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Never Cry Wolf

Never Cry Wolf

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Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Disney's BEST non-animated feature!
Review: When I visited amazon.com for the first time, and discovered this movie was becoming available, I ordered it so fast I left skid marks on my credit card! It's always been a special movie for me; my folks took me to see it when I graduated Navy boot camp, during its original theatrical release in 1984. And I have managed to view it from time to time on a bad copy of a "Disney Channel free weekend" (all the "to subscribe, call now" captions getting in the way of all that natural beauty) I never hesitated to recommend this movie to anyone who will listen, because it has the rare ability to appeal to virtually anyone, a movie with true universal appeal. Sadly, many people have never heard of it, and come back glowing with wonder after viewing it, even with the Disney Channel copy. I cannot think of a film director who has managed to translate to screen existing popular literature into such a moving and masterful pieces of celluloid art; one of my other favorite movies is the 1979 version of The Black Stallion (wish it were available widescreen; is any body listening? )These are what movies are supposed to be like, and I never tire of watching either of these two American masterpieces, as they grow more wonderous and comfortable at the same time.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: A DISNEY CLASS ACT
Review: 1983 was a very interesting year in the chronology of movies that came from the disney studios. Never Cry Wolf moreso, because sandwhiched between movies like Tron and the first Touchstone release Splash, Disney's 'Never Cry Wolf' was the first truly sophisticated family animal movie the studio produced. Defiantly breaking the mold of traditional films of the genre. Never Cry Wolf brought the True Life adventure into the modern era. The sound and cinematography in this film I think has still yet to be discovered and surpassed even 20 years on!! A gracefull, almost unintentionally deep film, that at the time looked as if it may set a precedent and 'raise the bar' so to speak as what we could expect in the future from Disney. Sadly the new regime that moved in the following year perhaps thought that this direction was not commercial enough. And Disney live action films never quite went into the sophisticated direction N.C.Wolf did. Although it certainly wasnt a failure at the box office, it never was a great money spinner but I think its because its never REALLY been discovered. It is seldom if ever mentioned retrospectively and yet it is a fresh and scintillating, gorgeous movie today, while other films of that era (80's) have become fixed in there time. That isnt to say Disney hasnt produced some gems in the past twenty years, but Never Cry Wolf has never really received the acclamation it deserves. Though critics responded positively to the film it eventually faded away in a vault somewhere. Thanks to this marvelous DVD release perhaps it will be discovered. It is truly breathtaking.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: proto "lost in translation"
Review: Well, at least, I get the same sort of feeling from both films. I am biased--I love Alaska, the wilderness, and hate people. So the setting of this film works for me--something I picture in my mind when i am stuck in rush hour traffic. There is some slow moments in the plot. The movie has some feel-good undertones to it. However, the sound in most movies is merely a backdrop. In this, it really serves to move the film along, to connect on a different level. Sound plays into the plot. My favorite scene is when the scientist is sitting on a hill playing his oboe to a midnight Alaskan sun. There is something transcendent about that very scene. I almost see it as the connection of two worlds. Regardless, I would highly recommend it.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Best Film of the 80's
Review: Screw "Raging Bull." This quiet little Disney film from the mid-80's will knock your socks off. Carroll Ballard works wonders with this exquisite movie based on Farley Mowat's tales of wilderness in the Arctic. BY FAR the best of the early Disney "attempts" at more adult storytelling. And BY FAR the best score Mark Isham has ever produced. I've seen the film a dozen times, and cannot WAIT to see the quality of the Anchor Bay widescreen release. Check out the Mark Isham Score (available on Amazon.com). The only thing missing is the cool music from the mouse eating scene...sorry for the spoiler!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: lol @ one star reviewers!
Review: I find the one star reviews of this movie amusing.Its sad that people condemn this movie just because they are hyper and easily bored and entertained only by blood and violence.The same movie that bores the aforementioned fools will satisfy more intelligent and philosophical individuals that have more interest in the natural world.As an animal lover and animal welfare activist,I enjoyed this film and can recommend it to anyone thats ever had an interest in nature and wildlife.Remember to order the wide-screen version,you`ll see the film as it was meant to be seen.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Gets better with every viewing!
Review: I saw "Never Cry Wolf" when it was released in 1983, mostly because I'm a fan of the actor Charles Martin Smith. I was not prepared for the power and depth of the film, which seemed to speak on several levels at once -- native culture, conservation of natural resources, and a man's journey of discovery.
When the VHS release was available, I bought it, and have not only watched the film many times, but also loaned it to friends. With each watching I learn more about myself and the incredible world we've been given, and the stupidity of choices motivated by greed. I also learn more about the power of story, myth, and belief. Watching this film is a healing, energizing, and nearly mystical experience for me. And I'm not alone in such an assessment. The widescren DVD version is a delight, highly recommended. This isn't just another "nature" film, or a glorified Disney or Discovery Channel sort of thing. This film touches the spirit as well as the mind, with its beautiful images, haunting sounds, and subtle performances that never put the actor ahead of the story.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Strains credibility
Review: I finally got around to watching this movie. I had heard great things about it for a very long time. But I found myself thinking that the way the scientist gets set down in the middle of the Arctic was either a bit of artistic license or an indication that he and his employers were absolute morons.

Think about it. How much sense does it make for someone in the 1970s or 80s or whenever the story takes place in to go up to an extremely remote and bitterly cold place with no real survival plan? I mean, he didn't even have a sleeping bag!! And he let his pilot toss his gear out of the plane at random.

The movie is beautifully filmed, and I may watch the rest of it for the scenes with the wolves. But the opening makes me think of the following:

Vilhjalmur Stefanson, a famed explorer, said, "An adventure is a sign of incompetence . . . If everything is well managed, if there are no miscalculations or mistakes, then the things that happen are only the things you expected to happen, for which you are ready and with which you can therefore deal."

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Ten stars? Talk about a pissing contest
Review: Never Cry Wolf is an adaptation of Farley Mowat's unforgettable autobiographical novel. Charles Martin Smith plays the protagonist, a biologist dropped (literally) into the Canadian wilderness to study the question of whether wolves are responsible for the depletion of the caribou herds. What begins as a scientific adventure turns into a life-changing experience as Smith is rescued and taught by an aged Eskimo, then begins to learn the perfect harmony and balance of the wilderness by a neighboring wolf herd. The pissing contest (again, literally) occurs as the alpha male marks his territory; then Smith drinks TONS of tea and sets about peeing at the perimeter of his own territory. There are other wonderful scenes, such as when Smith traps and eats mice to prove that the wolves don't need to kill caribou to survive: they do just fine with mice. Lots and lots of mice. Another unforgettable scene is Smith stripped naked and running with the pack through the green tundra of spring, back and forth, back and forth; to watch that scene is to experience his exhilaration firsthand.
At its most basic, Never Cry Wolf is an adventure tale. But at its most serious, it's a bittersweet lesson on the effects of hunters, tourists, and government programs on the fragile natural world.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Not a Disney Movie
Review: I'd like to start off by saying this is not a 'Disney' movie. Yes, it was made by the Disney company, but it is in no way part of the usual Disney genre. I feel this is important to mention, due to it almost kept me from taking the time to see it.
That being said, I am more than happy that I did actually take the time to watch it. After but only one viewing and I absolutely love it; definitely one of my top three favorite movies now (along side Fight Club and Braveheart).
The main grievance against this movie is that it has 'no character development', 'no plot', and a naked man.
Well, my answer to the first two is: yes, it does have character development and plot, just because it isn't presented in the same way as every other movie out there, does not mean it doesn't have these key aspects of a movie. I'd go so far as to say that it does better at character development than many other movies, and that its plot is better than most. However, these qualities may not at first be noticed... by a complete idiot.
And my answer to the second one is this: grow up.
Anyway, let me conclude by saying this: if you are the type of person who is not into the mainstream crap that Hollywood tries to shove down your throat and you are up for a thought-provoking type movie, then this is definitely the movie for you. It is the epitome of the individuals struggle against nature and - in a way - himself. A must watch for nature-lovers (especially those for a special fondness of wolves, obviously) and individuals (especially readers of Emerson/Thoeau) alike...

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Inspiring Movie!
Review: This is a movie that I have watched countless times over the past ten years, and each time I am inspired by both the amazing wilderness of northern Canada and by the obstacles that the main character must overcome. The score, composed by Mark Isham, is also a gem.

The main character, tyler (played by Charles Martin Smith), is sent to the Canadian Arctic to discover if wolves are responsible for the disapearance of the once vast herds of carribou. Along the way, Tyler must struggle to find his true self and conquer his insecurities, while at the same time, try to survive in an environment that is completely alien to him.

This movie dates to a time before Disney lost it's nerve to make interesting and original films. The beautiful vistas, music, acting, and story, make this in my opinion, a must see movie.


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