I like movies that are aware of what they are selling... without [any] greater aspirations than to make people laugh and that's it.

I wanted to like it more than I actually did... But much of the humor totally escaped me and I walked out only mildly impressed.

if their story seems completely bonkers, almost like a feverish work of fiction, you ain't heard nothing yet.

This movie feels like it was made purely to piss off people who want good shows

In July 1967 Iowan Richard ("Dick) Proenneke cut down sturdy log poles from a stand of white spruce in a remote southern Alaskan valley known as Twin Lakes (Now in Lake Clark National Park). He moved them 300 yards and left them to dry. On 21 May 1968, he returned determined to carve out a new and solitary life for himself at age 51. He brought along a tripod-mounted camera to record his experiences. The result is a treasure on film.Dick had made arrangements to utilize a friend's unused cabin nearby until his own was completed. From the spruce log poles, Dick fashioned sturdy handles for the hand tools that were imperative to his survival. It had been so much easier to transport the tools without the extra weight of their handles. Selecting a twenty foot square area for his proposed log cabin site (the exterior part of the cabin was planned at 15' by 11') with the front door facing northwest, Dick spread out gravel (taken from the lake bed) several inches thick. The planned bay window would thus overlook the nearby lake from the southwest. Dick then began the task of chiseling out notches on each log so that he could carefully fit them together to form the cabin walls. In June 1968, his friend, Babe Ellsworth, flew in needed supplies with his seaplane. Dick then proceeded to plant 15 hills of potatoes plus onions, peas, carrots, beets, and rutabaga (turnips). With the cabin walls completed, Dick trimmed the log ends and constructed a sawhorse work bench. He proceeded to fashion a window frame and sill. Oakum was applied between wall logs for tight seals. As Dick worked on his roof, the mosquitoes came out in force. Using his ax and draw knife with skill, Dick prepared wood hinges for his door. With his leftover log poles, Dick was skilled enough to construct his own furniture. While construction took up most of his time, Dick took a stretch here and there to explore the surrounding countryside. He observed many animal types, like beaver, moose, bear, wolves, loons, and magpies. Dick expressed his compassion for animals when he discovered a defenseless bull caribou beleaguered by flying insects in an area with no blowing breeze. The caribou appeared helpless. Dick scared away the caribou from the annoying bugs. Before applying peat moss on his roof, Dick used tar-paper and polyethylene as sealers. He felt almost remorseful that they are not true wilderness materials, but rationalized correctly that they are very effective for keeping out bad weather. When he constructed an outhouse, he even chiseled out a crescent for the door. Dick made by hand his tin storage containers for his cabin kitchen and outside storage area below ground. With extra wood he prepared a large serving spoon. He especially relished one of his meals: fried fish, potatoes, and onions. On 31 July he noted, "I will go up high today." In the high country, the camera in use is not a tripod. But one slip and it would be curtains for the survivalist. In fact, one realizes that Dick had to stay healthy and not risk any type of injury. Being alone, it could have been fatal. Now the frost began to kick in. On 6 September it was time to begin the fireplace (and chimney). Dick had already gathered stone that was representative of the entire area. The task of pacing and mortaring stone took two weeks to complete. In late September there were four inches of snow on the ground; the temperature read 23 degrees Fahrenheit. On the last day of sheep season, Dick brought down a ram and made the 100-pound pelt for his smokehouse. November brought the beginning of lake and river freeze-ups. Dick had to shovel constantly to keep open his path to the lake and water supply. On 31 December 1968 the temperature read minus 33 degrees. On 2 January 1969 it was minus 45 degrees with 28 inches of thick ice. On 9 January Babe flew in more precious supplies: beans, sugar, and dried apples. Dick even received a belated Christmas present: two warm pairs of knitted socks. On 21 February it was 26 degrees with 27 inches of snow on the ground. Dick commented that a wolverine frolicking in the snow belied his dreadful reputation. By late March the snow was finally on the wane. Dick made a large wooden bowl from a spruce burl. In April the caribou became abundantly visible again. Dick had planned many more projects, like his highly-perched food cache. The film ends before an hour is up. Dick had survived his first full year, and would eventually stay in Alaska for thirty years, leaving in 1998 at age 82. Dick's cabin is now an American National Historic Site. Enough shots were filmed to prepare two more programs; one of these parts was released in 2011. Although additional footage may have been later added to the original, and although another person did some of the filming (Bob Swerer Sr. / Jr.?), the film is fascinating and wholeheartedly recommended. Three facts are learned: living alone in the wilderness requires hard work, skill, and thorough planning!

An "Ode To The Simple Life" Dick Proenneke's masterpiece reminds us all of simpler times and of gentler souls like Muir and Thoreau, who lived in harmony with the land, taking only what they needed and nothing more. Those who must have CG and action-packed hyper-bass sound effects need not apply. This movie only requires an appreciation for the skills and fortitude it takes to live life in the wild without electricity, without complexity, and yet with a modicum of civility and amenities that you "build" with your own hands. I first saw this movie on PBS and was entranced. Having grown up in the ranching/farming country of the Similkameen valley in British Columbia, Canada, I was familiar with life in the wilderness, but had never ventured much deeper into the wild than a couple days hike from my home. Dick Proenneke's adventure was on an altogether different plane; challenging, almost spiritual in his commitment to living simply and ALONE. Proenneke's film is among the first "reality" shows that is truly REAL. There are no scripted moments, no games or strategies to rid you of unwanted competition, no prize awaiting him at the end. There's just Dick and the wilderness...and it is more addicting to watch than any of the reality survival shows on tap today. When you examine the "making of" background of the movie, you realize that Dick didn't live a pure hermit life. He had a friend that would fly in supplies with his float plane when needed (once or twice a year) and his brother did come to visit from time to time. However, he was truly "alone in the wilderness" for sometimes months at a time, particularly in the dead of winter, and I came to greatly admire Dick and all those who could live that simply, alone with themselves and for that long, without going crazy. Dick Proenneke is among a handful of folk to ever achieve what most of us only dream of. His celluloid poem grants those of us who still dream that dream the opportunity and privilege of experiencing just a little of it thru the lens and poetic thoughts of this great and yet, simple man. Dick Proenneke is one of my all-time heroes. This one is a MUST SEE, for all of those who have heard that still small voice inside, calling you back to the wild and a simpler life. Oh, and bonus ... it is totally family friendly viewing.

As I was ill with the flu in 2004 I was scanning the channels and came upon the local PBS station. The scene was a man building his cabin.I watched the film in awe. The detail that went into making the cabin and its furnishings was amazing.At the end of the film I waited for the credits and wrote down the title. Later I researched it on the net and eventually ordered it from Bill Schwearing Productions.I have shared this movie with many of my like minded emergency preparedness friends. Everyone who sees this movie is affected for the better.I am convinced that if everyone could understand Dick's basic core values that the world would be a better place. "...too many people work on parts of things, I like to see a job through to completion, that suits me." This is an excellent movie that deserves a place in every DVD collection.

I have never seen in all my life someone who "walked the walk" that this man did. From the most simple basic of life's needs to the more complex ones. He takes us through the days and months in such a way that no matter what year it is currently, no matter what background you are from, You are right there with him every step of the way. It is a true testament to what living in harmony with nature is all about. I highly recommend this film to anyone who can truly appreciate living life to its fullest. Whether you are a weekend warrior or an outdoor enthusiast you will be able to appreciate the painstaking way He chronicles his daily life. It will make you reevaluate some of the things that we all take for granted in our daily lives. If we all looked at life the way he did, we would definitely be able to find the beauty in this world around us.