Films set in the wilderness
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Archived from the IMDb Discussion Forums — Film General
spiderwort — 6 years ago(September 29, 2019 03:56 PM)
Wilderness of any kind - desert, mountains, prairie, woodlands, the sea. It doesn't mean there can't be a few scenes in a town or village, but it should primarily take place in the wilderness, or a home in the wilderness. I'll start with these, a few favorites of mine out of many others:
The Wind (1928)
The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948)
Dersu Uzala (1975)
Walkabout (1971)
Never Cry Wolf (1983) -
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Woodyanders — 6 years ago(September 29, 2019 04:03 PM)
Jeremiah Johnson (1972) - Robert Redford is excellent as an Army veteran who decides to rough it in the wilderness only to learn that this is easier said than done. Love the gorgeous mountain scenery and striking cinematography in this one, plus it's a very entertaining and fascinating depiction of a man who achieves legendary status with a tribe of Native Americans that he tries to peacefully coexist with.
Here's the trailer that's partly narrated – opening stuff on Jeremiah – by musician and character actor Tim McIntire, who also wrote and sings several folk ballads featured in the movie.
Theme song sung by McIntire:
You've seen Guy Standeven in something because the man was in everything. -
spiderwort — 6 years ago(October 01, 2019 12:17 PM)
Oh, yes, this is one of the best of its time. Another terrific Redford/Pollack collaboration. Haven't seen it since it was released, but I remember liking it very much. Great use of locations and seasons, and an excellent performance by Redford. Nearly 50 years since I've seen it, but I still remember parts of it vividly.
Thanks for the trailer/clip. I didn't realize (or maybe didn't remember) that Tim McIntire was a singer/songwriter as well as an actor. His parents were remarkable talents - John McIntire and Jeanette Nolan, both great character actors. Nolan actually played Lady Macbeth opposite Orson Welles in his 1948
Macbeth
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spiderwort — 6 years ago(October 01, 2019 12:27 PM)
Oh, a meaningful title out of the past! I assume you mean
The Life and Times of Grizzly Adams
(1974)? I have friends who worked on that, so I have a particular affection for it. Not a great movie by any means, but it does have wonderful locations, and it's impossible not to love Ben the bear. He and Dan Haggerty were a great match. There was a series that followed, and I often watched that, too. The wilderness (in Utah, same as JEREMIAH JOHNSON) was simply irresistable. -
None — 6 years ago(September 29, 2019 05:00 PM)
When I was a lad and started going to the cinema by myself one of my favourites was Man in the Wilderness (1971) starring Richard Harris. The story was recently told again with Leonardo DiCaprio in the starring role.
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spiderwort — 6 years ago(October 01, 2019 12:31 PM)
I don't remember seeing this one, but the cast is hard to resist. I'll keep an eye out for it. And what is the title of the remake (or re-do)? I'm sure I didn't see that one either, though I probably should have.
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ZolotoyRetriever — 6 years ago(September 29, 2019 10:04 PM)
Apparently it did have a VHS release, because I rented a tape of it some years back. I never saw it when it aired on TV originally, so I was lucky enough to find a rental of it. Great film, and an incredible, mind-boggling story.
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spiderwort — 6 years ago(October 01, 2019 12:34 PM)
Wow, so many titles that I haven't seen! Unbelievable. I only saw McCabe and Mrs. Miller, which is a favorite Altman film. I'm familiar with White Fang, of course, but I missed that one, too. The others I don't even know by title. Thanks for the suggestions. It gives me a lot to explore.
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NZer — 6 years ago(September 29, 2019 10:06 PM)
This is the greatest wilderness movie ever made.
"Atanarjuat, The Fast Runner" is an epic film made by and about the Inuit peoples of the Canadian arctic, telling a story of a crime that ruptures the trust within a closely knit group, and how justice is achieved and healing begins. Director Zacharias Kunuk -
spiderwort — 6 years ago(October 01, 2019 12:48 PM)
Oh, this looks amazing! I love films about indigenous peoples, and this looks to be superb, haunting even in the trailer. Can't thank you enough for suggesting it. I must find it and watch it. These subjects are very close to my heart. Thanks again!
One of my all time favorite films set in that particular wilderness is Robert Flaherty's,
Nanook of the North
(1922), considered to be the first documentary (though many consider it to be what we would today call a docudrama, given that some things were staged). Don't know if you've seen it, but I strongly recommend it - the story of the lives of Nanook and his family, Inuits living in the Arctic Circle. Flaherty spent a year living with and filming them.