Never Cry Wolf

[hambone]

Just saw this movie last nite and it was very very good, I was quite surprised. Slow moving but it really takes you to there. Just thought I'd pass it on.

"Carroll Ballard's adaptation of Farley Mowat's autobiographical novel follows Mowat (Charles Martin Smith) into the tundra, where he's supposed to study the harm that wolves inflict on the caribou herds. As he struggles to make it in the harsh surroundings, he comes to the conclusion that the caribous' worst enemies are not the wolves at all. Hiro Narita's cinematography is spectacular, and the evocative sound was nominated for an Academy Award."

Hey I just found this too:

Never Cry Wolf: A Spiritual Message In A Movie By Raju Chebium

Date: Sep 19, 2003 Comments: 8 Post Comment
In the movie Never Cry Wolf, a Canadian biologist is assigned – consigned, one might say – to the frozen and remote wilderness of northern Canada to study wolf behavior. Specifically, he is asked to substantiate the theory that wolves are decimating the caribou herds and therefore must be killed in large numbers so as to help Nature preserve its balance.

After struggling to find the purportedly fearsome predators and establish a camp in the vast tundra, the biologist observes a family of wolves from close quarters and gains their trust. He realizes that the wolves are on a starvation diet and don’t kill caribou regularly as his superiors suspect, but survive on eating mice much of the time. He also encounters an old Inuit who lives in perfect harmony with Nature and reveres the wolves, considering them forms of the Divine.

While the movie itself is a visual treat and an excellent study in solitary living and the contrast between man’s rapacious nature and Nature’s gentle ways, what I want to discuss are the lessons in living, the Inuit elder imparts the biologist.

He is the best teacher of them all – he teaches by not teaching at all but by living his principles. For one, the Inuit – a craggy-faced man of indeterminate age – is endowed with infinite patience and the capacity to experience the joy of living in the moment. Toward the beginning of the movie, he rescues the biologist, who is marooned on a vast sea of snow and ice and unable to figure out how to go about his assigned task. He shelters the biologist, feeds him and drags him back from the cusp of death before going about his business of finding food for his new guest and himself.

The way he acts toward the biologist – without claiming credit or seeking anything in return, not even expecting a word of gratitude – is the first lesson the biologist learns. I interpret the Inuit’s way through the prism of my own Hindu upbringing: The Bhagavad Gita exhorts us to do our duty with detachment, without expecting the fruits of our labors. The Inuit felt it his "duty" to care for this stranger, with whom he could hardly converse because he spoke no English. But he performed his duty, not because he was obligated to, but because he felt it was the right thing to do. Watching that incredible actor perform with spiritual grace was pure joy.

The Inuit does something else: He shows the biologist how to enjoy each moment of each day. He does this by displaying a childlike smile constantly, even when he leads the biologist on a trek of an untold number of miles so they can see the great caribou migration and witness how the wolves kill just enough of the herd to satisfy their hunger and let the rest of the great-horned animals go on their way.

The Inuit doesn’t say much, and without revealing too much of himself, shows an infinite curiosity about the biologist’s working methods. When the biologist experiences what the Inuit experiences – the humbling delight in being one with the vast, gorgeous expanse of Nature – the Inuit again simply smiles and continues to walk alongside his newfound friend, with no fanfare or sublime lectures.

The mountains, the greenery, the pure white cover of snow, the beauty of the wolves in their natural setting and the loving affection the adults show the cubs – all this was lovely and uplifting. The intrusion of a wild-eyed hunter and real estate developer into this tranquility and his rapacious greed to build a resort in what is unspoiled God’s country was also telling in the depravity of man.

But what made me sigh the most and feel thrilled at the wisdom revealed gracefully in this masterpiece of celluloid artistry was an old Inuit song that was shown in the last frame, before the end credits. The lyrics rolled up the screen, accompanied by an uplifting musical score, and I replayed and replayed the lyrics, reading them out loud until their music filled my room. Then I wrote them down and to this day I marvel at their simple wisdom, which is very akin to The Buddha’s message of living in the present and feeling the Divine all around us:

I think over again
My small adventures,
My fears
Those small ones that seemed so big,
For all the vital things
I had to get and to reach.
And yet there is only one great thing,
The only thing,
To live to see the great day that dawns
And the light that fills the world.

A more spiritual message I have yet to find in the mass media. A more concise message for achieving serenity I have yet to find among the untold numbers of books I have read, music I have listened to and movies (many of them good) I have watched through the years.

To me, there is only one true thing to do as we go on living without getting answers to the fundamental questions that lie deep within us all, questions such as why we are born, where we are headed, and what we are truly meant to do. Whether or not we find those answers, we can achieve serenity by stilling our minds and letting the gentleness of this Universe caress our souls.

Here’s to remembering – and practicing – that every day.

[glasseye]

As well as a good movie and a good message, it was a good ad for tourism British Columbia. It was shot from and around Vancouver and points farther north. Lots of my buddies worked on this one, although I didn't.

It took forever to shoot. "Never Cry Wrap" was what the crew called it.

[Bookwus]

Hiya ham,

If you liked the movie you might want to read some of Mowat's books. He has a great narrative style and he is as funny as all get out. If you're a dogger, you might want to take a look at The Dog Who Wouldn't Be. And there are a slew of others, all worth a little time.

[Elwood]

Took me awhile to get back to this topic~ some how I was told that I had put glasseye on my ignor list---Ya sure that would happen???? Oh well , I understand how the BC and Yukon love the USA tourisum and it welcomed me every where I went. I ate it up and miss it.

I at first was appaled at all the taxidermied anaimals I saw and do have many photos of them from along my way to the Arctic Circle. I will be putting into a format for explanaition of where and why.

This is to add to the story that Hambone told of the Inuit people. I did meet many on my trip and read much about them.

After I came back from the absolute Circle at aprox 11:55 pm to the Eagle Nest Lodge, I went into the bar/longe to get me a drink and see the sites. I was overwelmed by the critters on the wall and started taking pictues. I was greeted by a man that explained to me that not one of the pelts for specimans had been taken by force or man. He was an Inuit gentalman. I was lucky to have met him and only hope to see him again.
The culture of these people in preseving there ways is so astounding and we did share that what in history had taught them to beware of southern American ways .

[hambone]

I read it took over 3 years to shoot, with only 1 actor on the "set" for most of the time, in the wilderness...

[Emily's Owner]

Farley Mowat is one of my favorite writers - The Boat Who wouldn't Float is high on my list of must reads....

[Velokid1]

Thanks for the tip, Hammy. I'll watch it.

From Netflix, of course. Netflix is my new mistress. Last night I watched The True Meaning Of Pictures: Shelby Lee Adams' Appalachia.

My wife keeps opening the mailbox with a look on her face like, "Uh, where are the Mission Impossible movies?"

[Birdibus]

I liked it when I saw it

[glasseye]

Me, I just got around to "Little Miss Sunshine". Watched it tonight. Laffed my #$&#@ off. Especially the bit with the horn. Neat movie.