The movie.....A Walk In The Woods

[Connie]

I will check it out.

I am trying Amazon Prime.

I liked the "Walk in the Woods" AT Trail scenes on my 40" HD ROKU "TV". Nice.

I think I will look at the YouTube videos on the ROKU YouTube about the AT, PCT, JMT. Is there a list?

[rafe]

Great story, amazing scenery and cinematography, great film maker and his wife. "Long Start To the Journey". www.theatmovie.com ...

[Offshore]

I noticed it on Amazon Prime so watched it over a couple of cardio workouts. It was really just a buddy movie that happens to take place on a section of the AT. It was OK, and not as bad as some posts here make it out to be. (Though I'm glad I caught it for free.) I think a lot of people assumed it was going to be some sort of non-fiction documentary or that the AT was going to play the central lead. It certainly didn't live up to the hype that it got from ATC or here on WB.

[egilbe]

Great story, amazing scenery and cinematography, great film maker and his wife. "Long Start To the Journey". www.theatmovie.com ...

Yes it is. I bought it on blue ray and when I get an itch to go hiking, I watch it and it reminds me of all the hard work that is required.

[colorado_rob]

Thanks for that info on the AT movie, that's next up for us to watch, now that one can rent it for $4. Seems like it was way more earlier? no matter, sure to be good.

Anyway, my wife and I re-watched AWITW last night, again, we really enjoyed it, probably more so than the first time, when we saw it in a theatre with a group of fellow hikers.

I think the first time I watched it, though I did enjoy it, I did have a problem getting over the silliness of a few parts, like the ridiculous grizzly bear scene, and the falling down the cliff scene, and other utterly silly inaccuracies and non-applicabilities to hiking the actual AT.

But this time I ignored that nonsense and just focused on enjoying the good stuff, like the occasionally good humor, the rekindling of friendship thing (who hasn't lost touch with a dear old friend college buddy?), but most of all the little ahah!-moments that I did personally experience on my complete AT hike.

Like the sudden and surprise appearance of a great view.
Like the joy I felt when after 7 days on the trail, filthy and dog tired, I checked into a cheap hotel, opened the door, saw that bed sitting there and flopped facedown on it in complete contentment and utter relief.
Like the times in the laundry mats, dressed in my rain gear, all my other clothes getting clean again, if only for a brief time.
Like pigging out on pancakes and greasy food at a diner.
Like hitching a ride in a strangers car, only to find that he is a horrible, dangerous driver, and thanking my lucky stars at having arrived safely in the little town.

The pure joys of the trail relived! My wife surprised me this morning with a desire to section hike many more parts of the AT. She previously joined me for the smokies, the whites and the 100-mile wilderness; now we plan on hitting Damascus to springer next fall, then New England (CT, MA and VT) the next fall. Not sure I'll ever talk her into VA, PA, NJ and NY though.....

[lyagooshka]

Saw the movie (Amazon Prime) and read the book (also Prime ).
I have to admit, I liked the movie a lot.
It is not an AT documentary, so if that's what some folks were expecting, yes, you will be disappointed.
Quite honestly, the story could have taken place anywhere.
They could have set off on a canoe trip (Deliverance style), or climbed Everest.
I think it just 'happened' to be on the AT.
So the trail got some free press.

If you want action, romance, documentary, etc. this probably isn't the movie for you.
If you are in the mood for a "chick-flick" (if I may use that nomenclature ) made for anyone, you might enjoy this.

Anyway, for anyone who liked the film and didn't read the book yet, read it.
Good stuff.

Happy Trails

Alex

[Skyline]

Saw the movie (Amazon Prime) and read the book (also Prime ).
I have to admit, I liked the movie a lot.
It is not an AT documentary, so if that's what some folks were expecting, yes, you will be disappointed.
Quite honestly, the story could have taken place anywhere.
They could have set off on a canoe trip (Deliverance style), or climbed Everest.
I think it just 'happened' to be on the AT.
So the trail got some free press.

If you want action, romance, documentary, etc. this probably isn't the movie for you.
If you are in the mood for a "chick-flick" (if I may use that nomenclature ) made for anyone, you might enjoy this.

Anyway, for anyone who liked the film and didn't read the book yet, read it.
Good stuff.

Happy Trails

Alex

You are correct. More like a "chick flick." Definitely not an AT documentary.

WBers are split on whether it was an entertaining flick, but most seem to agree it was an inaccurate portrayal of the AT. It could have been a great story, and a more factually and aesthetically accurate AT as the story's background would have contributed to that greatness.

Personally, I liked and identified with the first half of the book. A bonafide laugh riot in a number of places. Accurate descriptions of people I'd met, and places I'd been. The second half of the book almost seemed like it was written by someone else. Not as good IMHO. But compared to the film, I'll take the book.

[-Rush-]

I guess my question is, why would anyone think that a movie like "A Walk in the Woods" would be anything like a documentary? That's absurd. It's about two older guys who hit the AT, realize it's not as romantic as they thought, skip ahead a ways, and then quit. That sounds like the story of 80% of would-be thru-hikers, and surely many of you can identify with it. What's to "hate" about the movie? The book was great, the movie was entertaining, and I see no reason to resent it because the director completely flubbed the locations, maps, etc.

[lyagooshka]

I agree Rush.
It's a bro-mance that happens to be on the AT.
I guess it was made for the non-hiker but with the hiker in mind.
IMHO it had some great laughs and has the potential to inspire those of us who more resemble 'Katz'.
But to each their own.
If I had any quip it would be how it deviated from the book (based on the movie, they seemed to have quit in the lower half, yet in the book it was in the 100MW in ME after a pretty large 'skip' for example).

[lilgodwin]

Have yet to hike the AT... never read the book... Loved the movie.

I've never understood those than compare movies to books. I've never once heard a positive review in that manner. Which makes some sense I guess. It takes days, at the very least, to casually read a book... and only 2 hours to watch a movie.

I really enjoyed the humor in the movie. And the characters were well played. I thought it started too slow and completely lacked anything to really grab my attention. Glad I kept watching though. The last approximately 30 minutes was a bit lame compared to the rest of the movie, but not terrible.

But seriously, I thought the humor level was perfect. And I was really laughing hard during some parts. I'd definitely watch it again. Though it doesn't seem my opinion is at all popular. To each their own.

[lyagooshka]

I think the reason folks (at least me) compare books to movies is exactly what you said:

It takes days, at the very least, to casually read a book... and only 2 hours to watch a movie.

Imagine a textbook turned movie.
Obviously not able to include everything, so what do you leave out?
Or, I guess, what CAN you leave out (and not ruin the story)?
For "AWitW" I liked both.
Only compared the two in case someone read the book and was expecting the story to be 100%.

[Gambit McCrae]

It was a great movie

[Doctari]

As the book was mostly fiction, Reading it was 8 hours I'll never get back, wouldn't add to that lost time by going to the movie.
A fictionalized version of a fictional book billed as "true life".