My Side of the Mountain

I LIKE THIS DVD "my Side of the Mountain" But i don't Think it a Thing that a young Boy about his Age Should Not do something like this, As in this world to-day the is All Kinds Of Dangerous Places & People to Avoid, as you would Really need to know, (OK I KNOW THIS WAS ONLY A FILM.) SO I GIVE IT 4 Gold Stars. & I HOPE NO YOUNG BOY WOULD DO THIS BY HISSEALF :

I read this book when I was a kid in school and loved it, to the point that even though I read it decades ago I still remember large chunks of it. It was the perfect fantasy for a young kid to dream about; running off on your own and living in the wilderness without any grownups to bother you and hanging out with a bunch of animals. Classic Disney stuff even though it's not a Disney movie.I'd always known they'd made it into a movie (the cover of the paperback I had was a still from the movie) but I never got to see it. So when I can across it on a streaming service I thought I'd finally watch it...fifty years late but what the hell.It's very likely the fact that I'm no longer twelve years old but I wasn't all that impressed with the movie. Or it may be that it was a beloved book from my childhood and the movie took a lot of liberties with the story. It's also dated in many respects and the plot is based on an event that as an adult I have real issues with; the main character, a young teenage boy, decides to run away and live in the wilderness for a year to conduct experiments. He writes a letter to his parents explaining what he's doing and over the course of the year mails one more letter to them, just one. Meanwhile they have no idea where he is or if he's still alive. I seem to recall in the book that the characters parents approved of this, that he didn't "run away", but I could be wrong. Anyway, at the end of the movie my first thought was his parents would be thrilled that he was still alive...then immediately dump him in a military school to teach his little butt a lesson!Other than that it was an ok movie but it's obviously geared for kids and I'm not sure that it's something you want to be showing kids, even though it's just a movie. The acting wasn't all that great either and the main character, who I guess went on to be a producer, has a very annoying voice just on the verge of changing to its adult resonance. There was only one actor in it that I recognized.I think my biggest disappointment, as said, was that they made major changes to the story from the novel. If you're like me and remember the book fondly be prepared for a marginally recognizable version of it here. And if you're thinking about your kids watching it I'd say just reinforce the fact that it's not ok for a thirteen year old to run off and live in the woods by themselves!

Before saying anything else: Yes, the movie is different from the book in some respects, and should be thought of as a variation on the basic theme of a boy choosing to live a Thoreau-like life, rather than as a straight adaptation of the justly beloved book. So I'll be judging the movie strictly on its own terms.And on its own terms, the movie is quite successful for me. It captures the beauty of the natural world, but also touches on its sometimes unforgiving harshness (by human standards). It presents a convincing study of inner development & personal growth for its protagonist Sam, who learns as much about himself as he does about survival in the wild. His intelligence & philosophical musings ring true to me, sounding like those of the bright & thoughtful boy that he is, rather than being just a mouthpiece for adult scriptwriters.In the town librarian (Tudi Wiggins) & the wandering folk singer (Theodore Bikel), it offers two examples of adults who haven't lost touch with wonder, joy, and an inquisitive spirit of both written knowledge & lived experience—both act as supportive friends & mentors to young Sam, while trusting & respecting him enough to let him live as he wants. Each of them offers him hope that he's not alone in the world, as he obviously feels earlier in the story (note his brief visit to town for an ice cream & the reception he gets from some teenagers).Again, the movie is a different take on the overall substance of the novel. Those wanting an absolutely faithful rendering will probably be disappointed—and I'd love to see a faithful adaptation of it one day myself! But this movie has its own charm & depth, especially in reminding us how vital it is to have a connection to Nature. It's even more of a pressing & urgent message today, not dated in the least to my mind. I first saw it as a boy & then several times over the passing decades, well into my mid-60s. It remains a treasure!

I was thirteen when I went to see this movie (I am now almost 64) and it was easy to project my own young self unto Sam. The movie is much better than the book and makes the observer/participant celebrate the "I can do it, I know I can do it" parts of the story with losses that require a measure of grief. The way the movie celebrates autonomy and self reliance and then also show the limits of these aspects of a young person's personality and the need to balance independence with dependence and inter-dependence with people is outstanding. I used to refer or give this movie to clients (as a Marriage and Family Therapist) and continue to watch it every couple of years. We all have this 13 year old part of us that can guide us into new discoveries as we grow older. A "must have" movie for every person's personal video collection or library.

I really love this film, it has been a favourite of mine since my childhood! However, I was really disappointed when watching the film from this provider. Once it reached the halfway point, it kept freezing to the same scenes and then skipping through larger parts of the film. No matter if I restarted the film from the beginning or used the Scene selection feature, it still did the same thing. Otherwise, it had played smoothly with no glitches leading up to the midpoint. I really wish this wasn’t the case and that I could just enjoy the film with no issues. (No, the disc wasn't scratched before I put it in the DVD player).

Awesome show and DVD was in perfect condition! Thank you!

Very good quality and after viewing it, I sold it again (this is a rare cd and holds its value)

Excellent

Good piece of nostalgia. Glad I could still find it.