Customer Reviews

Alone in the Wilderness

5 star:		(79)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I left Colorado's light several days ago to work in hazy Los Angeles. The drive out is always a reminder of what I am leaving, as the intimidatingly enormous 14ers (like Gray's Peak) loom over I-70 -- almost daring me to leave -- slowly disintegrate into staggered planes and red rock plateaus, in turn losing their scorched colors and fading into a clay-type desert. It is here I feel really alone.

In the motel during my night-over in Utah, I watched Alone in the Wilderness. I had missed the first few minutes, but wasn't paying attention much. What caught my eye right off the bat was the color. Films don't look like this today, they are all cartoony, over-saturated digital oilslicks. Wilderness was grainy, faded, low-contrast, and quite remarkable to watch, until I realized what was going on, really noticed what the film was about.

Here was a man, who left his job to live secluded from the (technological) world. He built a cabin without disturbing the trees directly around his plot. He eventually added a beautiful chimney, made of stones collected throughout various hikes at varying altitudes. He built snowshoes and a dog-sled (despite the lack of dogs), and a backpack that could carry anything (slab of wood for a table top, or nearly an entire caribou). At one point, he needs a wooden spoon, so -- where today we would hop in the car, drive through traffic to a store and purchase one -- he carves a wonderful spoon out of wood, polished and perfected and filmed in less than an hour.

I couldn't help but wonder if this film was a godsend; am I doing the right thing moving away from the mountains, where I am constantly outdoors in the sunshine? In California, I spend my days indoors, looking out into traffic, and usually I'm too busy to care. In the evenings, I have headaches, and easily become grumpy.

What is it we want in life? Alone in the Wilderness does not preach "leave the complex, live for simplicity." The film doesn't preach at all, in fact. The viewer simply watches this man's life, which is a far cry from "simple," by the way; it is constant work to stay warm and well-fed. The dangers of the surrounding wildlife isn't far from Mr. Proenneke's walls of comfort. In one hilarious moment, though, Mr. Proenneke turns the camera onto a wolverine that had been avoiding him, only to capture it rolling (literally sprawled out, rolling!) down a huge snowy hillside, enjoying the powdery snow and the bright sunshine.

At my young age, I must do what I feel is right for me. But that doesn't mean I can't put this disc in the player and vicariously live through a man far more brave and happy than I could ever be.

When you first see this movie you will probably think it was shot for the movie theatres but it is really just one guy with a camera documenting his adventure in the wilderness. Little did he know he did such a great job it rivals what is released today in both quality and interest.

You will also be amazed at how easy he makes it seem to live alone in the wilderness, building a cabin and surviving through very cold temperatures, and along the way documenting things such as air and water temperatures, ice depths, animal movements, etc. He also shows how he built things he needed like a spoon and sled, also how he found food and kept warm through the winter.

And the beauty of the area is astounding! No wonder he picked it for a location to live, a nice lake and mountain range, he shows the surrounding area as well, climbing to the highest peaks to film.

The only drawback here is the film is too short, apparently he filmed much more but most was lost due to deterioration of the movie reels. What is left here is a real gem, a must for anyone that loves nature. Great narration caps it off, a real treat for all.

I bought the DVD because when I saw this on PBS I was simply mesmerized by it's simple and calm beauty. True, the skills Dick had and the way he built tools and his cabin was very cool, but I thought the greatest part of the film was his love for nature. Even though he had to shoot and eat a Ram, he still felt bad for the old guy. The little clip of the wolverine rolling down the snowy hill was unreal. I love wolverines!!! The only part I did not like was the ending narration by the woman, who said something to the effect that his spirit will live on in the perfect notches of his logs. Wrong! It lives on in that beautiful Alaskan boreal wilderness called Twin Lakes...the moss, the spruce trees, the blueberry bushes, all the mountains and lakes, and the animals.

This film saved me alot of time and money. I'd always had a dream to do this. It's one thing to leave everything, when there wasn't much to leave, but this man left modern convenience behind. He left TV, radio and telephone. He left everything that we take for granted in our lives, everything that everyone can't live without. He didn't take bug spray! He didn't even have a dog! The lure of freedom is enormous. Most people want what this man got in some form or another, but the price tag for most is way too high. In todays world, you could buy this kind of freedom, but once you get channeled by "the system" you become hardened, and are conditioned by the rules and regulations invented by man. Todays environment preaches hard-work and structure to "get ahead". To chuck-it-all would be an embarassment in the eyes of peers and family, and therefore we are all victims of our own environments and self-made realities (no matter how much money we have). What this man did was not easy, just think about what he had to leave, what he had give up, and once so, could never go back. Those cold -80 nights and -40 days. It's amazing he did it, and us viewers not knowing what he left behind. What were the motivators? We can only speculate. But for anyone who's ever experienced a BAD camping trip, and know how miserable it is to be wet, cold and dirty.. what this man did was nothing short of amazing, and I could watch it over and over.

A lot of people fantasize about running off to Alaska and living in the wilderness. In 1968,One man, Dick Proenneke actually did it and luckily for us he took his cameras and diary with him. Proenneke was a tough guy with a gentle humor and an almost poetic love of nature. He built his own cabin, hunted, fished, planted and watched the wildlife go by. He lived like this for 30 years and only left because at 80 something he felt like he was slowing down a bit.

After watching for only a few minutes I was struck by how much you need to know in order to survive in the wild for even a few days. Proenneke was a carpenter and mason and had a good knowlege of science. His idea for a "refrigerator" probably would never occur to most of us today. I only wish the documentary could've been longer. The life of Dick Proenneke was really remarkable. I plan to get the book that goes along with the film. If you love the TV show Survivorman (I do) then Alone in the Wilderness is perfect for you.

Dick Proenneke almost lost his eyesight after some diesel fuel splashed into his eyes while on the job. That was in the early 1960's. So, he decided that, while he still could, he would take his brains and brawn into the Alaskan wilderness to see if he could carve out a life for himself in some of the harshest conditions imaginable. Fortunately for us, he brought along a little 8mm film camera to film some of his exploits, and he also kept a daily journal. 35 years later, at the age of 82, he decided that he had proven himself and left his little slice of paradise behind. Those minus-forty degree temperatures in the height of winter get a little tough for the old bones.

The result of Dick's little film clips and his journal is the documentary, "Alone in the Wilderness." Much of the hour-long DVD is given over to clips of Dick building perhaps the perfect log cabin with his own two hands - even making his own tools. Even a master carpenter would have to feel a little inadequate watching Dick cut his own lumber, carry logs over one shoulder, build a fireplace and chimney, and even use Alaska's natural permafrost to create his own refrigerator! This is all after Dick makes several of his own tools - truly amazing.

Other segments of the film are simple explorations of the wilderness by Dick and his camera. Look for some amazing shots of fish, moose, bear, mountain goats, wolves, and most charmingly, a wolverine playing slip-and-slide down a snowy slope. Proenneke's journals are read in voiceovers by the filmmakers, and he writes with a plain Iowa sensibility ("Winter comes on, quick as a broken shoelace."

This is back-to-basics filmmaking about a back-to-basics man. Yet through this simple film perhaps the simplest questions are asked and answered - how much does a man need, how much can a man withstand, and how much of our modern-day baggage is really all that necessary. The answers are, in order, not much, a lot, and very little. An excellent film.

I saw this documentary on a local PBS station. A truly compelling story about a man, at age 47, who goes into the wilderness of Alaska and lives in solitude for the next 35 years. At age 82, he decides the 50 below degree winters are getting to be a bit hard on him. The DVD documents his life in the wilderness, his thoughts, his very innovative woodworking and much more. A very fascinating story for those interested in the human will to endure and face the challenges of nature.

Haven't we all thought, "Gee, it would be nice to live a simpler life, somewhere out in the woods, away from the world . . ."? This film documents a man's journey into the Alaskan wilderness, where he builds his own cabin, fishes and forages for food, and uses common-sense ingenuity to overcome the challenges of daily life. I agree with another reviewer: This film does not preach-- However, it gently teaches that "the simple life" is full of hard, yet rewarding, work. The film's pace is mesmerizingly slow, with grainy old-fashioned photography and a soothing narrative by its subject, Dick Proenneke. It's incredible to imagine that he lived "alone in the wilderness" like this for over 30 years.

I bought this DVD for my Dad for Father's Day. Dad build our 4-bedroom home, his dry cleaning business, a camp, and several other beautifully built structures during my childhood. At 70 years old, he built a small house for mom & himself, getting help only with the really heavy stuff. Building was his hobby and he has build so many beautiful things. This is the reason I bought this for him. I knew he would be awed at the simplistic building skills of this simple man living a simple life. He was amazed, as were Mom & I. He LOVES it!! This is by far one of the greatest gifts I have ever gotten him.

Having lived in Alaska myself for 2 years, I can tell you that its a hard life, especially during the winter with bitter cold temperatures and darkness. To go out into the real depth of Alaska is a wicked challenge, but this guy seemed to do it with ease. A thousand stars for him!!

A great film for any outdoorsman, builder and/or adventurer!!

I have watched this film on my local PBS station at least 1/2 dozen times because it is soooooo good. I have a mental vacation each time. I find that my stress just goes away while watching this awe inspiring movie. I HIGHLY recommend this film for the whole family.