This movie was one of the first movies I ever remember seeing as a kid. Viewed it on one of the most state-of-the-art big screens in the 60's. Yeah, it was a very impressive film for a kid my age (10). Based on a book that came out the year I was born.
I just saw the movie again (47 years later) on Netflix and I am stunned to realize how much it changed my life. I was a runaway in Seattle (1976), although for me it was more about running into future opportunity rather than running away from past problems. I learned from this movie. Challenging to live on my own at age 16 in the big world. I now live my life on the side of a mountain... quite happily I might add. Never quite understood how I began to 'think outside the box', but this film is all about thinking outside the box. It's a revolutionary concept of independence... no cell phone, indeed, the kid is not depending on other people, parents, or government to solve his problems. The kid is really arrogant, but hey, he's 12 years old. How many 12 year olds today would try this? Imagine a world where kids decided they wanted to take responsibility for their choices.
If you can get past the errors of the script and arrogance of the kid (that's why I gave it a 7)... this film really has got something to offer most everyone.
I just saw the movie again (47 years later) on Netflix and I am stunned to realize how much it changed my life. I was a runaway in Seattle (1976), although for me it was more about running into future opportunity rather than running away from past problems. I learned from this movie. Challenging to live on my own at age 16 in the big world. I now live my life on the side of a mountain... quite happily I might add. Never quite understood how I began to 'think outside the box', but this film is all about thinking outside the box. It's a revolutionary concept of independence... no cell phone, indeed, the kid is not depending on other people, parents, or government to solve his problems. The kid is really arrogant, but hey, he's 12 years old. How many 12 year olds today would try this? Imagine a world where kids decided they wanted to take responsibility for their choices.
If you can get past the errors of the script and arrogance of the kid (that's why I gave it a 7)... this film really has got something to offer most everyone.