• eigth below, thirty-two thousand above

[Antarctica map, left.Click to enlarge]

My least favorite place to spend time is IN an airplane. I do not fear flying. Imagine going into a furniture store and picking out the smallest, least comfortable chair they have and dragging it into the far corner of the store--away from the front door so you won't get any bothersome fresh air in your face. Now sit down and pull the chair as close to the wall (facing the wall) as you can. Stay there for several hours, until you arrive in (insert name of large airport.)
    Don't worry, some one will bring you a soft drink and an un-openable bag of .05 oz. of salty carbohydrates. Enjoy your flight.
    But wait, there's good news for your time spent at 32,000 feet above the earth, they're going to show you a movie. A big Hollywood movie--on a tiny Seattle-installed screen.
    Our feature presentation today will be either a recent blockbuster that can barely be enjoyed on your giant home theatre system with surround sound, under-sofa-woofer, and flat plasma screen, or it is a movie you have never heard of, but if you had you still would have chosen not to see it in a theatre near you.
    For your listening pleasure there are headphone-shaped devices in the seat pocket in front of you--crammed between the in-flight magazine and the vomit bag.
    Recently I watched KING KONG (2005) in-flight and fell asleep “on the boat.” On my recent European bivouac I both watched films from United’s nine film playlist and brought my own DVDs, just incase. Fortunate kismet occurred when I discovered on their  list of lofty flics, the delightful Australian production of PETER PAN (2003.) Though I had seen this effulgent production both in a theater and on home DVD I watched it again. Then, following a trip to the bathroom-like closet onboard, I plugged my Mac Powerbook into the power socket, inserted my own DVD and cried my way through FINDING NEVERLAND for the sixth or ninth time. (By-the-by, Jan A.P. Kaczmarek’s Neverland soundtrack is among my “most played” while writing and imagining these days.) These two films would be a full, rich, remarkable mid-summer night’s miracle for your next neighborhood family film night. You do have family film nights on your block, don’t you? It’s Summer, start them!
    All that (the previous 404 words) to say this. Last week I watched a real gem on my flight home from New York, New York. I had never never heard of it and rush to United’s Red Carpet Room in the Denver Air Museum to go online for more info. Once again life has smiled on us all as it was due to be released on DVD the  very next Tuesday. Which Tuesday is now, as I write this, behind us and the film is available for rental and ownership, everywhere.
    “What’s the name of the movie, McNair?!”
  I thought you’d never ask. EIGHT BELOW (Poster, left. Click to enlarge.) Even when I saw it listed in the in-flight movie guide I had to look it up. There was an entire paragraph on the story, Antarctica, scientific outpost, guy and his dog team (eight dogs living below the Arctic Circle.) It is based on a true story. I am going to tell you no more of the story as even a little bit of plot will give it away. You will want to have it unfold before you as I did and relive the  adventure. It also has a good bit of comedy and a sprinkling of romance.
   This is certainly a kid-friendly (PG, but not at all sappy) movie--produced by Disney. There are some emotionally tense, high-adventure sequences that may be too powerful for very young kids. (I make it my policy to NEVER say any film is appropriate for your kids. Every kid is wired different, as any parent of two or more well knows.)
    If you are an animal lover, it will grab you deeply. If you are a dog person (as I am, completely) it will make you want to run out and buy six Siberian Huskies and two Alaskan Malamutes, today! Mine are sitting outside in my vehicle, watching me write right now, here in Cafe Zoetrope (photo, left, red awnings) in San Francisco. The human cast is flawless and under the keen direction of Frank Marshall--long-time Spielberg producing partner (Indiana Jones, etc.) Marshall creates a steady emotional pace that would have been lost in less deft directoral hands. The near perfect score (by Mark Isham, one of our current masters) weaves effortlessly through a challenging piece of storytelling that must jog back-and-forth between two or three simultaneous plot lines.
    EIGHT BELOW, at 32,00 feet above sea level was one of the great surprises of my recent travels. It stirred me on the level of persistently and relentlessly going after something you believe in no matter the cost--even when those closest tell you to give up and the outcome may be bleak, at best.
    The real risk in life is doing what’s safest. So, on your next flight, get comfortable, and watch the stupid, you’ve-never-even-heard-of-it-before movie. You might just meet eight amazing new friends.
    (Just incase, have a good book nearby--and a cup of tea. Don’t be dummy.)

   

 

[Let me know what you think, after you’ve watched this delightful film and watched my new friends, above.]

    [ 917 ]

   

Comments

[Alexandra]

I will definitely see Eight Below- I have never heard of it. Thanks for recommending! I am with you that airplane seats are not the most comfortable, esp as I gaze fondly at my beloved chestnut brown leather writing chair!, and I don't particularly like being helpless at 35,000 feet should anything go wrong with the airplane, but! I love being on the airplane itself. I find it delightfully cozy to be squished in there with a few good books, writing pad, homemade snacks, and if I'm lucky, someone interesting in a non sleezy way to meet for the first time. We Americans sometimes have such enormously wide needs for personal space, that I find being forced to be stuffed together for a few hours is good for us, nudges at our comfort zones! Anyway, delighted to have discovered your blog today!

[Laurie]

Hi Craig!

Thanks to SARK, I found your blog. Boy am I ever glad THAT happened! I haven't checked out "Eight Below" yet, but I did purchase "Finding Neverland" - the DVD and CD. Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts, especially on the soundtrack. The music is absolutely magical! I found the movie a bit melancholy, but loved the imagery. The filmmakers truly captured the creative process. Thanks again!

Take care,
Laurie

[Ed Delaporte]

Gone to the dogs?

During a recent sales meeting North of Quebec, I had the opportunity to drive a dog sled. It was cold. The frozen lake we were on (I think it was in March) was so remote I kept expecting sasquatch (http://www.bfro.net/) to come charging out of the woods to snack (hopefully) on the dogs. Once around a large lake on knee deep snow was enough to satisfy my Iditarod fantasies!

The other unique experience I had in the great white North was digging into my mashed potatoes only to discover that they had been seasoned with anise. Black licorice in my potatoes! Sounds like the name of a band ...

Best regards,

Ed

[Merry!]

I love good animal movies, but have found that so many involve death in some way (Bambi! Lion King!). I have decided to avoid (for now) the ones in which the animal stars of the movie die. If you don't feel it too impertinent, can someone tell me if any of the dogs die in this movie? Even heroic deaths are too painful to watch.

[Jennifer Hartnagle]

McNair,
I have avoided seeing Eight Below even though I've heard of it since before it's theater release because my sweet Siberian Husky, Moses, was stolen from us 8 months ago, and I have avoided the pain of watching his look-alikes. However, I believe I will have to grab a kleenex box and sob my way through this sweet movie. Your pictures on here brought tears to my eyes. Dogs can sometimes steal our hearts away better than our bestfriends. I don't know much about other dog breeds, but our "woo-woo-er" was like a child and best friend to us. I'm sure 8Below will touch my heart. Thanks for the encouragement. And I second the Finding Neverland assessment. Huge Depp fan!

[Shorty]

what are all the dogs from eigth below real name

[McNair Wilson]

Shorty,

"Eight Below" dogs real names? You can post a comment, but you can’t do a simple internet search? I’ll give you a head start.
Character name/real name:
Maya/Koda Bear
Max/D.J.
Dewey/Floyd
Buck/Conan and Flapjack
and, drum roll . . .
Shorty/Jasper