Redford to play Bill Bryson

[c.coyle]

Might be real busy next year

[Panzer1]

I really enjoyed Bryson's book, but I hope the advertising does not have any ill effects on the trail.

Panzer

[SGT Rock]

There goes the neighborhood...

[TakeABreak]

Just as long as they stay out my way, there won't be any problems.

[Footslogger]

Well ...if it ever comes to pass it'll be interesting to see if they decide to actually film on the AT itself. Now that would be some real trail magic !!

'Slogger
AT 2003

[TakeABreak]

The trail magic would be kool, I just don't want a bunch of hollywood snizzling weanies out there messing up the trail or their private security personnel trying to tell me the trail is closed for a movie being filmed. If they are smart they will film it somewheres else's, ain't no hiker gonna put up with the crap.

[Panzer1]

maybe I should apply for a job as a technical expert or an extra.

Panzer

[SGT Rock]

I bet they hire Bryson as the technical editor as the "expert" in backpacking. What would be VERY funny is if they hired Baltimore Jack as a technical expert and he went around the set in his "Bill Bryson was a Candy Ass" T-Shirt.

[Sleepy the Arab]

...And expect to see the "real" AT in this film much like we all saw the "real" Pennsylvania Alleghenies in The Deer Hunter.


For the benefit of those who have not seen the film, the purported Pennsylvanian mountains in that movie were massive craggy peaks that are actually in Washington state about 60 minutes drive due east of Bellingham. Creative geography indeed.

Anyway, I'm none too pleased about the idea of a movie of Walk in the Woods. The book itself caused too much of a mob scene on the trail in '99.

[TakeABreak]

That was exactly what I was pointing at, I volunteered at the ATC center, for 2 weeks in July 2000. And almost every person that came was asking about the Bill Bryson book and how it compared to the A.T., since I had just 1600 miles and got off the trail for my parents 50th anniversary and then suffered a knee injury(to where I could not return till the next year and did to finish) the people at the ATC, pointed all the visitor's (they were tired of hearing about Bryson, from what I could gather).

Just think what a zoo the A.T. would be like if they did film it there, and the years to come. I hope if they make a film about the A.T., that it flops, just to keep people away. I don't mean hikers, but people that have no clue about what they are doing and just want to go out there , and be a Bryson, cloney.

I guess it would be time to do the PCT or CDT, if a film is made.

[Ridge]

http://movies.monstersandcritics.com...n_The_Woods%3F

The above say this may be a movie with Paul Newman(his last) and Robert Redford. I can't believe this. This is about the same book that has a picture of a Grizzly Bear on the cover, none of these on the AT. My husband returned his copy I gave him because of this. "If the guy writing the book has this on the cover, then who knows whats inside!"

[TakeABreak]

Excellent point, I read that book cover to cover before my hike, for a good laugh. And stared at, on the ATC shelf for 2 weeks and never noticed that, excellent point. I am glad you brought that out.

[Ridge]

Excellent point, I read that book cover to cover before my hike, for a good laugh. And stared at, on the ATC shelf for 2 weeks and never noticed that, excellent point. I am glad you brought that out.

The caption beneath the grizz on the cover reads: "Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail". So maybe the grizz has on boots and a backpack, afterall, lots of hikers visit the AT from out West and Canada. hikerwife

[RockyTrail]

Why can't these mega-millionaires go play in their caribbean resorts or something and leave the AT alone. Good grief, such vain people that want to spoil a good thing to just make a cute picture of themselves. They have a right to hike just like us, but not to turn it into Disneyland.

Are there going to be permits, tolls, and reservations required all along the AT to handle the follow-on tons of wannbee Redfords... I hope not.

BTW, I haven't read the book and don't really have any interest in doing so, but I guess a lot of people simply follow the next shiny object that comes along.

[Brushy Sage]

Now I understand: all these accessibility issues the ATC is having to deal with are to make it possible for Robert Redford to get onto the trail for this movie, whether he is in a wheelchair or not!

[Stoker53]

IMHO....this movie's potential affect on the AT is a "tempest in a tea cup".

[SGT Rock]

Well hopefully it takes a couple of years to get to screen so I can get my thru-hike in before that happens. My guess is it will increase traffic a few years but eventually things will return to normal.

[Skyline]

So Redford will play Bryson, Newman will play Katz? Just doesn't sound right.

[dougmeredith]

Hopefully they remove the long boring philosophical/environmental rants that Bryson felt the need to include. Other than that it was a good book; especially the parts with Katz.

Doug

[Nean]

I read the book and laughed my candy ass off! Wish he'd hiked the whole thing with Katz and not add all the filler. As for the increased traffic, I think that will only be a problem to Neels Gap- where Neans' Atlanta Shuttle will make me a million! Could be a boon to the ATC and gear makers too! God Bless America!!Maybe they could get Mel Gibson to play the lead and shout FREEDOM from a mountain top.