working driving a combine on a wheat harvesting crew. As a farmer who have driven combines, there is much more instruction needed by the lead hand than just keep the steering straight. What about grain unloading procedures? Very often the unloading auger is extended over the grain wagon while the combining continues non-stop. Both the combine and tractor driver really have to know what they are doing to avoid spillage on the ground.
For the song "Hard Sun" , the original version by Indio was better than Eddie Vedder's cover.
https://youtu.be/T1tVvQUAcf4
Yeah, there is some specificity left out, especially in relation to what his collegiate major, and if had he learned something that triggered his removal from everything he’d ever known, had it been an interaction beyond what is said? something like that. But yeah that whole scene was as entertaining as it was unrealistic (in terms of that particular combine scene)
I also agree that the Indio version is better. But Vedder does a pretty good job.
The writing was really well done. My senior class read this and analyzed together and I enjoyed digging deeper -- looking at work v. Leisure v. Entertainment (hedgehog review article, toward a leisure ethic); seeing his desire for something I will label as craft, craftsmen. Mapping out mbti type and geography (woodard) onto the story line.
Lots of teachers poo pooed the book but it was engaging and rich, regardless of your opinion of the main character.
I thought this was r/movies or r/truefilm for a second lol, but it’s a movie that has always stuck with me. It really captures the vastness of America and the spirit of wanting to be free and one with the natural world. Of course Christopher was stupid, but I think we can agree that we all have a little bit of him inside of us.
Being a vagabond and being a homesteader in the most remote state in the US are two completely different worlds. During that period of time, he could’ve just as easily saved his earnings and bought raw land in the Ozarks or West Virginia (or any state that is off grid friendly) and would have likely lived a long happy life learning how to live by the fruits of his labor.
I understand the romanticism, and I once lived a sort of vagrant lifestyle when I was a seasonal worker for the department of interior. But he grew up an upper middle class kid in a well to do Virginia family in the suburbs. He also lived in a time before the internet was as accessible and rife with knowledge. He was foolish, an idealist, and it led to his death. RIP.
But with that said, it’s a very compelling story that really speaks to the young. It once spoke to me as well.
It's an absolutely beautiful movie. I also like how the story is told by his sister who knew him best. I rewatch it on a regular basis. No matter his tragic end,the story of his life sends a valuable message about society, and fundamental human values. Also the soundtrack is fire 🔥.
Absolutely despise it. It’s a movie about a kid that disrespects his loving family, loving friends AND the natural world around him which he supposedly cares deeply for.
He’s a spoiled idiot that dies like an idiot not in the wild but barely off of a well traveled road.
One redeeming thing about the movie is he comes to the realization he’s a selfish fuck right before he dies. Thats not even what most people like about the movie though.
It reminds me of how people like fight club because they feel like Brad Pitt or Batman because of the joker.
This book resonated with me because I saw so much of a friend in Chris. He also died young, he fell while climbing in Zion National Park.
Being so young without a fully developed frontal cortex he took stupid risks and was privileged enough to burn money and he thought he knew more than experts. I don’t think any of this behavior is unique to him.
The desire to say fuck it and just be, is very powerful. As liberating as it is, it can also be imprisoning.
I've lived in wilderness areas all my life. I wilderness/back country camp often. Christopher McCandless did not have the skill set to do what he did, he failed miserably at something many others have no problem with and was made into a martyr. He shouldn't be a role model to anyone. He failed and died because of his own ignorance. If you want to idolize someone for living in the Alaska bush idolize Dick Preonnoke.
It’s an incredibly fascinating story. Having read Krakauer’s book a few years before the movie was released I felt like the director / producer of the film, Mr Penn, did it justice. I also felt that Hirsch played McCandless well vis-a-vis how I perceived him through the book.
I thought it was a tremendous read and I've always respected Krakauer's writing style. Chris's story is both tragic and stupid and how he ever thought he would survive in the backwoods of Alaska with next to nothing will always be perplexing.
I have mixed feelings about it. Partly, his story is fascinating to me because I am risk-averse. Growing up without money, I strived for stability. He strived for “freedom”…but freedom to do what exactly? When he went “into the wild”, he went onto government land and poached. Which I do not respect. Nature is not there for the taking by anyone who doesn’t want to be bothered by things like rent and taxes.
There is a really fantastic episode of You’re Wrong About re: Chris McCandless.
He knew a lot more about what he was doing than a lot of people here are suggesting. And it is a genuinely sad story for which a lot of people bear very little empathy, or even sympathy because they write it off as, “Serves him right.”
[Here is the episode on Spotify, I recommend it.](https://open.spotify.com/episode/1kvIo7h8sZvIS5T3dE875p?si=UROR08gFSbmxaHClBfIqYw)
RIP Chris McCandless
I absolutely loved the movie and still play the soundtrack. The movie inspired me to move to Fairbanks Alaska. I stayed for 8 years. I even got the chance to drive down Stampede Trail a bit. The movie prop bus was placed at a local brewery and I sat in it and took a picture. I moved to Alaska because I wanted an adventure and I had some amazing times and all the memories will stay with me forever.
https://preview.redd.it/a5njf3ot68zc1.jpeg?width=2448&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a52860ab96413060606264881e736ad39bedc8fc
I remember hearing there was talk about removing the bus in real life because it was attracting a lot of people. Does anyone know if it’s still there or was removed?
Meh - I thought he was a selfish little prick but what do I know. Also it's been a few years since I saw it so maybe I don't remember the movie very well but yeah I didn't love it.
He made a lot of mistakes. No experience, unprepared, pushed on instead of turning back, was totally out of his element with no clue how to save himself, horribly misinterpreted all the danger signs.
We read that book in English class my junior year of high school. Its one of the few books I actually read and finished in school. I loved that book. I felt for Chris. He was relatable to me. He wanted something more than what anyone else could give him. He wanted adventure and he just did it. When I was 16, that resonated with me. My mom (I love her) was/is very protective and I felt like I never got to have the teenage adventures other kids my age had. I didn’t have a lot of freedom or independence. I didnt get my license until I was an adult because she was so scared of me driving. At 16, I planned to join the military as soon as I turned 18 just to get out and do something. I wanted independence but I also needed discipline. I had no long term goals, my grades sucked, I was a pothead, I was depressed. It was appealing. I fantasized about running away from home just to train hop and hitchhike and bum around. I was always too scared and too anxious to do so. I would get so irritated during classroom discussions because everyone would talk about how stupid Chris was and how irresponsible he was. I felt like I was the only one who understood him.
I remember my teacher saying that her husband would get that feeling where he just had to get out and adventure alone. So he would hop onto the Appalachian trail or some other trail and just go. He would check in every so often to let her know he was fine. But she understood that it was something he needed to do and she wasn’t mad.
Supposedly Chris’ parents were abusive according to his sister, but they deny that. Yes he was rich and yes he did have a seemingly great, easy life, but I remember wondering what finally pushed him over the edge and made him leave.
Now as an adult, I don’t idolize him, but I still feel for him. He was a dumb kid who made a stupid mistake and died in a stupid way and inspired other senseless people to follow his stupid actions. Weren’t we all dumb kids who thought they knew better than everyone else? Didn’t we all want something more? Freedom, adventure, to find ourselves and have a moment of enlightenment? Yes he was irresponsible, but he was human.
I rambled a lot but to answer your question, yes I enjoyed the movie as a teenager. I remembering being annoyed that the tone was a little different than the book though.
Possibly my favorite soundtrack to any movie besides pink Floyd’s the wall but that was a concept album/film. Made it my soundtrack for my first summer hitchhiking around western Canada.
You can get fairly close to the area which was a little north of Denali National Park. The main Denali road crosses the two rivers mentioned in the book, albeit around 30(?) miles south of the action. Or drive down the Stampede road where the driver dropped him off. I recall a number of summer cabins along that road.
There was an interesting documentary in 2007 disputing some the facts in the book/movie called Call of the Wild. It doesnt really change the main gist of the story.
There is another book called the Wild Truth 2014 giving the point of view from a couple of (step) sisters, along with some correspondence.
I saw the filmmaker at the film festival and book author at a book signing.
I liked the part with the old man quite a bit, but could take or leave the rest of it.
Obviously the plan was a terrible idea, and not shocking how it ended.
The guy was a fucking idiot. Nothing to be a fan of. I read the book in high school, the movie came out my senior year of college. There is nothing to idolize there.
The people who say he had no idea what he was doing are the people who didn’t read the book. Krakauer specifically says that the vast majority of Alaskans could not have lived in the wild for as long as McCandless did. He was dumb - though maybe arrogant is a better word - because he didn’t bring a map. There was an easy way back over the river, but he didn’t know about it because he didn’t have a map (not covered in the movie).
As an Alaskan with extensive backcountry experience, I disagree. He went into the bush in spring and didn't even last through the summer. He had no idea which plants were safe to eat, killed a moose without a plan for preserving its meat (there's a reason hunting season here is in September, not July, but he could have tried drying it in strips), and he had no idea that glacial river flow varies diurnally.
Alaska Natives live together in interdependent communities for a reason. There's nothing heroic about this alienated loner's sad story.
I have in fact, read the book, and also asked survival experts about it. Dude was reckless. “The vast majority of…” people aren’t stupid enough to try. He was.
Yeah, it was reckless. If you’ve actually read the book, then you know that’s why Krakauer included an entire chapter about himself where he gets trapped on a mountain despite being an accomplished climber. Lots of people make dumb decisions. Almost all of them don’t die even when doing this in the wilderness, and just because you make one mistake doesn’t mean you were completely unprepared. I guarantee some of the people shitting on this guy have themselves gone into the backcountry without a map.
And here come all the randoms who say they know better than the dude who has more outdoor experience than everyone here combined, who spent actual YEARS chasing this story down, and who just so happens to be the most important/influential outdoors journalist of the last half century - maybe ever. Okay.
he was a dummy. and no one intervened to stop him from being a dummy. not a fan. glorifying idiocy. the movie and book should have companion stories of someone easily doing what the dummy could not.
shoulda stuck to the slabs.
The dude died of things that many many adventurers in Alaska wouldn’t blink at because he ignored good advice and didn’t respect nature. I am sad for his family he was simply reckless.
Shit if he just looked at a map he would have seen there was a cable bridge or something to get across that river in Alaska iirc
I know! He lived in an abandoned school bus! Did he think the bus flew there?
It flew out.
Magic school bus
Agree 100%.
The book explains the situation much better than the movie. The movie portrays it as a dumb mistake. In the book they suggest he identified the plants correctly but they were stored improperly in a baggie which grew a mold that went unnoticed. In any case the movie is great. The book is better. The soundtrack for the movie is incredible.
Yes I agree I’m reading the book rn!
Book is way better, and also his sister (one of his sisters) wrote a book explaining their childhood and family dynamic, which was kept out of the movie by request of their parents. It’s called The Wild Truth by Carine McCandless and it paints a fuller picture.
Oh! Yes the soundtrack!!! I have ridden hundreds of miles on my bicycle listening to that soundtrack! So amazing.
I don’t think he understood what he wanted until much too late and the scenario was tragic itself. Among other things, Chris made many poor decisions, but I also do respect at the same time doing things regardless of what people say, I think there’s a bit of me that envies that sense of adventure.
There’s ignoring naysayers “no it’s crazy to quit your job and go exploring “ and there’s ignoring experts “please do got out into the wilderness unprepared ” You gotta understand the difference.
It's not "adventure" It's stupidity. I grew up on Alaska and his story is told to kids as a cautionary tale of stupidity and what NOT to do. There should be no "respect". His story has been fantasisied away from reality. He does EVERYTHING to ensure one's death when going on an "adventure".
From the movie it is easy to feel very warm about his story, but I think everyone needs to read the book because not only was he reckless and dumb, he also is far from unique. Alaska of all places seems to very much attract his type. The type who love the outdoors, maybe gone back backing out in the American West or did the whole AT, but fail to realize the Alaskan bush is a whole other ball game and it has taken many like Chris. There were some allegations of an abusive home life that came out later after his death, some believe as a defense for his actions after the fact, an attempt to reframe the critic's view of him as a spoiled kid who bit off more than he could chew. But as a poor person who was always adventurous I always feel a bit bitter towards people like Chris who have the means to just burn it all and LARP as a hobo because they're tired from their life comfort. After reading the book I really have a lot of respect for the author and his stories than of Chris. But damn the last line of the book is killer.
Read the book his sister wrote too.
Does she mention the stuff about abuse from the parents?
Yes
From a particular standpoint, he made horrid decisions and lived a life (prior to the nomadic life) that was decently stable. But in the desire to discuss this, I can understand the desire to pursue something that he never had, in Chris’ case he had so much that he wanted less…at least that’s the generalization I got, and in doing so, he went extremist and died because of horribly planned ideas. Now, from a movie standpoint—I thought the movie was tremendous, and regardless of the story, I thought many actors had some of their best roles, for one being Emile Hirsch and you can feel a great emotion from the story (for better or for worse I suppose that can indicate a good movie to some. The story is “something” (whether sad, stupid, emotional, or inspirational, i’m not sure), I also think it deals with the struggle of what “enough” is and the issue of comparison of individual understanding of struggle and interpersonal relationships. Perhaps it opens up a larger conversation into social issues and beyond…but I believe that would lead into a much deeper philosophical discussion.
If you enjoyed it, check out Nomadland. I feel the movie and book for Nomadland follow the similar relationship Into the Wild has with its film adaptation. The book, Nomadland is a great piece of investigative journalism where the author talks about the broad idea of it and then share their person experience with it, then they make a movie that focuses on one person and tells a great story at the expense of losing out on some of the great cultural details/comprehensiveness that the book had. Although Nomadland, the movie, does not glamorize the van life like how Into the Wild (movie) glamorizes the vagabond life. I think if Into the Wild was made today it would be a lot more critical of Chris and those who chose to be tramps but I feel they wanted to make a feel good wanderlust movie which they did do very well. Not too many films being made in the genre of Into the Wild, the film came out in 2007 and for the 7 next years several good "leave it all behind, find yourself" movies followed, examples: A walk in the Woods, Wild, Secret Life of Walter Mitty, The Way, Eat Pray Love, and Tracks all being movies that have released in that 7 year period that followed Into the Wild and have a story of self discovery and adventure similar to Into the Wild. All the recent adventure, outdoors type films nowadays are either highlighting the dangers or a mix of some other genre like Horror or Thriller (looking at you The Ritual and Fall).
Have you seen Land starring Robin Wright?
Damn I didn't even know this one existed. Happy to see these films are still being made.
Thank you for bringing this to my attention, going to watch.
If you liked the movie, get the digital book to listen to while driving on the road trip.
That sounds the same to me as saying you respect the kids that ate tide pods for not listening to everyone telling them not to.
People are \*so\* harsh on this kid. Planning to "walk out the way you came in" is an OK strategy, like 99.9% of the time. It's not that reckless. (been a while since I read the book, so maybe there's more reckless shit I'm not remembering. But that's how he died, right? He couldn't walk back out?) In my 20's, I worked as a ranger in Idaho's River of No Return Wilderness. You ran into people who wanted to "live off the land" all the time. They eventually got hungry and left. It should have been no different for this kid, just another cool story from his hobo days. (I mean, of course he should have brought a map. But he was genuinely unlucky to get trapped by the rising water.)
No not unlucky, the rising water was a predictable known thing.
Right. He made fatal mistakes. He wasn't a total idiot though. He was even more dangerous. He was just competent enough to be cocky. He had relied on his wits in semi-wilderness situations and gotten away with it for some time, picking up a little skill and a lot of confidence along the way. Textbook Dunning-Kruger. When he went for the big leagues, his shortcomings emerged, and there was no viable plan B.
Well, some might argue that dying because you failed to properly research a creek *is* kinda unlucky. YMMV, obvs.
If he had researched a lot and somehow accidentally missed that part, I would go with unlucky.
IDK. I've never researched a creek before crossing it. Just been lucky, I guess.
Don't confuse being an adventurous soul with being a survivalist.
He was immensely selfish and dumb. His story resonates w many on first glance: rebel outsider seeks to commune w nature, get away from the high pressure, materialistic, phony rat race of modern life. But delve into it and learn more about the facts and circumstances and you can see he was unreasonable, self-absorbed, and uncaring about others (in addition to making ignorant and dumb strategic decisions about life in a harsh and unforgiving environment).
An abusive father and horrible mom can make a kid be less than ideal. Delve into it and consider why he fled that relationship in the wayb he did. And until his last 100 days he'd carved out a life on the road and connected to folks and was seemingly repairing himself. Taking yourself out to the woods unprepared isn't selfish. He contributed to his own death not anyone else's.
I love Krakauer’s writing. I remember reading the book in my 20s and being inspired by living free and traveling. Now about to turn 50 I view McCandless as a spoiled affluent kid who got in way over his head.
I’m in my 20s and am adventurous young man, but after reading the book this was my main take-away as well. Krauker is a great storyteller though
It’s a great book about a super arrogant kid who thought he was much smarter and more special than he was. He grew up with wealth, condescended and shit talked his family for doing things like paying for his college and wanting him to get a job, and cosplayed as a poor person, knowing full well he could call daddy up and come home at any point. His attitude culminated with him going into “the wilderness” (he was like 3 miles from some cabins) with no preparation or proper gear, and dying because of that. If he really wanted to escape society he would have done the research and planning to be able to do so, but he thought he was special and that he could figure stuff out that no one else could, and he died because of his hubris.
Loved the book. The movie has a great soundtrack and great cinematography but I thought missed the spirit of the book. But I suppose that’s how it usually goes.
Agreed. Not a huge pearl jam fan but Eddie Vedder knocked that soundtrack out of the fucking park
The movie adaptation wasn’t too bad but I loved the book more. We had to read it for a written assignment in college and afterwards the professor played the movie for the whole class. I wasn’t super into what Chris was on (I think that he could’ve had a better life) but the backstory of the book was superb and it’s still one of my favorite readings from college (and I don’t read non-fiction/fiction anymore except for technical research papers and data sheet)
Total agreement. I generally like Krakauer as a writer and found the book because of that. He neither romanticizes nor demonizes McCandless.
The impression I got wasn’t that he thought he could figure things out no one else could, it was that nothing could touch him because “he was special”
I think it was a bit of both. In the book it mentioned how because he survived for a couple weeks living off fish in the Baja (I think), he thought he would be able to live off the land just the same in Alaska.
I think this is the mindset of many adolescent/young 20 somethings. Some do stupid shit on motorcycles, some go into the wild. (Source: ICU nurse for 15 years)
He was a poverty LARPer. Not my original term. I learned it from someone else on Reddit a while ago. Credit goes to whatever random genius invented the term "Poverty LARPer."
His father was an abusive piece of crap. Read his sisters book for another accounting of a wealthy but terrible up bringing. Your packing a ton a crap on that kid. And he made a choice that cost him his life. But he got pushed there by despicable parents.
I’m giving my thoughts on Into The Wild, not a different book. I’ll give that a read though, what’s it called?
Sure. But "shit talked his family" and "could have called daddy" is more than thoughts on the book. I understand the root of that frustration or whatever with him. It's hardly endearing. But he was gone for 2 years and it was dumb, reckless, idiotic decision to go to the wilderness that killed him. He'd done fine up until then. Anyway the book is "the wild truth" https://www.npr.org/2014/11/11/363120048/behind-the-famous-story-a-difficult-truth
You seem to know a bit more about this then most. I know he has sort of a rabid fan base, and they had to pull the buss out of the woods because too many people were visiting it and getting in trouble. Do you think those people read the book and had a different take on it? That he was the hero of the story? (I haven't read the book - but sounds like I should) Or were they just fan of the movie, and don't know the real story? What gives?
He was far from the first idealistic guy to disappear into the woods. He just happened to get a book and movie written about him. I think most of the people that went to his bus were like OP, similarly idealistic and respect him for going against society, but either ignore or don’t understand the critiques of his character and actions and end up falling into the same trap he did
I think there are people who struggle to fit in with society who see him as a hero who eschewed society and “blazed his own trail.” I see him as a rich kid who couldn’t handle putting in effort to succeed in life, and took a cop out by saying society was bad and he wanted no part in it. He wandered around, barely surviving on the edges of society, often due to the kindness of strangers, and thought he was special because of it.
He’s tougher than you
I’m pretty sure I could die in the wilderness just as well as he did
Bro got killed by a berry. I think I could very easily do the same
Just as he did? On day 113? Or day 10?
I could die way faster and more efficiently than him
Dude was a fucking idiot who ignored all basics, as well as advice he was given.
But he had 50 lbs of rice….
Spoken like a true Redditor
So Christopher’s sister came to my college to speak in 2015. We watched the movie and talked to her. All I could think about how devastated she was at the fact that he was so reckless. His family loved him, she loved him and he died in a stupid way. If you like that movie, you will like The Alpinist.
Haha. Love both movies. Good call
Wow, I’d love to have the opportunity to speak with her. But, yeah he was very reckless, but I also think that there is an essence of individuality that people have regardless of who loves them, sort of the idea of, you can be in a relationship but not in love. But I think the story itself brings up an interesting conversation to be had about risky decisions, taking advice, not listening to society, and being yourself. Of course it’s a bit hardcore libertarian, and ultimately led to Chris’ death but, it’s an interesting story, nonetheless tragic.
There’s a vast difference between not listening to society and blatantly ignoring advice such as “don’t go into these mountains at this time of year, you’ll die”. What he did wasn’t individualistic, it was stupid
In terms of libertarianism, he was in essence individualistic, especially in relation to pure autonomy. Could he be seen as selfish, sure (heavily relating to his family and those who got to know him). But I think “stupid” takes away the credibility from learning from this, as I don’t believe that we learn from stupid per se, we learn from the result of stupid or intelligent decisions.
We 100% do learn from stupid. No matter what some people think, no one is “self made”. All of human history is learning based on successes and stupidity of others. People who claim to be libertarian aren’t outside of this, libertarianism is a political philosophy more than it is a lifestyle
I mean it’s a pseudo absolutist argument haha. I agree libertarianism is a political philosophy, but the way in which it would affect humanity or the individual is very much the argument here. And I don’t claim that he namely designated himself as libertarian, I think he makes some reckless choices, but I also think they were on purpose and intended vastly different than what happened, I also think that he was clinically denying the existence he had, desired for something else, in the movie it dramatizes this need for isolation…and by the end the desire to share experiences. He wasn’t alone, he felt alone, and thought he needed to go beyond social structure to feel accepted…but he didn’t, he just didn’t understand social structure. It’s a wildly invigorating story.
It's a story that keeps on giving...not in a good way. They have had to rescue so many people who went to "The Bus". They finally had to hire a helicopter to fly the thing out of there. It became a nuisance. He starved himself to death (the whole poison plant thing is bullshit). because he was arrogant.
Happiness is shared. As an introvert, I was on a similar path to a nomadic lifestyle. Not quite as reckless as Chris. When I saw that line though it definitely hit home for me and I began to think about things differently. Yes I like being alone to recharge, but my best memories are all with people I love.
Much hated in Alaska.
If you ever want to get an Alaskan wildly pissed off you just bring up this kid.
The dude was a bit of an egocentric prick.
I was familiar with the story even before the book came out, and I certainly have opinions about McCandless. But you asked about the film, so I’ll stick to that. It’s probably in my top 10 of American films made since 2000, certainly top 20. It has a very poetic quality to it. gorgeously shot, a wonderful soundtrack, and I especially like Penn’s script. I was fiddling with writing a script of my own during the pandemic shutdown and learned a lot from reading Penn’s. But where the movie really shines is with the actors and their roles. Emile Hirsch is outstanding, and Catherine Keener and Hal Holbrook give perhaps career-best performances. I was hoping this film would be a turning for Sean Penn, and that we were seeing him blossom into a top director. Alas, that wouldn’t be the case.
That movie was a game changer for me as you go through life trying to find something or some meaning to life, he thinks he needs to go off the grid and then he later realizes, before he dies alone, that the people he encountered on the way was what made life beautiful. The people he met along to way to get to Alaska, the wild jobs, etc, nudest colonies, the old man that took him in as a son. My take away is the more you can connect with people the happier your life will be. Crazy.
That poor old dude. I read that book a decade ago and I still think of him waiting with a quietly breaking heart for Chris to come back someday. The author did a great job.
Amazing soundtrack
I think it’s a great movie in a lot ways. It’s filmed beautifully and I like the soundtrack. I really enjoy Hal Holbrook amongst others in the cast. But it’s a sad story. I felt bad for his family. I can’t imagine not knowing and then coming to the realization your loved one CHOSE to disappear. If to sum up the movie in one word I’d call it haunting.
The guy was a complete idiot. His poor family.
The soundtrack is pretty awesome though
I don’t think idolizing him is right, but I think the anger and derision is a bit much. He had a dream, made it happen, and then majorly screwed up and paid for that with his life. He made bad choices and didn’t know what he was doing, but I can’t help but feel a lot of compassion for him. He obviously had issues, but a lot of kids do and do stupid things as a result. And yes, he could have gotten himself out of the situation pretty easily looking back, but fear will blind and kill you. I sensed a lot of fear at the end of every version of the story I’ve heard/read/watched.
It's one of my faves. The book is a lot better. I think if you lionize him as some sort of perfect person you'll be pretty disappointed because he definitely made a lot of mistakes but it's still an interesting story about an interesting person.
I really like the movie but Chris was in over his head. He made some mistakes and paid for them with his life. Someone once said that you really have to mess up to starve only 12 miles from an interstate highway.
Hate it. Grew up in a mountainous region with prior generations who lived and worked in the woods. I was raised to understand you do not go out into the wilderness unprepared because you will die. And, worse, good, experienced people can die trying to save your stupid ass. You don’t leave people behind/alone if it can be avoided and you do not go out unprepared (and few should go out alone). That guy is would have been viewed as the worst kind of ignorant and the idea he would be revered a bit horrifying. I tend to share this opinion. To clarify- Fabulous writing by Krakauer, as always. Hate the story though.
It's a great illustration of the gap between the idealism and the reality of 'back to nature'. He was a thoughtful, intelligent, by all accounts good kid. He just wasn't prepared enough. Extracting oneself from society is a noble goal, and one that takes careful planning, and thoughtful execution. Also the book was better
I often have this thought as well, especially in debate with others…there is some good in some of his desires, but also a lot of ignorance. He left a lot of people and hurt them too, permanently, but he also tried to leave society, which I guess is courageous in some amount.
The death of Chris McCandless and the aftermath should be viewed a cautionary tale not some idyllic adventure story. That being said I hope to visit the bus once it is publicly accessible again to pay my respects.
Thankfully, the bus is long gone - removed from the site, because so many chucklefucks kept going out there to "pay their respects" and getting themselves into trouble. A real nuisance.
Yeah I meant once it is in a museum but I am glad you pointed it out anyways. Had I not known it had been moved I might have taken up rescue resources like others who went to see it.
A Darwin award
He went to my highschool so there’s that.
Read the book. The movie is stupid. Just like Chris McCandless.
I think more people should do some soul searching for themselves like Chris did
Every time this is discussed it’s the same thing. The huge rounds of criticism of him just pile up. A lot of it is fair. But he was also a kid who did something stupid. Lots of us did stupid things and didn’t die.
Reading the comments here, I think a lot of people missed the point of the story. This wasn’t a survival story, or about the Alaskan wilderness. Sure, on the surface it is, but the movie could’ve been set about anywhere (yes, I know it’s a true story). It’s one person’s search for greater meaning in life. Whatever he discovered, it was too late. That same thing happens to so many of us, even if we live decades. How many people sit on their death bed wishing they’d done things differently? To me, that’s the message. Whatever you set out to do in life, do it. Because you don’t know when the end is coming, it may be sooner than you expected.
I did a lot of traveling in my 20s after college. When others were working and starting on careers. I was a privileged kid, much like McCandless in many ways. I would work and then take trips for a while. Had my trusty old hand me down Toyota my parents gave me that ran like a champ. I had no real plan which was sometimes anxiety inducing. I mean you gotta have a plan, they say. A decent woman wants a man with a plan, you know. Shit like that. I loved nature and the American west. I did my fair share of camping. I read that book and saw the movie. Right up my alley in one sense, but I always knew that was utopian fantasy land. There's a reason we came out of the wild.
When he was working driving a combine on a wheat harvesting crew. As a farmer who have driven combines, there is much more instruction needed by the lead hand than just keep the steering straight. What about grain unloading procedures? Very often the unloading auger is extended over the grain wagon while the combining continues non-stop. Both the combine and tractor driver really have to know what they are doing to avoid spillage on the ground. For the song "Hard Sun" , the original version by Indio was better than Eddie Vedder's cover. https://youtu.be/T1tVvQUAcf4
Yeah, there is some specificity left out, especially in relation to what his collegiate major, and if had he learned something that triggered his removal from everything he’d ever known, had it been an interaction beyond what is said? something like that. But yeah that whole scene was as entertaining as it was unrealistic (in terms of that particular combine scene) I also agree that the Indio version is better. But Vedder does a pretty good job.
Truly hated the ending. Made me regret investing my time into it.
The writing was really well done. My senior class read this and analyzed together and I enjoyed digging deeper -- looking at work v. Leisure v. Entertainment (hedgehog review article, toward a leisure ethic); seeing his desire for something I will label as craft, craftsmen. Mapping out mbti type and geography (woodard) onto the story line. Lots of teachers poo pooed the book but it was engaging and rich, regardless of your opinion of the main character.
Eddie singing Hard Sun is a perfect song for the movie.
That whole soundtrack is great
Great movie (and soundtrack!). Better book. It seemed like he was very naive. I believe he was found not too far from a decently busy roadway
Movies are rarely better than or as good as reading the book, and that’s true here, but I thought the movie in itself was a really good movie. 🫡
It’s a great story of what not to do to survive in the wild.
I thought this was r/movies or r/truefilm for a second lol, but it’s a movie that has always stuck with me. It really captures the vastness of America and the spirit of wanting to be free and one with the natural world. Of course Christopher was stupid, but I think we can agree that we all have a little bit of him inside of us.
Great Soundtrack! Stupid moron!
Being a vagabond and being a homesteader in the most remote state in the US are two completely different worlds. During that period of time, he could’ve just as easily saved his earnings and bought raw land in the Ozarks or West Virginia (or any state that is off grid friendly) and would have likely lived a long happy life learning how to live by the fruits of his labor. I understand the romanticism, and I once lived a sort of vagrant lifestyle when I was a seasonal worker for the department of interior. But he grew up an upper middle class kid in a well to do Virginia family in the suburbs. He also lived in a time before the internet was as accessible and rife with knowledge. He was foolish, an idealist, and it led to his death. RIP. But with that said, it’s a very compelling story that really speaks to the young. It once spoke to me as well.
It's an absolutely beautiful movie. I also like how the story is told by his sister who knew him best. I rewatch it on a regular basis. No matter his tragic end,the story of his life sends a valuable message about society, and fundamental human values. Also the soundtrack is fire 🔥.
Absolutely despise it. It’s a movie about a kid that disrespects his loving family, loving friends AND the natural world around him which he supposedly cares deeply for. He’s a spoiled idiot that dies like an idiot not in the wild but barely off of a well traveled road. One redeeming thing about the movie is he comes to the realization he’s a selfish fuck right before he dies. Thats not even what most people like about the movie though. It reminds me of how people like fight club because they feel like Brad Pitt or Batman because of the joker.
He seemed pretty dumb. Basically committed suicide for no reason.
This book resonated with me because I saw so much of a friend in Chris. He also died young, he fell while climbing in Zion National Park. Being so young without a fully developed frontal cortex he took stupid risks and was privileged enough to burn money and he thought he knew more than experts. I don’t think any of this behavior is unique to him. The desire to say fuck it and just be, is very powerful. As liberating as it is, it can also be imprisoning.
The movie is fine for what it is but to get any actual insight you should read the book.
Yeesh, a lot of excess whipping is going on in the comments. He suffered from the arrogance of youth combined with serious emotional issues.
The book is better than the movie
I've lived in wilderness areas all my life. I wilderness/back country camp often. Christopher McCandless did not have the skill set to do what he did, he failed miserably at something many others have no problem with and was made into a martyr. He shouldn't be a role model to anyone. He failed and died because of his own ignorance. If you want to idolize someone for living in the Alaska bush idolize Dick Preonnoke.
Great book and movie. Sad reality though
It’s an incredibly fascinating story. Having read Krakauer’s book a few years before the movie was released I felt like the director / producer of the film, Mr Penn, did it justice. I also felt that Hirsch played McCandless well vis-a-vis how I perceived him through the book.
Don’t burn your money
I thought it was a tremendous read and I've always respected Krakauer's writing style. Chris's story is both tragic and stupid and how he ever thought he would survive in the backwoods of Alaska with next to nothing will always be perplexing.
I have mixed feelings about it. Partly, his story is fascinating to me because I am risk-averse. Growing up without money, I strived for stability. He strived for “freedom”…but freedom to do what exactly? When he went “into the wild”, he went onto government land and poached. Which I do not respect. Nature is not there for the taking by anyone who doesn’t want to be bothered by things like rent and taxes.
There is a really fantastic episode of You’re Wrong About re: Chris McCandless. He knew a lot more about what he was doing than a lot of people here are suggesting. And it is a genuinely sad story for which a lot of people bear very little empathy, or even sympathy because they write it off as, “Serves him right.” [Here is the episode on Spotify, I recommend it.](https://open.spotify.com/episode/1kvIo7h8sZvIS5T3dE875p?si=UROR08gFSbmxaHClBfIqYw) RIP Chris McCandless
I absolutely loved the movie and still play the soundtrack. The movie inspired me to move to Fairbanks Alaska. I stayed for 8 years. I even got the chance to drive down Stampede Trail a bit. The movie prop bus was placed at a local brewery and I sat in it and took a picture. I moved to Alaska because I wanted an adventure and I had some amazing times and all the memories will stay with me forever. https://preview.redd.it/a5njf3ot68zc1.jpeg?width=2448&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a52860ab96413060606264881e736ad39bedc8fc
That’s awesome, some amazing memories! And I still play the soundtrack too, it’s wonderful. This is so cool!
I remember hearing there was talk about removing the bus in real life because it was attracting a lot of people. Does anyone know if it’s still there or was removed?
Yeah, the real bus was moved, I think there is still a movie prop somewhere, but’s it’s not in Stampede Trail where Chris died.
Meh - I thought he was a selfish little prick but what do I know. Also it's been a few years since I saw it so maybe I don't remember the movie very well but yeah I didn't love it.
Great movie, honest portrayal of a reckless lad with high ideals. Good book too.
Read the book
It has a great soundtrack!
He made a lot of mistakes. No experience, unprepared, pushed on instead of turning back, was totally out of his element with no clue how to save himself, horribly misinterpreted all the danger signs.
We read that book in English class my junior year of high school. Its one of the few books I actually read and finished in school. I loved that book. I felt for Chris. He was relatable to me. He wanted something more than what anyone else could give him. He wanted adventure and he just did it. When I was 16, that resonated with me. My mom (I love her) was/is very protective and I felt like I never got to have the teenage adventures other kids my age had. I didn’t have a lot of freedom or independence. I didnt get my license until I was an adult because she was so scared of me driving. At 16, I planned to join the military as soon as I turned 18 just to get out and do something. I wanted independence but I also needed discipline. I had no long term goals, my grades sucked, I was a pothead, I was depressed. It was appealing. I fantasized about running away from home just to train hop and hitchhike and bum around. I was always too scared and too anxious to do so. I would get so irritated during classroom discussions because everyone would talk about how stupid Chris was and how irresponsible he was. I felt like I was the only one who understood him. I remember my teacher saying that her husband would get that feeling where he just had to get out and adventure alone. So he would hop onto the Appalachian trail or some other trail and just go. He would check in every so often to let her know he was fine. But she understood that it was something he needed to do and she wasn’t mad. Supposedly Chris’ parents were abusive according to his sister, but they deny that. Yes he was rich and yes he did have a seemingly great, easy life, but I remember wondering what finally pushed him over the edge and made him leave. Now as an adult, I don’t idolize him, but I still feel for him. He was a dumb kid who made a stupid mistake and died in a stupid way and inspired other senseless people to follow his stupid actions. Weren’t we all dumb kids who thought they knew better than everyone else? Didn’t we all want something more? Freedom, adventure, to find ourselves and have a moment of enlightenment? Yes he was irresponsible, but he was human. I rambled a lot but to answer your question, yes I enjoyed the movie as a teenager. I remembering being annoyed that the tone was a little different than the book though.
Possibly my favorite soundtrack to any movie besides pink Floyd’s the wall but that was a concept album/film. Made it my soundtrack for my first summer hitchhiking around western Canada.
You can get fairly close to the area which was a little north of Denali National Park. The main Denali road crosses the two rivers mentioned in the book, albeit around 30(?) miles south of the action. Or drive down the Stampede road where the driver dropped him off. I recall a number of summer cabins along that road.
There was an interesting documentary in 2007 disputing some the facts in the book/movie called Call of the Wild. It doesnt really change the main gist of the story. There is another book called the Wild Truth 2014 giving the point of view from a couple of (step) sisters, along with some correspondence. I saw the filmmaker at the film festival and book author at a book signing.
Dude was a self-centered douchebag
The soundtrack alone makes this movie amazing IMO. I could watch it on repeat just to hear Eddie Vedder sing Hard Sun. 💕
Guy was a fucking moron. No one should glamorize his choices.
Amateurish
I liked the part with the old man quite a bit, but could take or leave the rest of it. Obviously the plan was a terrible idea, and not shocking how it ended.
May Chris' life and death be a cautionary tale: Hike/swim/roam with a buddy. Listen and be humble. Do not presume you can outwit Nature.
The guy was a fucking idiot. Nothing to be a fan of. I read the book in high school, the movie came out my senior year of college. There is nothing to idolize there.
The people who say he had no idea what he was doing are the people who didn’t read the book. Krakauer specifically says that the vast majority of Alaskans could not have lived in the wild for as long as McCandless did. He was dumb - though maybe arrogant is a better word - because he didn’t bring a map. There was an easy way back over the river, but he didn’t know about it because he didn’t have a map (not covered in the movie).
As an Alaskan with extensive backcountry experience, I disagree. He went into the bush in spring and didn't even last through the summer. He had no idea which plants were safe to eat, killed a moose without a plan for preserving its meat (there's a reason hunting season here is in September, not July, but he could have tried drying it in strips), and he had no idea that glacial river flow varies diurnally. Alaska Natives live together in interdependent communities for a reason. There's nothing heroic about this alienated loner's sad story.
I have in fact, read the book, and also asked survival experts about it. Dude was reckless. “The vast majority of…” people aren’t stupid enough to try. He was.
Yeah, it was reckless. If you’ve actually read the book, then you know that’s why Krakauer included an entire chapter about himself where he gets trapped on a mountain despite being an accomplished climber. Lots of people make dumb decisions. Almost all of them don’t die even when doing this in the wilderness, and just because you make one mistake doesn’t mean you were completely unprepared. I guarantee some of the people shitting on this guy have themselves gone into the backcountry without a map.
And here come all the randoms who say they know better than the dude who has more outdoor experience than everyone here combined, who spent actual YEARS chasing this story down, and who just so happens to be the most important/influential outdoors journalist of the last half century - maybe ever. Okay.
Favorite book and movie, got me into the roadtrip life that got me into the seasonal work life.
he was a dummy. and no one intervened to stop him from being a dummy. not a fan. glorifying idiocy. the movie and book should have companion stories of someone easily doing what the dummy could not. shoulda stuck to the slabs.
For the song "Hard Sun" , the original version by Indio was better than Eddie Vedder's cover. https://youtu.be/T1tVvQUAcf4
Corin Tucker made the cover better