WILD AMERICA

US, 1997, 106 minutes, Colour.
Jonathan Taylor Thomas, Devon Sawa, Scott Bairstow, Frances Fisher, Jamey Sheridan, Tracey Walter, Don Stroud.
Directed by William Dear.

The film is not just about the young men going out into the wild and photographing nature in the raw, something which had not been done so strongly before them – and their influence on American television with the series Wild America. The film is also about family, relationship between brothers, relationship with sons to parents.

The film was directed by William Dear who directed such family films as Harry and the Hendersons and Angels in the Outfield.

1.The background of the television series Wild America? Its popularity in the 1970s? The photographers who went out into the wilds, their skills in photographing wildlife? The film as biography as well as tribute?

2.The setting in Arkansas (filmed in Canada)? The Stouffer family, mother and father, the sons? Their way of life? Lack of money? The father and the background of his work with aircraft, his being a mechanic? The mother being a housewife? The three sons and their bonds?

3.The introduction to the brothers, Marshall and the pursuit through the woods, setting him on the chair, cutting the rope and his going into the water? The older brothers and their trying to train their younger brother? Their love for their mother? For their father? The prospects for their life? The older son wanting to break free? Mark and his vanity, wanting to be a ladies’ man? Marshall as the younger, observing the others?

4.Mark and his decision to move out? His father’s stern reaction? The home movies and the family’s love for this filming? The brothers finding the camera in the store? Their mother giving them the money? Their father’s wariness? The decision to go out and film, the arguments, the father giving them the summer to achieve something? Marshall stowing away with them? The phone calls and the mother giving permission?

5.The bulk of the film showing the adventures, the discovery of the animals? The people that they encountered, the difficulties? The vagrants, their goods being stolen? The man at the service station and the stories about the bears? The lady in the hills whose husband had been killed and whose face had been mauled? The friendliness of people? The discovery of some of the animals, the difficulties in photographing? The deer, the moose, the birds, the wolf pursuing the deer? The air force bombing the plain? The more dangerous adventures? In the water with the alligator? The discovery of the moose, Marshall being pursued? Finding the cave with the drawings? Finally finding the bears, going into the cave, the dangers, soothing the bears with the music? The brothers getting out, Marshall holding the fort, getting the camera, finally getting out? The car crash?

6.The return home, their mother’s response? The father and the car accident and in hospital? The setting up of the screening? The screening itself, the amazement at the footage? The boy slinging off at them? The girls putting him in his place? Success? The father coming from hospital and leading the applause?

7.Marshall, his wanting to fly with his father? His father’s white lies and his mother’s comment about white lies and the dessert that she didn’t cook? His taking the plane, Leon in plane, frightened? Marshall imagining his father? The flight, over the hospital? His going to his father, the confession, asking his father to let the other brothers go free? His never telling this secret until years later?

8.The brothers going off, the final comments and their achievement with footage, with television, the documentary with Robert Redford narrating, their successful careers?

9.A film about family, adventure, recognising one’s own talents, parents supporting their children? And the difficulties in practice?