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Summary: Alone But Never Alone
Review: Wherever we are in this world, we are never truly alone -- only in our minds. This movie has great cinematography, but the real-life experience is what is the big draw. Some hard-nosed environmentalists, not to be confused with true environmentalists, may be offended by this movie (because they blame all "ills" on mankind). However, the look-and-see attitude of the plot is great and really is calming for our warp-speed attitudes of modern-day life. That is not to say it is slow and plodding, by any means. The twists and turns keep your interest and give you a love for nature and our world far better than the Walden books by Thoreau or other "classics". This is a must-see for mature and maturing people of high school age or older (younger people may well enjoy it, but may miss the "message"). Recommended.
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Summary: Carrol Ballard is a genius...
Review: when it comes to stories of man and nature, and this is probably the best example. Never Cry Wolf is a wholly submersive film that will will tap your marrow for it's lost links with nature. This film is stunning all around. I can't begin to imagine the patience the filmmakers must have had in undertaking this task.
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Summary: Not for Everyone - Some Don't Get It!
Review: I absolutely loved the genre, cinematography, musical score, and the script of this movie. It is a classic, for its type. However, with many people giving it a one star it is obvious that it doesn't fit some poeple - for reasons of personality. If you're a classic Extrovert, in the context of Jung's types, this film is probably not your cup of tea. More than likely it is a good fit, if you are cerebral, an Introvert, philosophical, a lover of solitude, a lover of nature and beauty, and you possess a dry sense of humour to boot.
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Summary: The Primordial Beast
Review: Never Cry Wolf along with The Bear make up the two great "green" movies of the 1980's. This film tells the odyssey of a man dispatched to study the wolves in the Canadian north to determine if they are killing the Caribou in the area. The simple plot can be interpreted on several different levels. For many it will be a simple adventure story. Some will learn something and overcome their misconceptions and suspicions about wolves (race). For others Tyler is a man who is an outsider and is detached from the civilized society he leaves behind only to become a member of the sylvan society he is sent to study. No longer in the constructed reality of man he begins to see the true reality that is nature. Tyler comes in touch with what Jack London called the "Primordial Beast". As Tyler gets in touch with the "Beast" within himself he learns what the wolf and the land means to others. To the Natives the wolf has a spiritual as well as an economic significance. The pilot who takes Tyler to the study area only sees the real estate value of the land. In the end it is not the wolf that is a threat to nature but man himself, no matter how harmoniously in touch with nature he may be, that is the culprit for all environmental crises.NCW also has one of the more honest and truthful depictions of Native Peoples ever on film. The glimpse is of real people as opposed to actors playing a stereotypical role. Their authenticity, along with the wolves and cinematography, gives a documentary feel to the film. The cinematography is some of the best ever filmed. There is also little dialog in the film with the character's actions speaking louder than words. NCW was also ahead of its time in 1983. With the current debate for drilling in ANWR and the reintroduction of wolves in the Southwest NCW is more relevant today than it was twenty years ago. NCW will make you want to put on a pack and trek 20 miles to the middle of nowhere and find your "Beast".
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Summary: Okay, but
Review: I won't bother re iterating the story since so many others have, but I will warn others about what I wished I'd been warned about. This man is shown for quite a long time nude. It isn't done in a sexual sense, but all the same, those of you who planned on this being a family viewing movie (as we did) may want to have this knowledge ahead of time so you can think about whether you want your children in the area or not. Watch for two areas: One; after the man falls through ice, the next scene will show nude buttocks close up. Two; much later in the movie - after the man goes swimming nude, and is sunning himself there will be a long time scene of caribou running in which he is nude the entire scene, since he was caught that way.
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Summary: Most outstanding video ever
Review: This movie has excellent acting, beautiful scenery, is spellbinding, has humor, and is definitely for animal lovers everywhere. I am delighted to be able to buy a NEW copy to replace my used copy. The ending is a little hoaky, but is based on reality and the rest of of the movie more than makes up for it.
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Summary: This movie evolves for me every time I watch it
Review: Upon first viewing, this movie seemed to me to be little more than a pretty, weak-plotted 'conservation' film, but many subsequent viewings reveal such a wonderfully subtle plot it is nothing short of amazing that I missed it completely the first times through. Not wanting to ruin any 'evolutions' of this movie for others, I'll just take the famous running-with-the-caribou scene. People's reactions this scene usually vary as follows: 1) Puritanical conservatives see it as an example of gross obscenity with a man 'revealing himself'. [This despite the fact that this movie lacks anything resembling such sexuality or sensuality. And yes, I've found a decent number of people that do find this scene OBscene for a PG movie.]
2) Your average film viewer just sees Tyler watching wolves chase down caribou as purely a spectator and a human one at that.
3) Yet others yet see Tyler as a man being utterly ridiculous and chasing down caribou himself. [I was in this group for many viewings] I finally realized that this scene was really a moment of self-actualization for Tyler, himself lamenting earlier in the film always condemned to be an observer. For a moment, he understands Ootek, and like Ootek was as a boy, Tyler is "devoured by the wolf." At the moment of this chase, Tyler was a man only in physical appearance. For all other intents and purposes, he is a wolf. At least that's how I see it now. Maybe my opinion will change again the next time I watch it. It's sad and telling of today's Disney how they distance themselves from this movie, retaining ownership only in the most formal of ways, so they still collect the profits at least. Only the most vigilant viewers will even notice this is a Disney film at all. Their name appears only in fine print copyright notices. It appears otherwise to the unassuming person to have been made independently and (very strangely!) a distributor's/third party logo (Anchor Bay) takes the place of a studio logo (Disney's) any place you might expect one. I've never seen such an attempt by a studio to distance themselves from a GREAT release, yet Disney plasters their name and logo all over a myriad of truly awful direct-to-video animation ventures and also promote to this day the movie 'Tron', a contemporary of 'Never Cry Wolf'. I guess I'm just as happy they've let this movie be. It stands on its own well enough and doesn't have to have the full court press from a major studio to convince people to like it and buy it. Give it SEVERAL chances, you will find it a very meaningful way to spend a little spare time.
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Summary: One of my favorite movies ever.
Review: You probably have to have a feel for nature and animals to especially enjoy this film. But the acting, story line, scenery, and directing are top notch. In my top 10 favorites ever.
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Summary: Great movie for nature lovers!
Review: If you love the outdoors and wild America, you'll love this movie. It is mature enough that any adult can enjoy it, yet tame enough that children can too. It gives you a glance at what our lives could be like without all the chains of modern living. Great acting, beautiful country, awesome wildlife!
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Summary: Feels Just Like Arctic Alaska
Review: My wife Chris and I live in the far north, and watch this movie again and again. I remember one winter evening with chill factors about 80 below zero when we put on our cross country skis and made our way 2 miles to a restaurant on the shores of the Chukchi Sea.
We had hot tea and reindeer soup and watched "Never Cry Wolf" on national TV. Even though we have a video copy at home, this was special, with the winds howling around the old wooden restaurant building and the sky above the ice-covered ocean a deep black.
Charles Martin Smith is at his best as the suddenly transplanted researcher.
But I know bush pilots like the one played by Brian Dennehy---they fly all over Arctic Alaska and keep us all going!!!
And the Inuits Ootok and Mike are real as well, especially their knowledge of the wildlife, and their low-key and economical use of words.
One Inupiaq elder told me once that everytime you speak, you lose part of your brain. So I'll sign off now, but please, get this film and thoroughly enjoy it, on a regular basis.
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