I saw this movie at a tiny movie theater in Lake Tahoe. With my brother and dad. I was 11. Tonight is a September evening in 2024 and I am 52. A true classic 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
I am 56 and only just found it tonight. Superb film, I'm glad I saw it with years behind me. I live in Cambodia now & it kind of breaks my heart because of all the illegal logging & wildlife poaching here that is wiping out already rare species. People talk of climate change as humanity's own private crisis, watching this film reminded me that we are the world's total crisis.
I was 9 when this movie came out. My step dad took me, my brother and my mom to see it at our local movie theatre. I haven't seen it since, but remembered it all my life as one of the best movies I ever saw but couldn't remember the name of it. When I saw the thumbnail, I wondered if it was that same movie I saw as a kid. I just turned 50, and now I'm watching it again. I'm glad to see there are other here like me. Cheers guys !🍻🍻🍺
Is after midnight, just another day in the late 80s or 90s. You're changing channel's and you catch this masterpiece begging, and you just feel like the universe is talking to you in some kind of a mystical way. You feel an overwhelming feeling of simplicity, peace, and unexplainable gratitude, without much you feel complete. (Life is what you make of it, and simplicity is key) ✍️🔥🙏
it is difficult for me to find a movie i like. this one gets my attention. based on one of the first books i ever read and enjoyed. Charles Martin Smith shines in this one.
That portrayal of deep satisfaction at building one's own shelter at around 33.30 is wonderfully done. Great film. Thank you very much for posting it. Much appreciated.
And one more film proves so many actors are GREAT when given the chance. It won't get the glory or raves many modern films receive, but ;someone will watch this in 2050 and 2075 and find all the same qualities that 1980s audiences found. And I imagine some reactor will say, "Gee - just imagine a good film in 1980-!!"
I've read many, but not all, of Farley Mowatt's books. They were all just great. He was a very unique and interesting man, an incredible writer with amazing diversity, and a true Canadian in the old sense, before we became totally subsumed by America. His books are amazing, and this adaptation is incredibly well done. What fantastic photography! David Lean was the first director to use landscape as a big part of the story, Lawrence of Arabia being the best example, but he has well and truly been outdone here by such spectacular cinematography. And not just the large landscape shots. It baffles me how even trained animals could be so well captured by a camera as to fit to to the narrative so well. They must have had to take a great many extra hours of film, in a time and place where that was immensely expensive. I believe I've never seen anything so beautiful, and I can't believe it took me until the age of 64 to finally see it. This is a must see film! And huge thanks to the person who posted it! (I have also not seen a single ad at this point, 3/4 of the way through the film.)
This movie was very enjoyable to watch, after living in the high sage mountains of Wyoming for 16 years it did my heart good to watch this and think to myself that I look forward to moving back
Some people love that part of the world. I retired to the Philippines. Hard to imagine how much money someone would have to pay me to live in a cold climate. My wife's sister lives in Calgary hahaha. She loves it. I just shake my head. Difficult to imagine. Fun how different people can be.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ What a GREAT, GREAT, GREAT movie I've never forgotten since its release on the silver screen !!! (and I went back to watch it three times at the time...). In addition, Charles Martin Smith is such a rich, interesting + creative personality. Never understood he didn't get more recognition from both the mainstream audience and the Hwood industry. 🎬 A MUST-SEE MASTERPIECE, GUYS.
fabiengerard8142 The answer to your question is in the question itself. How could a decent, clean, and unassuming gentleman like Charles Martin Smith flourish in a wicked, perverse industry, based on sex, crime, drugs, and unhealthy living? As to the mainstream audience, if truth be told, they are usually a bunch of idiots. But yes, this fine gentleman deserves plenty of merit. However, rare gems are only appreciated by the few. What a beautiful film- I am blown away by its purity and breathtaking landscapes.
You are both so right. Smith is just not sexy, and he didn't choose to be a comedien. This movie is spectacular, a masterpiece in many ways, and of course he helped to make it one. I'm glad that now he's being recognized here.
seen it when I was a kid about twelve didn't knw what to think about it honestly thought it was more about werewolves so was a little disappointed. It was an interesting story like the bush pilot at least before he became a greedy wanker. Funny how people seem to be nicer or at least more interesting before they get a little money.
I'd never paid attention to CMS in his earlier work - "Just another oddball face littering the background..." was the zenith of my consideration for him. "Just a supporting character - yada yada - who cares? What's HE done FOR ME?!!" ha ha... and then THIS tiny, puny, overlooked or UNconsidered film. Wow. As I dove into older films, I'd discover Franklin Pangnorne (the perennial clerk in almost all of his films), Jerome Cowan (who was Sam Spade's murdered partner in MALTESE FALCON) and dozens of other 'background' characters whose faces landed in hundreds of films. "Just supporting actors" - but on rewatching those, they are often critical in moving scenes along. Few of those (Jerome Cowan, Charles Martin Smith) were given full films to 'run', to star in, to drive forward... and they always do! "How many more hidden jewels are there in film history?"
@@cattymajiv I don't rewatch STAR MAN very often, but it is almost a complete charmer... hardly any scene fails: even Karen's eyes as she sees Jeff "grow" - she's in total disbelief but she understands what's happened. And IS fearful. But not exactly terrified - she keeps seeing ways to escape but - is it the deer-rejuvenation scene and parking lot punch - where she gives up HER fears and realizes his? Just a fantastic sequence, and she delivers that soooo well. I know GRAFITTI's soundtrack kills it on RU-vid reactions, but STAR MAN's seems perfectly fit for film fans that don't need Wickian body counts.
This guy learned to respect himself and the natural world by getting right down to ground level. He found true humanity and humility by living with wolves. Huge respect A timeless movie with immence (?) depth.
Same 44 loved this decades ago now I'm going to understand it better than before. I live north with ti.ber wolves. So.e folks still hunt them sadly but I'd rather photograph.
Same 44 here, not shore if I have seen it before . I think there is no movies like this now because the understanding what is important in this life ,good ,bad ,appropriate all values have changed for a lot of people.
If you can find the books, read Farley Mowat’s “Never Cry Wolf”, “The Desperate People”..He wrote others also. This true story took place in the 1920’s, while the author was serving in the Canadian Air Force. I will never be the same in my thoughts about wolves, and will never understand why anyone would want to kill off such a magnificent animal..they are still trying to.
I've always been fascinated with them. Have you ever seen that show where the guy integrates himself into the wolf pack( typing it out sounds kinda silly) ? ... One thing that stuck in my mind is what he said that anytime he got hurt, even when one time he went and got stitches, the wolves of the pack he belonged to took them out...licked the wound and it actually got better!!! Healed faster he said. Maybe we shouldn't go off the deep end with things but all in all I do consider myself an admirer of God's handiwork!
In my opinion Farley Mowat is by far the best author who wrote about wolves, whales, men and other animals. He is a man of genius. But he was born in 1921, and the story took place after WWII.
@@rickzap7957 We read this book aloud with my wife and daughter - first in Russian, than in English and laughed out loud in many places. It's great, and the movie is very close to the text.
I've loved wolves since I was a little Cherokee kid. Like we Tribal people, wolves don't have disposable pack members. I even got to feed a wolf pack in captivity once. I was with the woman in charge, a wolf biologist. I helped her wheel in their food. I was so careful about not disrespecting the Alpha male. He still was very wary of me. My head was down, eyes down, we left their food and got out of their enclosure. The biologist told me the Alpha's mate was paying too much attention to me. I had forgotten that my Irish Wolfhound had left her scent all over my clothes. I'm sure that was the problem. Wolves are incredibly intelligent animals. Never underestimate their smarts. Love this film and Charles Martin Smith is great in it.
I have been a wolf handler in the uk for nearly 20 years and I became one because i wanted to understand the animal and not the myths about the animal. Though that journey is nearly at an end sadly, the last wolves being 13 now and no more will be coming to replace them, it has been a wonderful journey. Wolves have their ways and keep their own council but if they tolerate you and allow you to pet them, then you are a lucky soul indeed. The movie is amazing and heart breaking at the same time. I wish I could go back to the 80's for so many reasons.
@matthewbooth9265 I'm sorry to read that there won't be any more wolves for you to work with. They are incredible animals. Thanks or wado, in Cherokee, for sharing your story with all of us. Be well, Udo and that's Cherokee for Brother.
Thank you for posting this movie. I must have watched it years ago, but I couldn’t remember what it was called. As soon as I started it, I finally knew that this was the one that I’ve been searching for. Thanks again.👍
@@buzz5969 And audiences, which partly reflect society as a whole, have become SO much more shallow minded. Personally I can't sit for long to watch any action movie, nevermind the extreme stupidity they put out now nearly exclusively. But many people are too young to ever have been exposed to really good films as being the norm. There has always been a lot of garbage too, but not like now, where few filmmakers even bother striving to make truly good movies. They just don't care. It's a very lucrative business. Yet people are forced to let their kids be exposed to that onslaught of violence and stupidity, so that those kids will be able to understand it and cope with it, and its effect on others. The problem is that they too are affected so negatively by them. It's an unsolvable dilemna.
You can say what you want about the shallow people, of the 80's, but there were a few who had profound insight and were able to share there insight with people like me. Thank You for posting. I hope you will be able to find a few more that will show me the profound mysteries of life.
The people saying that some of the things shown aren't realistic should remember that its a Disney film and not a documentary. Also, the people who are saying it's boring must have the attention span of a gnat.
No, I certainly don't think it's a Disney film, in fact anything but that. If you read the text at the beginning and the description you'll have understood that it was based on a true story. I don't know where you get the impression that ANYBODY said a single word about boredom (???). Everyone in this space talks lovingly about this film.
@@musamor75 It is a Disney film, with Amarok Productions. Disney owns the film. How it has appeared here is a good question, Disney being noted for holding its properties tight.
I'm very sorry for your loss. My relationship with both my parents was very complicated and often very bad, but now they are gone I miss them both, and I always will.
My neighbor's have huskies.... anyways one night they were howling....they did this here and there...and it never dawned on me why...until that night, and then i had another neighbors huskies howling..these huskies are on the same side about 5 houses down...and then i knew...thier communicating ...so cool
I first watched Never Cry Wolf in college in 1984. It was part of a series of movies they played on Campus. I thought what a beautiful movie. It still is impactful and very much relevant today. It is beautifully lonely, if that makes sense.
The book and this movie are amongst the most important and influential works in my life and inspire me to this dsy to get out in nature to connect and respect. Farley Mowatt is my hero and Charles Martin Smith did a great job in an incredibly demanding role.
This made middle aged men in the 80's reassess their lives. They all bought that LL Bean rag wool sweater, they grew beards, and starting reading about Alaska. They bought hiking boots and clomped around town in wool pants and flannel shirts. It was a great story, it remains a great film. *I'm just glad ''Toad'' did something meaningful with his life after Vietnam,🤣
I have read this book many years ago. The author is my favorite, he is Canadian. Farley Mowat’s 1963 book “Never Cry Wolf” is a narrative about his experiences as a biologist studying Arctic wolves in the Keewatin Barren Lands of northern Manitoba in 1946. Also check his other books, 'A Dog That would Never Be' is a great one for the soul.
The man is a distant relative of mine and I once tracked him down via telephone to speak with him out of curiosity... He was very rude and antisocial... Not a nice person 😊
@cattymajiv Yes, that's quite likely. Some curious people can be real pests, and they can get on artists' nerves. But for you being a relative, it must have been hurtful. Try to remember the good times, especially if he's now "gone", as you say. I personally enjoyed the film very much. You know, I was a performing musician for some time in Paris and I met some pretty well known people. My conclusion is that it's better to preserve their stage identity, because sometimes the true-life individuals are not the most recommendable individuals. Hard pill to swallow, but true. Greetings from France.
This is the true story of Farley Mowatt. I read his book 'Never Cry Wolf' many years ago when I was just a kid. Long before my own solo adventures into the winter mountains with my old Huskamute, 'Shadow'.
@@peterhendricksen6946 I have no idea what movie or song you mean, but Elton John's music from that time is so amazing! It was much less pop music oriented, with more classical piano, which I just loved. It was so evocative! I vaguely remember a couple from then about friendship. Bernie Taupin and Elton were both geniuses, and they were a perfect fit for each other. But nobody can produce masterpieces nonstop forever, and people are affected by forces around them, so not all of their publicly released work is as good as it was, but that's ok. I love them both immensely!
Appears to be bases upon a true story. If so, he was very lucky to survive the remoteness of Alaska arriving alone & clueless during the winter. I'm resourceful in the wild, but Alaska is really wild. Visit in 1975 - Early Summer. Left in late summer. May be true, but I just couldn't believe the initial story line. A great docudrama (2004) is "Alone in the Wilderness" - 1968. Enjoyed the movie. Thanks.
"We are under some great misconception that we are a good species going somewhere important and that at the last minute we will correct our errors and God will smile on us. It is delusion". Farley Mowat
Wow, what a beautiful film. At first I thought it was some comedy about a man out of his depth. But when he gets settled into the wilderness it really took of and became something special.
Yea, i still believe the CGI destroyed the movies in the long run. No smart movies anymore if you see what bullshit comes out every year. And no smart, worldclass directors anymore, sad.
It's like 30 years since I've seen this movie I've never forgotten never Cry wolf it tresends time I had tears over the woman how went to the elders.A very moving Movie
thoroughly enjoyed that! bit like dances with wolves except 100 years later. whoever thinks killing wolves is ok, even in this day and age with a snow mobile, like to see anyone go head-to-head with a wolf and see how far they get. just remember they are the eco system, and what goes around comes around. top apex predator. leave wolves alone to be a one with nature they are majestic and beautiful creatures that deserve respect.
@@davidleonard1813 There are no big cats in this part of the world. Farther south there are lynx, bobcats, and cougars, but they're not very big compared to other big cats. For the most part I don't think the territory of big cats overlaps with wolves. Every ecosystem has an apex, but not usually big ones competing for food. Other places have snow leopards and Siberian tigers, but what few still remain are critically endangered, nearing total extinction. I could be wrong, but even there, I don't think they share territory or compete with wolves. Yes, man is the apex everywhere. An invasive species that destroys the habitat of everything else, and ultimately even himself.
@cattymajiv that might be more accurate to say corporate man kills everything. Left alone to farm to feed his family and live, man has made those mistakes but at that level realise that fairly quick and backpeddle a bit. Once that farm model becomes to create wealth, it's all but corporate in name. Landed gentry if you will. The yes it's destroy it all. But smaller subsistence a small profit for trade goods man has seen he is killing off this or that animal and tends to stop. I'm not talking in this current era either of captive populations bred up to release. On farms I've known of rock wallabies with a nice red chest fur. Prized in the fir era and some farmers have refused to let ppl hunt them on their properties generational for example.
In case you didn't know, Charles Martin Smith is only 5'4" tall. He did, in fact, run around buck naked with a herd of Caribu. Filming was done in Canada's Yukon, not Alaska. I remember him as Terry "The Toad" Fields in George Lucas' film American Graffiti (1973).
I loved the book. I read at least twice. I wondered if I, too, could wake every 10 minutes, turn around three times then go back to sleep. I decided no. I saw this movie only once, over 40 years ago. I think. Beautiful.
It was northern Manitoba, not Alaska. The world is not solely consisted of the USA. There is a massive country north of you that is MUCH bigger than the USA is. Only Russia is bigger than Canada.
Thanks for sharing. This is one of my forever top 10 favorite films. I saw it with my folks back in 1983 when it came to our local small town theater. Just a mastery of wilderness film and acting but at the same time it feels like a documentary.
It does me good to know that Toad was found alive in Vietnam, gave up life in Modesto, and moved to Canada, became a citizen and a world renowned biologist. Well done Toad!
I found a story about a wolf many years ago ( 1920’s ? ) and can’t find it now . About a trapper who had been hired to catch a certain male wolf , and he spent years , without success . Eventually , he tracked and killed the wolfs female partner . Within days , the male wolf turned up at the trappers cabin … waiting to killed . Which one was the lesser being …..? Does anyone have a link to this story , would much appreciate it 🙏🏻.
I chanced on this movie on my rest day. Had no idea what I was in for. Right from the start immediately it had my attention. I’m in for a treat is what I think.
That's almost always the case. But I must say, being a reader myself, that despite all, this film is very moving, and the actor, Charles Martin Smith, is a natural, and brings plenty of life to the film.
@@musamor75 It's extremely rare for any film to be as good as the book was. That's why I always watch the film 1st if I can, to avoid that disappointment. It's impossible transmit the thoughts of characters and other details. To do that a film would need to be just as long as it takes an average person to read the book, and it still just wouldn't work. Farley Mowwatt's books are all great! But in a case like this, or Lawrence Of Arabia, the photography is so stunning that it would be such a shame to never see it! I can't believe I'm only seeing this now, at 64 years old. What a masterpiece!
What a great movie. Filmmakers have lost the art of making a successful film. One that's good. This was back when movies were movies. Thanks for sharing.
It was a great movie...saw it when I was a kid also and forgot...all parts were good but the most moving was the eyes and voice and mystery on the old woman's face beside the campfire.🔥 Kinda takes you on an ancient trip to the past.... really cool.
Well where do I start ? As just entertainment it’s a good movie. Don’t judge it for accuracy. About the time this movie came out I was living in Fairbanks. Did the whole Jack London call of the wild thing. Helped my father-in-law on his trap line in the winter, worked in the small engine repair shop at the army base in the summer. That place cured me for life of ever being really cold again . Working the trap line at 35-40 below zero south of the Brooks range, in the dark. Middle of winter that far north the sun doesn’t show itself, the horizon gets bright and that’s it.. we camped on a sandbar next to a frozen river where there was a hot springs. The warm sand kept the tent vary comfortable. What really convinced me I was getting into something way over my head was a picture my FIL showed me he once took of a thermometer on a tree by his camp, -67 degrees. He said at that temp it’s to dangerous to go out! I thought anything below freezing would be too dangerous to go out. Working on the army base they would bring in Indian Inuit kids and I would try to teach them about small engines. Unfortunately they were vary wary and didn’t trust the white man. It was about impossible to communicate with them, sadly.
What a cool movie. Really enjoyed it. I loved the wry humor. Although the premise of the study was ludicrous. To see if wolves were causing an entire caribou collapse.
Black Beauty, Never Cry Wolf and Fly Away Home are all done by Carol Ballard. Adventures for the whole family, on a classic, epic scale. These films take their time in telling their stories. They don't make em like this anymore is an understatement. It's amazing Disney had their mouse gloves in this.
@@TTundragrizzly Not sure where you get your information, but it’s not true that wolves don’t attack people. Wolves will attack anything if they are hungry enough, including human beings. History is certainly replete with examples of this.
@@mountainman7361 of course it’s happened. I’m not ignorant of the fact this world isn’t perfect. Shit happens ( even the rarest of things). With that being said. About 80% of wolves attacking humans are Rabid wolves ( rabies). About 10% provoked ( meaning the human was stupid as usual). And the rest, considered predatory ( almost 100% of those were probably because the person/ people had a dog / pets / livestock with them, which wolves will always prey on dogs. I will add too that wolves that go after dogs with people present, are most likely desperately starving. In short. Wolves in general, will ABSOLUTELY NOT attack a human just walking in the woods by themselves. Wolves are supremely intelligent!
Brian Dennehy was an awesome actor haven’t ever seen him in a movie I didn’t like. I’m not sure about this one cause I just started watching it and it looks like he may not be in it much so I don’t know
This movie is based on the real life study of wolves conducted by Farley Mowatt in 1949, described in a book with fhe same name. I enjoyed reading the book decades ago and am glad i found this movie adaptation of it.
