Friday 14 January 2011

Into the Wild

Hello. Welcome to histoandy blog. I'm a PGDE student at Jordanhill College. I've just started a module called ICT: Children, Computers and Creativity and my first task is to get a blog up and running. So, simple to start- What I learned this week!

What I learned this week: the story of Christopher McCandliss.
The moral I took from his story: always be prepared.

I watched the film, Into the Wild, for the first time this week which follows the adventures of a young American law graduate called Christopher McCandless who travelled America and tragically died in Alaskan wilderness.

Christopher graduated from college and rather than pursue a professional career as his father wanted, Christopher donated the remaining $25,000 of his college fund to Oxfam International and travelled America under the name Alexander Supertramp, turning his back on civilisation and his family as well

The film follows Supertramp through Arizona and South Dakota as he experiences many great moments, some with people he meets and some on his own as a lone wolf.

At the end of the film, Supertramp dies alone during his Alaskan Odysey, an experience he had long dreamed of. He died of starvation. I am now being urged by David (tutor!) to hurry up and finish this post so can others complete the story of Supertramp please...

7 comments:

  1. This is indeed a great movie! I'm glad to hear that you enjoyed it.

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  2. Is this a cartoon Andy????? lol if you recommend it I will watch it x

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  3. I vaguely remember seeing the trailer for this but wasn't sure if it would be any good. Will check it out! Does anyone know if there is a book that it comes from?

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  4. Christopher- yes, great film. The wanderer in me likes the idea of such an adventure and the challenge and freedom it would provide...but I personally wouldn't last a week!

    Lynne- no, it's not a cartoon thanks very much. A film based on the true story of Alexander Supertramp, fallen hero. Get it watched.

    Kristy- yes the film is an adaptation from a book by Jon Krakeur (sp?) I haven't read it and am not likely to until we finish the PGDE- grrrr

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  5. I agree this is a great movie, but a little unsettling and sad in some ways I thought. Alexander Supertramp had so many issues with his family that he rejected society and the comventions of modern life. He truly was a free spirit. He seemed to find a kind of family and sense of belonging along the way when he was part of the harvesting crew (with the Vince Vaughn character cant remember the name) but then reverted to his lone lifestyle. Fascinating story, I too would like to read the book, but no chance of any recreational reading until June!!

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  6. How does the film compare to the new Danny Boyle film - 127 Hours? Having not seen the film you describe it sounds like it touches on similar themes but 127 Hours ends with a sense of redemption for the central character. The ending of Into The Wild though sounds like it is much more downbeat. Has anyone seen both?

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  7. SPOILER ALERT!!

    I haven't seen 127 Hours but if it ends with redemption for the main character it may not be too dissimilar to Into the Wild which, although tragic, seems to offer redemption to Chris McCandless.

    Throughout his adventure in the film, I found him quite arrogant in that he had just abandoned his family for his own individual freedom but the final scene sees him dying alone in Alaskan wilderness and he writes in his book, Dr Zhivago, "Happiness is only real when shared." It appears to the viewer that he'd do anything to be with them at that point whereas throughout the film he revelled in being away from them physically and emotionally.

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