Customer Reviews

Alaska Silence & Solitude

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is more of the old style National Geographic (prior to the Discovery Channel type of programming), although it is of much better quality than the NG specials of my youth.

If you want to see more of Mr. Proenneke, like the first biography 20 years ago, this is not it. While it does show some footage, both old and new, the majority of the DVD is simply footage of vistas, some animals, some rain and bad winds on the lake, and an infection you get from gutting fish that have teeth.

With as many supplies as those guys flew into the bush, it does not even touch on the hard life and challenges that Mr. Proenneke has had, in the past or present...they were there for 3 weeks and cooked on a Coleman-fueled stove the whole time.

You would be better served to watch it on PBS or rent it, not buy the DVD for $20+. It simply is not worth it with no more insight into Mr. Proenneke's life and the last 20 years, than you obtain by watching Alone In The Wilderness...if even that much.

It gets 3 stars because it does show Mr. Proenneke a few minutes, and it is Alaska.

While this is billed as a follow-up to Alone in the Wilderness, it really seems more of the prelude to the discovery of it.

Yes this is filmed much later, but what it shows it two people that take a 3 week trip into Twin Lakes Alaska and spend some time in a trappers cabin and also meet Dick Proenneke. They also show some of the footage Dick shot many years earlier, and also hike and fish the area, showing wildlife and mountain scenes of the surrounding area.

This film will also show more of the rough weather that Alone doesn't, strong winds and heavy rains at times, also many more bugs that somehow Dick avoided. I think this is a great one to watch if you want to see more of the tougher side to living up there.

The wildlife photography for Silence and Solitude was commendable, but it seems that what these 2 men wanted was to just fly in and meet Dick Proenneke, shoot some film of him and the animals around Twin Lakes, and leave. Dick is a legend around there, has been for 25 years and was thinking of leaving for the lower 48 and these 2 photographers seized the moment to incorporate him into their film.
Twin Lakes has been on my places to see before I die, but without Mr. Proenneke there the place will probably be a dump before I get to see it. Dick was always cleaning up campers and hunters camp sites of all the trash they left and keeping the place pristine.

My dad watched a portion of this DVD on a local PBS station and really liked it. I purchased this DVD and my dad was thrilled. This is the second DVD in this series that I have bought as a gift for my father and he loves both of them. If you are an outdoor lover, you will cherish this DVD also.

I purchased this as a gift from my husband. He had Alone in the Wildreness and had been asking for this one since reading the books of Dick Proenneke. He loves the movies and they are great for those evenings when NOTHING is on TV. Even I don't tire from watching them, nor do the kids.

i absolutely loved this documentary. it kept my interest all the way through. and to see how people are willing to live life without the silly little things we cant seem to live without. just a simple life that he enjoyed, on all that unspoiled land.im sure that the men that that got to spend the three weeks with the old man were memories that they will never forget.

These are Amazing videos not only for the footage, but for the adventure of living alone in the wilderness. I just don't understand Amazon charging more for the DVDs then the producer does on their website - dickproenneke.com - 21.95 plus postage.

I am watching this (okay and recording it) on PBS even as I type.

I love it and just bought it, because I DO love it, and I don't believe in free lunches.

Other comentators made good points, but there is excellent footage of Dick, some from "Alone in the Wilderness" but also excellent footage I've never seen before.

Dicks voice from "The Frozen North" must be later in his life than this film, because I honestly had a hard time understanding him in that film (which I also own) but here he's clear as a bell.

I will be spending many fall and winter days enjoying this, and I think those who love "Alone in the Wilderness" would like this one as well.

Check your local PBS, maybe you can catch it.

As soon as it's over, I'm watching it again...