UKRM Film Review: The Way Back

Dramatisation based on the book The Long Walk.

Having read the book such a long time ago I was really looking forward to it
so went to the big Silver Screen. I wasn't disappointed.
Don't be surprised by the addition of an American amongst the Gulag
prisoners. If you read up on the controversy around the book and subsequent
interviews it may indeed be correct and not just a Hollywood ploy.

It's a long film and I've read some criticism based on this, but the length
and pace are an important part of the observation of the experience. It
captures the role of porpoise and determination too.

Farrell <cough> pulls off a surprisingly good Russian.

If you read up around the Gulag era from the 30's through to the 50's there
are many reports of amazing journeys, even a suggestion of a 10,000km walk
to Syria.

 

It's years since I read the book, but I can remember, once I got to
the bit where he describes seeing a Yeti, that I decided it wasn't
completely factual.

 

I remember reading it a long, long time ago. Father had it on a
bookshelf with other companion book club books (TLW published by them in
1957). The bits about sleeping in the snow round a fire sticks in my
mind for some reason. I'm told there are some nutters who go out of
their way to indulge in that.

--
+-------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Pete Fisher at Home: |
| Aprilia Shiver Yamaha WR250Z/Supermoto "Old Gimmer's Hillclimber" |
| Gilera GFR * 2 Moto Morini 2C/375 Morini 350 "Forgotten Error" |
+-------------------------------------------------------------------+

 

Yeah it's slightly suspect. WUN isn't old enough and his Dad looks human.

 

I enjoyed the film more but partly because I read up on the research done by
Weir et all before the project kicked off. The book was an inspiration at
the time of reading and put living in Caithness in context.

I thought the film could have worked the theme of determination in the face
of adversity and deprivation a little harder. That is to say, which of us
would choose to lie down and die quietly and what motivation does there need
to be to keep going. But TBF that wasn't a major theme of the original text.
Lets face it, your average experienced German soldier on the Russian front,
Polish farmer or Russian worker in the early 1900's, like the Thomas Crean's
of the time, were diamond hard bastards anyway, tempered from birth out of
those infants who actually survived. The resistance to cold, exposure and
dehydration is amazing.

I always smile when film of Everest ascents is shown. Western and Japanese
climbers in proper technical gear labouring beside a Sherpa dressed in
traditional attire carrying a washing machine size box on a stick wiv a bit
o' rope.

 

Using the patented Mavis Beacon "Hunt&Peck" Technique, Hog

I don't really like the cold.

HTH.

 

Wicked Uncle Nigel wrote:

[Yeti]

Hence THe Hair?

 

I blame Bonwick.

That reminds me - I was exchanging SMS messages with Chippy Wood, the
snapper on that Elefant trip, and he asked for Bonwick's contact
details. The description "mad sod" was used by Chippy somewhere in the
SMS exchange....

 

Ah, predictive text.

 

I'm glad you did.

He's emailed me and I've replied this evening.

 

On Tue, 4 Jan 2011 16:43:08 -0000, "Hog"

snip>

You're not watching genuine footage then. Sherpas used to love Everest
expeditions because they always blagged the latest kit.

Never mind, don't let the truth get in the way etc...

 

I wasn't referring to the current crop of muppets

 

Felt that the trip to the Elefantentreffen really broke up the winter
and gave you something to look forward to in the darkest days. Would
do it again.

I'd be up for Norway too if my recent marriage breakdown wasn't
sucking every single penny from my sadly weakened hand.

Absolutely frustrated at how slow and painful recovery from the
collision with that van has been.

Which reminds me I sent my heated gloves back under warranty a couple
of months ago because the left had failed and they replaced them. So
I've got a pair of basically new and unused ones sitting here doing
nothing.

Should really nige them out as my chances of getting back on a bike
this year are very very slim.

 

Lacking of forward planning m'boy )

Probably me too if my spine would stop degenerating.
<looks at Champ>
It compressed 4mm this last year.

 

<AOL>

On all counts.

 

For 'Colossal nutcase' ?

Paul.

 

Heh, was in way too much denial of impending doom to think of a plan.

Seeing that link to the "The price of happiness?" article that someone
posted earlier got me chuckling.

Researchers warn that the emotional strain of negative experiences, such
as getting divorced or being ill, appear to be exacerbated by being
poor. "More money does not necessarily buy more happiness, but less
money is associated with emotional pain,"

http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2010/sep/06/earnings-pay-happiness-research

I think I'll just stop moaning about my poor little thumb now !

 

It's the first week of January, man. It's a long year.

 

I'll be going again at some point in the future.

 

Heh, I don't manage winter very well. Spirit just withers away.

Give me a lot of sunshine and a bit of warmth and my bike lust will
return