Into the Wild

I watched Into the Wild on the Dish Network last weekend. I’d seen it before on DVD and thoroughly enjoyed it, so when I found it on the cable schedule I was ecstatic, especially since I had access to a huge television on which to watch it (dogsitting at Kerry’s).

I first learned that Jon Krakauer’s book was coming to the big screen when I came across an article in Outside magazine’s September 2007 issue. I remembered that when I first heard of Chris McCandless’ demise I was a freshman in college. At that time, I couldn’t understand how such a bright young man could’ve done something so seemingly foolish and what I’ve often considered to be selfish.

For those of you who don't know the story of Christopher McCandless, the following is a very brief synopsis: After graduating from Emory University in May of 1990, Chris donated the remainder of his college savings ($24,000) to Oxfam; destroyed all identification he owned (including bank cards and his social security card); burned the money in his pockets; abandoned his car and set out for Alaska, where he intended to live in a period of solitude. He was found dead on September 6, 1992, in an abandoned bus near Denali National Park in Alaska. It is believed that he died from starvation, but there is speculation regarding the cause of his death (whether it was brought on by poisonous seeds he may have ingested, etc.) When found (believed to be two weeks after his death) his body weighed an estimated 67 pounds.

Sean Penn’s adaptation of Into the Wild brought Christopher McCandless (played by Emile Hirsch) to life and showed me more about who he was and why he set out on his “great Alaskan adventure.”

In the film, we learn a great deal about Chris’ nature via the relationships he forms with the people he encounters on his way to Alaska. In that respect, the movie reminded me a bit of one of my favorite books, “The Memory of Running” by Ron McLarty.

These relationships are key to understanding McCandless and his motivations. For example, McCandless’ childhood was reportedly quite volatile, and Chris eventually uncovered a series of lies regarding his parent’s history that literally turned his understanding of his existence upside-down.



So (in the film) when he met Jan (pictured above with her lover, Rainy), who later shared with him that she hadn’t heard from her own child, a boy about his age, for more than two years – his response to her saying, “you look like a loved kid” was, “rather than love, than money, than faith, than fame, than forgiveness – give me truth.”

This is twisted a bit on its head later in the film when, in a tender conversation with Jan (played by Catherine Keener), she asks him, “do your folks know where you are?” and it is easy to see that Chris is deeply affected by the question. In fact, after being called to dinner, he gets up but then returns to Jan to tell her, "You wanna come and eat or we'll sit here, because I will sit here with you all night." (I must admit, that draws the need for kleenex).

That scene is probably the most crucial for me in my argument that I do not believe Christopher McCandless wanted to die, like many people seem to think. I think he honestly thought he would see his parents again some day, somewhere way down the road of his life. If not his parents, then most certainly his sister, Carine, as they were obviously quite close. A closeness I long for with my own brother that will sadly never be realized.


Chris' relationship with Tracy Tatro (played by Kristen Stewart, pictured above) is quite touching. Their scenes together – although very few – give Chris a bit more depth than what some critics attribute to his character. He doesn’t come off as the snotty, arrogant, crazy over-zealous dreamer that some might call him. With Tracy, he is (although it might sound boring) responsible, sweet and refreshingly empathetic.

I entirely believed Tracy’s (Kristen’s) heartbreak on-screen when Chris (Emile) left. I think I might’ve shed tears.



Hal Holbrook's portrayal of Ron Franz was fantastic. I know I cried several times during his scenes. He was the last real relationship Chris formed along his way. Franz drove McCandless from the desert to where he could hitchhike to Alaska. He asked McCandless if he could adopt him, since his family line was about to end and Chris responded, "Can we talk about this when I get back from Alaska?" Ahh. It is truly too bad that he never made it out of there, especially when one considers that had he had a proper map he would've known that there was a tram to cross the river less than 1/2 mile away from where he left his hat as a marker and that there was also a ranger station within 2 miles of the bus where he'd been living. Seriously for shame.

One of his final photos (of the real Chris McCandless below) reminds me a great deal of my old friend Pete - the son of my parent's best friends. He's a hardcore outdoorsman himself, and ever since reading about Aron Ralston's near-death accident in Blue John Canyon, Utah, I worry about Pete all the time.



I picked up a pre-viewed copy of Into the Wild at Blockbuster last night for $5. I highly recommend this movie. Were it not a true story, I think it would still be just as moving.

Every character - no matter how small the role - touches my heart. I love the old guy in the desert talking about how he wouldn't move away for $10,000,000. Those little hints at others' happiness outside of Chris' ideals are what make it so much harder to watch him decline into a desperation from which he cannot recover.

On an ending note, it would be unconscionable for me to not mention the amazing soundtrack by Eddie Vedder. I will soon be acquiring my own copy of the Into the Wild soundtrack for sure. Vedder dedicated himself to the movie and came out with a beautiful album. My personal favorites are "Rise," "No More," and "Tuolumne."