Into the wild

Early days with this blog, so its imminent that I will come up movies I like to talk about the most and hence 'Into the wild'. And before we open the shutters for comments on someone not so open for them, let's have some lines said by him:

“The sea’s only gifts are harsh blows, and occasionally the chance to feel strong. Now I don’t know much about the sea, but I do know that that’s the way it is here. And I also know how important it is in life not necessarily to be strong but to feel strong. To measure yourself at least once. To find yourself at least once in the most ancient of human conditions. Facing the blind death stone alone, with nothing to help you but your hands and your own head.” - Alexandar Supertramp.

I wanted to check what is the correct-est word that can be used to discuss the condition of the protagonist Christopher McCandless, played by Emile Hirsch, and all I can think of is 'tranquil - Not agitated; without losing self-possession'. This may contradict with the visible theory of losing his posession but nonetheless, it's the truth. For those who have not seen the movie, let me brief the plot a bit. Into the wild is a real life story of a graduate from Emroy University, who decides to abandon his possessions, his SSN, his money (some $24K) donated to charity and moves out, riding to Alaska just to live 'Into the wild'.

The core of this Sean Penn directed movie is 'Absolute Freedom' and the quest to find it. The movie has a few extreme moments when he moves into a complete nomad mode, he shots a moose dead, takes out his heart (correct me if i am wrong!) does activities with it and regrets it at the end of it. He tries to get all the wisdom from the books he reads (other than his delusive thought process) and gets the motivation to call things by their appropriate name; and then he’s off to the jungle weeds again, calling them by their appropriate scientific names. Moves to Mexico, water way, illegally. I think to provide a feel of the movie, it makes most sense to quote some talks from the movie

Christopher McCandless(him): You're just living, man. You're just there, in that moment, in that special place and time. Maybe when I get back, I can write a book about my travels. Wayne: Yeah. Why not? him: You know, about getting out of this sick society. Society! Wayne: [coughs] Society! Society! him: Society, man! You know, society! Cause, you know what I don't understand? I don't understand why people, why every fucking person is so bad to each other so fucking often. It doesn't make sense to me. Judgment. Control. All that, the whole spectrum. Well, it just... Wayne: What "people" we talking about? him: You know, parents, hypocrites, politicians, pricks. Wayne: [tapping Chris' head] This is a mistake. It's a mistake to get too deep into all that kind of stuff. Alex, you're a hell of a young guy, a hell of a young guy. But I promise you this. You're a young guy! Can't be juggling blood and fire all the time! [laughs]
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him: Two years he walks the earth. No phone, no pool, no pets, no cigarettes. Ultimate freedom. An extremist. An aesthetic voyager whose home is the road. Escaped from Atlanta. Thou shalt not return, 'cause "the West is the best." And now after two rambling years comes the final and greatest adventure. The climactic battle to kill the false being within and victoriously conclude the spiritual pilgrimage. Ten days and nights of freight trains and hitchhiking bring him to the Great White North. No longer to be poisoned by civilization he flees, and walks alone upon the land to become lost in the wild. - Alexander Supertramp May 1992
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him: It should not be denied that being footloose has always exhilarated us. It is associated in our minds with escape from history and oppression and law and irksome obligations. Absolute freedom. And the road has always led west.

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him: I'm supertramp.
[looks at apple]
him: and you're super apple!

Eddie Vedder injects more life into the movie, amazing music. The music sounds more beautiful because of its suitability with the flow of the movie and also because of its spontanity. Be it the provoking lyrics of 'society' showing disbelief, rather disinterst in society or the fluent and freedom-probing 'guranteed' or the-world-is-my-home themed 'no ceiling', the music is very appealing during the movie and also post watch.

Verdict: Again as I said in opening, a movie I love to talk about, and I strongly recommend. One of the 13 movies to get a 10 on 10 rating in my IMDB movie list. If you haven't yet thought about it, think and watch it before you get too old. Cheers Supertramp.

Image Source: Sfondi