1) Basic information about the film: director, title, characters productions, year of production.

DIRECTED BY SEAN PENN
PRODUCED BY SEAN PENN, ART LINSON, WILLIAM POHLAD
WRITTEN BY JON KRAKAUER (BOOK), SEAN PENN (SCREENPLAY)
NARRATED BY JENA MALONE, SHARON OLDS, KARINE MCCANDLES
CAST:

· EMILE HIRSCH AS CHRISTOPHER MCCANDLESS / "ALEXANDER SUPERTRAMP" SEAN PAN

· MARCIA GAY HARDEN AS BILLIE MCCANDLESS, MOTHER OF CHRIS

· WILLIAM HURT AS WALT MCCANDLESS, FATHER OF CHRIS

· JENA MALONE AS CARINE MCCANDLESS, YOUNGER SISTER OF CHRIS

· CATHERINE KEENER AS JAN BURRES, A HIPPIE WOMAN IN CALIFORNIA

· BRIAN H. DIERKER AS RAINEY, A HIPPIE MAN IN CALIFORNIA

· VINCE VAUGHN AS WAYNE WESTERBERG, OWNER OF "WESTERBERG HARVESTING & GRAIN SERVICE" IN SOUTH DAKOTA

· ZACH GALIFIANAKIS AS KEVIN, A FRIEND OF WAYNE'S

· KRISTEN STEWART AS TRACY TATRO, A GIRL IN SLAB CITY, CALIFORNIA

· HAL HOLBROOK AS RON FRANZ, AN ELDERLY MAN IN SALTON CITY, CALIFORNIA

YEAR OF PRODUCTION: 21 SEPTEMBER 2007 2) Where the film is set and in what period

THE SCENES OF GRADUATION FROM EMORY UNIVERSITY IN THE FILM WERE SHOT IN THE FALL OF 2006 ON THE FRONT LAWN OF REED COLLEGE. SOME OF THE GRADUATION SCENES WERE ALSO FILMED DURING THE ACTUAL EMORY UNIVERSITY GRADUATION ON MAY 15, 2006. THE ALASKA SCENES DEPICTING THE AREA AROUND THE ABANDONED BUS ON THE STAMPEDE TRAIL WERE FILMED 50 MILES SOUTH OF WHERE MCCANDLESS ACTUALLY DIED, IN THE TINY TOWN OF CANTWELL. FILMING AT THE ACTUAL BUS WOULD HAVE BEEN TOO REMOTE FOR THE TECHNICAL DEMANDS OF A MOVIE SHOOT. THE PRODUCTION MADE FOUR SEPARATE TRIPS TO ALASKA TO FILM DURING DIFFERENT SEASONS.

3) short summary of the plot

PLOT:

INTO THE WILD TELLS THE TRUE STORY OF CHRISTOPHER MCCANDLESS (EMILE HIRSCH), A STUDENT-ATHLETE AT EMORY UNIVERSITY, AS TOLD BY HIS SYMPATHETIC SISTER, CARINE MCCANDLESS (JENA MALONE). IN REJECTION OF A MATERIALIST, CONVENTIONAL LIFE, AND OF HIS PARENTS WALT MCCANDLESS (WILLIAM HURT) AND BILLIE MCCANDLESS (MARCIA GAY HARDEN), WHO MCCANDLESS PERCEIVES AS HAVING BETRAYED HIM, MCCANDLESS DESTROYS ALL OF HIS CREDIT CARDS AND IDENTIFICATION DOCUMENTS, DONATES $24,000 (NEARLY HIS ENTIRE SAVINGS) TO OXFAM, AND SETS OUT ON A CROSS-COUNTRY DRIVE IN HIS WELL-USED BUT RELIABLE DATSUN TOWARD HIS ULTIMATE GOAL: ALASKA AND, ALONE, TO TEST HIMSELF AND EXPERIENCE THE WILDS OF NATURE. HE DOES NOT TELL HIS FAMILY WHAT HE IS DOING OR WHERE HE IS GOING AND DOES NOT COMMUNICATE WITH THEM THEREAFTER, LEAVING THEM TO BECOME INCREASINGLY ANXIOUS AND EVENTUALLY DESPERATE.

ALONG THE WAY HIS AUTOMOBILE IS CAUGHT IN A FLASH FLOOD AND HE ABANDONS IT TO HITCHHIKE AFTER BURNING WHAT REMAINS OF HIS DWINDLING CASH SUPPLY AT THE SIDE OF LAKE MEAD, ARIZONA. HE THEN CREATES A NEW NAME: ALEXANDER SUPERTRAMP. ALONG HIS TRAVELS, HE ENCOUNTERS A HIPPIE COUPLE JAN BURRES (CATHERINE KEENER) AND RAINEY (BRIAN H. DIERKER). AS MCCANDLESS CONTINUES HIS TRAVELS, HE DECIDES TO WORK ON A FARM OWNED BY WAYNE WESTERBERG (VINCE VAUGHN). HOWEVER HE IS FORCED TO LEAVE AFTER WESTERBERG IS ARRESTED FOR SATELLITE PIRACY. MCCANDLESS THEN GOES UP AT THE COLORADO RIVER AND WHEN HE IS TOLD THAT HE MAY NOT GO DOWN BY KAYAK WITHOUT A LICENSE, HE ACQUIRES A PERCEPTION SUNDANCE 12 OPEN-WATER KAYAK AND, FOLLOWED BY THE RIVER POLICE, PADDLES DOWNRIVER EVENTUALLY ALL THE WAY INTO MEXICO. THERE HIS KAYAK IS LOST IN A SANDSTORM AND HE CROSSES BACK INTO THE UNITED STATES. UNABLE TO EASILY HITCHHIKE, HE STARTS TRAVELING VIA FREIGHT TRAIN TO LOS ANGELES. NOT LONG AFTER ARRIVING, HOWEVER, HE STARTS FEELING "CORRUPTED" BY MODERN CIVILIZATION AND DECIDES TO LEAVE. LATER, MCCANDLESS IS FORCED TO SWITCH HIS TRAVELLING METHOD BACK TO HITCHHIKING DUE TO ROUGH SECURITY.

MCCANDLESS THEN ARRIVES AT A HIPPIE COMMUNE, SLAB CITY AND ENCOUNTERS JAN AND RAINEY AGAIN. AT THE COMMUNE, HE MEETS TRACY TATRO (KRISTEN STEWART), WHO BECOMES ATTRACTED TO MCCANDLESS. MCCANDLESS DECIDES TO CONTINUE HIS GOAL FOR ALASKA, MUCH TO EVERYONE'S SADNESS. MCCANDLESS THEN ENCOUNTERS A RETIRED BUT LONELY LEATHER WORKER, RON FRANZ (HAL HOLBROOK) IN SALTON CITY, CALIFORNIA. AFTER SPENDING SEVERAL MONTHS WITH FRANZ, MCCANDLESS DECIDES TO LEAVE FOR ALASKA AND FRANZ GIVES HIM GEAR TO USE. FRANZ OFFERS TO ADOPT MCCANDLESS AS HIS GRANDCHILD, BUT MCCANDLESS TELLS HIM THAT THEY SHOULD DISCUSS THIS AFTER MCCANDLESS RETURNS FROM ALASKA AND FRANZ BECOMES EXTREMELY SADDENED BY HIS DEPARTURE.

NEARLY TWO YEARS AFTER LEAVING HIS FAMILY, MCCANDLESS CROSSES A STREAM IN A REMOTE AREA OF ALASKA AND SETS UP CAMP IN AN ABANDONED FAIRBANKS TRANSIT BUS, THE "MAGIC BUS", USED AS A SHELTER FOR MOOSE HUNTERS. INITIALLY MCCANDLESS IS EXHILARATED BY THE ISOLATION, THE BEAUTY OF NATURE AROUND AND THE THRILL OF LIVING OFF THE LAND AS THE SPRING THAW ARRIVES. HE HUNTS AND GATHERS, AND READS BOOKS, AND KEEPS A DIARY OF HIS THOUGHTS. HOWEVER LIFE BECOMES HARDER; HIS SUPPLIES START TO RUN OUT AND ALTHOUGH HE KILLS A MOOSE THE MEAT IS SPOILED BY FLIES AND MAGGOTS. HE REALIZES THAT NATURE IS ALSO HARSH AND UNCARING. ULTIMATELY ON HIS JOURNEY OF SELF-DISCOVERY, HE CONCLUDES THAT TRUE HAPPINESS CAN ALSO BE FOUND IN SHARING, AND IN THE JOY OF REALIZATION SEEKS TO RETURN FROM THE WILD TO HIS FRIENDS AND FAMILY.

HOWEVER, TO HIS DESPAIR MCCANDLESS FINDS THAT THE STREAM THAT HE CROSSED HAS BECOME A VIOLENT TORRENT AND HE CANNOT RETURN; HE IS TRAPPED BY NATURE. HE IS FORCED TO RETURN TO THE MAGIC BUS BUT NOW AS A PRISONER; HAVING PREVIOUSLY INSISTED ON BEING SELF-SUFFICIENT HE IS NO LONGER IN CONTROL OF HIS FATE AND CAN ONLY HOPE FOR HELP FROM THE OUTSIDE. AS HIS SUPPLIES RUN OUT, HE IS FORCED TO GATHER AND EAT ROOTS AND PLANTS. HE HAS A BOOK TO HELP HIM TO DISTINGUISH EDIBLE FROM INEDIBLE, BUT HE CONFUSES SIMILAR PLANTS AND IS POISONED. HE SLOWLY AND PAINFULLY STARVES. IN HIS FINAL HOURS, HE CONTINUES TO DOCUMENT HIS PROCESS OF SELF-REALIZATION AND ACCEPTS HIS FATE, AS HE IMAGINES HIS FRIENDS AND FAMILY FOR A FINAL TIME.

THE EPILOGUE OCCURS TWO WEEKS AFTER HIS DEATH WHEN HIS BODY IS FOUND BY MOOSE HUNTERS. THE MOVIE ENDS WITH A PICTURE OF HIM, FOUND UNDEVELOPED IN HIS CAMERA FROM BEFORE HE DIED. IT TELLS THAT HIS SISTER CARRIED HIS ASHES FROM ALASKA TO THE EASTERN SEABOARD BY PLANE WITH THE ASHES IN HER BACKPACK. 4) the music: does it convey specific themes/messages?

MUSIC BY: MICHAEL BROOKS, KAKI KING, EDDIE VEDDER;

THE SONGS ON THE SOUNDTRACK WERE PERFORMED BY EDDIE

VEDDER, GUITARIST AND LEAD SINGER OF PEARL JAM AND JERRY

HANNAN WITH HIS SONG "SOCIETY". THE SCORE WAS WRITTEN AND

PERFORMED BY MICHAEL BROOK AND KAKI KING. VEDDER WON A

GOLDEN GLOBE FOR BEST ORIGINAL SONG FOR THE SONG

"GUARANTEED".

THE MUSIC AT THE END OF THE THEATRICAL TRAILER IS "ACTS OF

COURAGE" BY X-RAY DOG, A COMPANY THAT SUPPLIES MUSIC FOR

MANY MOVIE TRAILERS.

5)what is the message of the film and what did you learn from it?

6)things that particularly impressed you about the film

ANALYSIS AND MESSAGE:

THE DIRECTOR MANAGES TO TELL A VERY SIMPLE STORY OF A BOY IN SEARCH OF HIMSELF, TELLING DREAMS, ANXIETY AND MISTAKES, BUILDING A ROAD MOVIE THAT TELLS THE STORY OF CHRIS WITH SENSITIVITY, WITHOUT MAKING IT LOOK LIKE A MARTYR OR A MODERN HERO BUT SIMPLY RECOUNTING HIS JOURNEY TO FREEDOM EXTREME. PENN TAKES ON THE BIG SCREEN THE STORY WITHOUT USING A CHRONOLOGICAL APPROACH BUT THE USE OF FLASHBACK, BETWEEN PRESENT AND PAST, LIKE PIECES OF A PUZZLE DEPICTING THE CROSS-SECTION OF LIFE OF A YOUNG MAN. HE IS NOT LIMITED TO RETRACE THE ADVENTURES ON THE ROAD FOR CHRIS, BUT ALSO DIGS DEEPLY ANALYZING ITS RELATIONSHIP WITH THE FAMILY AND SOCIETY. THANKS ALSO TO AN INTENSE PHOTO, THE DIRECTOR MANAGES TO ENHANCE THE BEAUTY OF MANY NATURAL AND UNTOUCHED LANDSCAPES, PLAYING WITH THE CONTRASTS BETWEEN NATURE AND CIVILIZATION.
THE FILM IS DIVIDED INTO 5 CHAPTERS, AS IF THE TRIP IS A NEW LIFE:
• CHAPTER 1 - MY BIRTH
• CHAPTER 2 - ADOLESCENCE
• CHAPTER 3 - MATURITY
• CHAPTER 4 - FAMILY
• CHAPTER 5 - THE CONQUEST OF WISDOM
THE NARRATOR'S SISTER'S MCCANDLESS, CARINE, TELLS THE LIFE STORY OF CHRIS BEFORE HIS GRADUATION AND HIS JOURNEY, WHILE THE NARRATOR OF THAT MCCANDLESS RELATES HIS THOUGHTS TO THE VIEWER, PROVIDING LITERARY QUOTATIONS AND WRITINGS OF HIS EPISTOLARY RELATIONSHIP WITH WAYNE WESTERBERG, ALL WITH SENTENCES THAT ARE SUPERIMPOSED ON THE IMAGES OF THE MOVIE SCREEN AS IF IT WERE A CANVAS OR A DIARY. THE FILM ENDS WITH THE REAL IMAGE OF CHRISTOPHER MCCANDLESS IN THE FAMOUS SELF-PORTRAIT THAT DEPICTS HIM LEANING AGAINST THE MAGIC BUS, SINGLE FRAME DOCUMENTING ITS PRESENCE IN ALASKA.

ONE OF THE KEY MESSAGES OF INTO THE WILD IS THE WHOLE NOTION OF AN INDIVIDUAL'S ROLE IN SOCIETY. AT WHAT POINT DOES ONE'S OBLIGATION TO SOCIETY AS A WHOLE OVERRIDE ONE'S NEED TO EXPRESS THEIR OWN INDIVIDUALITY? DOES A PERSON HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO THE WHOLE? OR CAN ONE ESSENTIALLY "PACK IT IN." THESE ARE SOME OF THE QUESTIONS POSED BY CHRIS MCCANDLESS'S DECISION TO WALK INTO THE WILD.

ONE OF THE MORE DIFFICULT NOTIONS FOR THE READER TO DEAL WITH IS THE IDEA OF LEAVING SOCIETY BEHIND IN A QUEST TO "FIND ONESELF." THIS IS AN OPTION THAT MANY OF US HAVE PONDERED FROM TIME TO TIME. CHRIS WAS A PERSON WHO HAD MANY OF THE THINGS THAT OUR SOCIETY PLACES VALUE ON: HE HAD A GOOD FAMILY, WONDERFUL EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES, AND A "BRIGHT FUTURE." AND YET HE CAST THESE "VALUES" ASIDE. WHY? WHY WOULD SOMEONE WITH THE THINGS THAT SOCIETY TELLS US TO ASPIRE TOWARD REBUKE THEM? WHAT OBLIGATION DID HE HAVE TOWARD THOSE WHO LOVED HIM AND COUNTED ON HIM? WERE HIS ACTIONS REALLY SELFISH? DID HE CONSIDER THESE PRIOR TO HIS DECISION TO TRAVEL TO THE YUKON? WHAT'S THE LINE BETWEEN BEING A VISIONARY AND AN EGOTIST?

THE PURPOSE OF THIS BOOK IS NOT SIMPLY TO PROVIDE A BIOGRAPHY OF A TROUBLED SOUL. PERHAPS IT ASKS US TO CONSIDER THE RESPONSIBILITIES THAT WE HAVE, NOT ONLY TO OURSELVES, BUT TO OTHERS TOO.

FINALLY ALSO THE SEARCH OF FREEDOM IS HERE DEBATED IN FACT CHRIS WANT TO EXPLORE HIS PERSONALITY IN ORDER TO TEST HIS HABILITY AND HIS WISDOM TO DISENGAGE HIMSELF BY THE HIPOCRISY AND SUPERFICILITY OF THE WORLD.

7)what would you change in the film?

WE LIKED IT. THE FILM IS SET VERY WELL, THERE ARE BREATHTAKING SCENES, THE STORY - WHICH IS A TRUE STORY - IS BEAUTIFUL, WITH ELEMENTS THAT WE FEAR MANY AMERICANS HAVE LOST TO MOST EUROPEAN EYES.

WE COULD FULLY EMPATHIZE WITH THE PROTAGONIST: THAT SURPRISED US, WE THOUGHT THAT WE WOULD IDENTIFY WITH HIM COMPLETELY, BECAUSE THE CHARACTER IS SO HEALTHY. MEMORY IS IMPORTANT IN THE STORY: THE FACE OF THE GIRL IN CALIFORNIA, THE EMBLEM OF CRYING AT THE END OF A TEENAGE SUMMER LOVE, WHEN YOU KNOW THAT YOU WILL NOT SURVIVE, THAT ALL IS LOST. AND STILL THE CRYING OF THE OLD SOLDIER WHO HELPS HIM ARRIVE IN ALASKA.

PERHAPS THE FILM IS ALL IN THESE TWO IMAGES: IN THE PROTAGONIST'S REFUSAL TO ACCEPT THE LOVE FROM OTHERS AND IN THE BELIEF THAT HAPPINESS IS SOMEWHERE ELSE. HE WILL FIND OUT THAT HE IS MISTAKEN: BUT AS IN ALL TRUE STORIES - AND DO NOT FORGET THAT THIS IS IT – HE WILL KNOW TOO LATE.

CL. 5^B

LICEO CLASSICO “C. BOCCHI” INDIRIZZO SOCIO PSICO PEDAGOGICO “ADRIA”.

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