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DVD Never Cry Wolf
Carroll Ballard's 1983 adaptation of Farley Mowat's autobiographical novel turns his life-changing experience studying the wolves in Canada's inhospitable North into a moving drama of one man's courage and discovery of nature's majesty. Charles Martin Smith plays green biologist Tyler, sent by the Canadian government to "prove" that the wolves are depleting the caribou herds, but what he finds is a natural world in perfect harmony where he becomes a tolerated outsider. Dumped unprepared in the wilds by a hard drinking bush pilot (Brian Dennehy), Tyler learns survival skills from the aged Eskimo who saves his life and the rules of coexistence from a neighboring wolf (which results in a literal pissing contest as man and beast mark their respective territories). Tyler's journey culminates in the majestic run with the wolf pack, an exhilarating sequence where for an instant he becomes one with natural environment of the wilds. For all its beauty, however, Tyler's experience becomes a bittersweet lesson as the encroachment of hunters, tourism, and the social landscape threaten the natural order. As in his previous film, the delicate and lovely The Black Stallion, Ballard's astounding visual treatment captures the awesome natural beauty of the Canadian wilderness with power and poignancy. Kevin Costner's Oscar-winning Dances with Wolves explores many of the themes presented in this film, but without the resonance or beauty of Ballard's unsung masterpiece. --Sean Axmaker
Never Cry Wolf: Still one of the best nature films ever
I first saw the film in theaters and have seen it several times since. It is still breathtaking and rivals the newer nature films created for the big screen. The movie contains drama, comic relief, action and sadness. All the emotions that surround the situation of most of the planets large predators. The film is appropriate from elementary students (there is one scene where you see the main characters cheeks, however)to adults. Some might call part of the story slow, but it reflects life. Parts of life are not high action scenes. The main character performs a neat experiment testing the observed diet of the wolves illustrating parts of the scientific method. One could have a good classroom discussion over this portion of the movie alone. The music is was wonderful and put a memorable sound of the Arctic in my mind. For the price the movie is an ecological must.
Don't let the Bear sway your opinion or decision
I LOVED "Never Cry Wolf"!!! I saw it years ago on video, but can only imagine the DVD is as good or better. I was disappointed to see that it was listed with 'The Bear' to buy together.... I love Anthony Hopkins, and the Bear was one of the worst movies I have EVER seen. Don't let the pairing with 'The Bear' scare you off. "Never Cry Wolf" is excellent!
Sorry Tony :-) Okay, I just realized that 'The Edge' was the one with Anthony Hopkins... my apologies to the Bear! Anyway, get "Never Cry Wolf"! You won't be disappointed!!!
What happens when meat eaters switch to sugar
I'm tired of films in which everything is spelled out. Some great twist is revealed right on cue at the very end, and we're all supposed to reel in shocking surprise. The relationships in Never Cry Wolf are communicated with near silence. The audience sees the bonds strengthen rather than simply be told it. This is a quiet film with as many twists and turns as a typical thriller, and it pays off.
Tyler has been sent to the northern reaches of Canada to investigate the endangerment of the caribou. It has already been concluded that it came about from excessive hunting from the wolves of the region, but since no one has ever actually witnessed a wolf kill a caribou, Tyler has to provide proof.
He accepted the job to find that part of himself that civilization forgot, but as he approaches his destination, the plane practically coming to pieces, he realizes what a mistake it was. Why would they send HIM? He knew he'd be lucky to last a day in the wilderness, let alone the six months for the research. It was probably some beaurocratic mix up, but it's too late to turn back.
He forms an uneasy bond with the wolves he finds. There is a great scene in which Tyler settles a territorial dispute with the wolf on the wolf's own terms, if you catch my drift. Understand that tere is nothing inherently funny about a man peeing on all of his belongings. It's the fact that he does so with good reason and without hesitation.
But there's something deeper going on beneath the surface. This film, in the tradition of Jack London, grapples with the idea of survivalism versus comfort. We see how out of touch the civilized world is from the natural world in a scene where some people discuss selling bottled water from the wilderness, exploiting people's fascination with nature. It seems naive, but we've been fascinated the whole film.
It does not shy from the darker side of the food chain. By the end we realize that survival and morality do not tend to go hand in hand. Tyler's peaceful observance of the wolves is not the natural order of things, as we are led to believe.
This film is quiet, inflective, and visually stunning, a superb piece of intelligent filmmaking. It will move to thought, emotion, and reexamination of your core values.
Storytelling doesn't get much purer than this--a film with virtually no dialogue and not a minute that isn't fascinating, either for the plot it pursues or the way director Jean-Jacques Annaud gets his ursine stars to do what he wants. The story deals with a young cub who, after his mother is killed in a landslide, bonds to a lumbering male Kodiak. The two of them then must cope with an invasion of hunters into their territory--and Annaud makes it clear whose side he's on. Aside from stunning scenery, the film offers startlingly close-up looks at bear behavior. They say the best actors are the ones that let you see what they're thinking, a trick Annaud manages with his big, furry stars. --Marshall FineMore Info about this DVD Actor(s): Tchéky Karyo Director(s): Jean-Jacques Annaud DVD Release Date: Released the 28 August 2001 Usually ships in 24 hours
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There are some filmmaking teams that invariably bring out the best in each other, and that's definitely the case with director Carroll Ballard and cinematographer Caleb Deschanel. They previously collaborated on The Black Stallion and Never Cry Wolf, and Fly Away Home is their third family film that deserves to be called a classic. Inspired by Bill Lishman's autobiography, the movie tells the story of a 13-year-old girl (Anna Paquin) who goes to live with her estranged, eccentric father (Jeff Daniels) following the death of her mother. At first she's withdrawn and reclusive, but finds renewed happiness when she adopts an orphaned flock of baby geese and, later, teaches them to migrate using an ultralight. Sensitively directed and stunningly photographed, the movie... More Info about this DVD Actor(s): Jeff Daniels - Anna Paquin Director(s): Carroll Ballard DVD Release Date: Released the 07 August 2001 Usually ships in 24 hours
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What a fantastic trip and wonderful story telling with only two main characters..I am very happy that I stumbled on this movie and had the opportunity to see it, albeit on DVD. That said the extra's are almost as good as the movie. I seem to be discovering more and more excellent movies that don't seem to make it into wide distribution, thank goodness for DVDs. I highly recommend this movie, especially to those interested in the whole survival thing..I really loved the transformation of Charlie as he traverses a land that modern gadgets can't help him in, surviving because of a young Inuit girl who has a thousand years of education behind her. More Info about this DVD Director(s): Charles Martin Smith DVD Release Date: Released the 31 May 2005 Usually ships in 24 hours
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Russ Duritz (Bruce Willis) is an ultracynical, 40-year-old L.A. image consultant who fashions bogus façades for scumbag clients. Oblivious to his own need for a makeover, he's a tyrant in the office (to the chagrin of his sarcastic assistant, played to perfection by Lily Tomlin), and he's emotionally unavailable to the morally centered woman (Emily Mortimer) who senses goodness beneath Russ's hardened veneer. Not a moment too soon, a pudgy kid (Spencer Breslin) mysteriously appears in Russ's life, revealing himself to be Rusty Duritz--that is, Russ's 8-year-old self, arriving by some magic to put the adult Russ's life into beneficial perspective. This variation on A Christmas Carol has Rusty guiding Russ on a tour of his past to reveal how he became a loveless, hard-shelled... More Info about this DVD Actor(s): Bruce Willis Director(s): Jon Turteltaub DVD Release Date: Released the 30 October 2001 Usually ships in 24 hours
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