Author Topic: SURVIVAL in the MOVIES or TV (Read 103861 times)

Michael Masse · « **on:** January 25, 2009, 04:37:33 PM »

One of the things that has really fed my interest in survival has been that of movies will a survival plot or theme.
Just saw Defiance last night at the theater. This was definitely be a real life scenario of the SHTF for the European Jews an how some of them survived in the forest for 3-4 years. Great movie if you are wondering.

I've been thinking lately that movies like Swiss Family Robinson, Castaway, Red Dawn, Jeremiah Johnson etc.. which have really impacted me.

So the reason for this post is to see what movie has impacted you and got you to thinking and contemplating survival and preparedness.

Roswell · « **Reply #1 on:** January 25, 2009, 10:30:55 PM »

Red Dawn and Swiss Family Robinson for sure. I gotta add GI JOE and Navy Seals. More recently Man Vs Wild, Survivorman, SAS: Are You Tough Enough and Ray Mears Bushwacking. That is awesome that you said Swiss Family Robinson, that is dead on. I also loved Magyver, not sure if that applies here, but it needs to be said.

gpd240 · « **Reply #2 on:** January 26, 2009, 09:49:03 PM »

I would say Red Dawn was the biggest I watched it every time I could on TV back in the 90's then bought a VCR tape and wore it out, now I have it on DVD. The foreign invasion aspect hit home.

Swiss Family Robinson, Jeremiah Johnson for the Survivalist and Outdoors aspect

Deep impact, Day after Tomorrow, and Twister. Not that I think a Meteor will hit the earth, but the weather phenomenons and peoples reaction to being thrown out of the norm.

Michael Masse · « **Reply #3 on:** January 27, 2009, 11:28:08 PM »

I forgot to put down "I Am Legend" and the "Mad Max" series. Probably could add the "Terminator" series as well.
Amazing how much media there is revolving around a SHTF plot and what it takes to survive.
Also "Reign of Fire" was really good.

BigDanInTX · « **Reply #4 on:** January 28, 2009, 07:45:42 AM »

The thing that pissed me off about I Am Legend is that he had sense enough to booby trap the street with mines/c4/whatever, but he didn't have enough sense to have more than one loaded magazine for his rifle!! Someone who's really prepared for that scenario would have a grab-bag to put on when he grabbed the rifle. Someone who's really prepared would not just drop their rifle after expending ONE magazine. They may drop it if there were others elsewhere. They would have several magazines stashed in at least three good defensive locations as well as back-up weapons. All he had was a freakin' baseball grenade in a drawer...(*sigh*)

Roswell · « **Reply #5 on:** January 28, 2009, 09:05:50 AM »

I agree BigDan that bothered me too. He was really prepared in one sense, but in that he totally lacked. I don't know if more ammo would have mattered though. He was an awful shot as evidenced by the deer. that REALLY pissed me off. I mean how do you miss a herd of freaking deer?

flagtag · « **Reply #6 on:** January 28, 2009, 09:26:34 PM »

Red Dawn and Jericho

Michael Masse · « **Reply #7 on:** January 28, 2009, 09:48:08 PM »

Jericho has been really good. Been watching it online. http://www.cbs.com/primetime/Jericho/video/

In regards to "I Am Legend" as much as I like the movie it did have some hooky aspects.

I thought the lions must have been CGI because they looked pathetic.

I agree about it being strange that he would run out of ammo. I definitely would have had enough for over kill.

flagtag · « **Reply #8 on:** January 28, 2009, 09:58:33 PM »

Jericho is also on CW on Sunday nights @ 6:00pm Central time.

quietmike · « **Reply #9 on:** January 29, 2009, 05:23:42 AM »

A few less well known ones that I like.

Death Hunt- Charles Bronson is a trapper wrongly accused of murder who leads Lee Marvin, a mountie, on a long chase through Canada's north woods.

Dersu Uzala- Film about a man by the same name who guides Russian soldiers trying to map out parts of Siberia.

Firefly series and Serenity movie- A group of people, living aboard the spaceship Serenity, who refused to submit to a totalitarian interplanetary government and have to evade said government while surviving by doing various under the table odd jobs.

Roswell · « **Reply #10 on:** January 29, 2009, 12:45:18 PM »

I forgot a major one (at least for me) Dune. This movie was awesome and the books are even better!

Michael Masse · « **Reply #11 on:** January 29, 2009, 01:01:59 PM »

Does anyone remember "Damnation Alley" That was definitely a SHTF scenario. The all terrain vehicle was pretty cool.

TJ · « **Reply #12 on:** January 29, 2009, 06:00:50 PM »

I'd have to say Red Dawn was one of the things that kind of got me into this as a kid, I Am Legend, good idea, but i think it was carried out poorly. Jericho is my favorite tv series other then Guns & Ammo TV, the Outdoor channel, and the speed channel. Im not some tinfoil-hat wearing guy, but I do belive that something similar to Jericho will happen in the not-to-distant future, but more likley from Foreign countries than the USoA.

(I'm a complete newbie on here and all I have to say is wow, these forums have so much information and thoughts/suggestions and everything. Love the podcasts also.)

Tactical Badger · « **Reply #13 on:** January 30, 2009, 05:11:42 AM »

Trigger Effect..How NOT to prepare for anything at all. Not a great flick, but interesting.

My favorite line from the movie..."Hey! You're the one that came here looking to buy a gun in the middle of a blackout."

John Q Public · « **Reply #14 on:** January 30, 2009, 07:44:34 AM »

I liked I AM Legend. However, it does have some major plot holes when it comes to survivalism.

One point I would like to make -- if you have not done it yet, read the book. It is a much better story and more detailed from the survivalist point of view.

BerserkerPrime · « **Reply #15 on:** January 30, 2009, 11:32:41 AM »

Concur with JQP! I wish they would have stuck to the book plot a bit closer even though it was dated (1950s I believe). It was very well written.

BP

Roswell · « **Reply #16 on:** January 30, 2009, 11:36:28 AM »

I'll have to check that one out.

Tactical Badger · « **Reply #17 on:** January 30, 2009, 12:18:40 PM »

Just watched Ever Since the World Ended...I really wish I had that hour back. I had to watch it because Adam Savage was in it. Now I'm racked with regret.

It should have be titled...When Only Hippies Are Left Seriously...12 years after a plague wipes out 99.99 percent of the population, and this is a group of people "surviving" in...wait for it...San Francisco. Of course, they have time to be artists and plan fancy dinner parties. Other than that...it's completely realistic. I give it two thumbs down and wish I had more thumbs.

Roswell · « **Reply #18 on:** January 30, 2009, 12:30:12 PM »

People might hate me for this, but The Day After Tomorrow was a pretty good survivalist film.

Michael Masse · « **Reply #19 on:** January 30, 2009, 12:44:02 PM »

The Day After Tomorrow was definitely huge propaganda film but I really enjoyed it as well.

I think Dennis Quaid is a pretty good actor and like most of what he does.

Tactical Badger · « **Reply #20 on:** January 30, 2009, 12:47:07 PM »

I don't HATE you for it..but I beg to differ. Day After Tomorrow, like virtually everything that comes out of Hollyweird is about the actual event and not so much about surviving after it. Yes, DAT had a LITTLE bit of survival content to it. The facts that the kids knew how to survive better than anyone else was pretty ironic. I would be really interested in "The Years After the Day After Tomorrow" Why the Hell can't they make THAT movie?

Roswell · « **Reply #21 on:** January 30, 2009, 12:57:50 PM »

Quote from: Tactical Badger on January 30, 2009, 12:47:07 PM

I don't HATE you for it..but I beg to differ. Day After Tomorrow, like virtually everything that comes out of Hollyweird is about the actual event and not so much about surviving after it. Yes, DAT had a LITTLE bit of survival content to it. The facts that the kids knew how to survive better than anyone else was pretty ironic. I would be really interested in "The Years After the Day After Tomorrow" Why the Hell can't they make THAT movie?

I can't argue with you there. I also wish the movie had shown other people surviving and what everybody did, but as Michael pointed out it is a huge propaganda film and they wouldn't want to encourage that sort of thing.

tash · « **Reply #22 on:** January 30, 2009, 01:15:06 PM »

Quote from: Tactical Badger on January 30, 2009, 12:18:40 PM

Just watched Ever Since the World Ended...I really wish I had that hour back. I had to watch it because Adam Savage was in it. Now I'm racked with regret.

It should have be titled...When Only Hippies Are Left Seriously...12 years after a plague wipes out 99.99 percent of the population, and this is a group of people "surviving" in...wait for it...San Francisco. Of course, they have time to be artists and plan fancy dinner parties. Other than that...it's completely realistic. I give it two thumbs down and wish I had more thumbs.

Couldn't agree with you more about this film... but hey, the plague was a conspiracy after all

Tactical Badger · « **Reply #23 on:** January 30, 2009, 01:53:54 PM »

Yeah, I got a kick out of that bit of tinfoil hattery.

BerserkerPrime · « **Reply #24 on:** January 31, 2009, 11:29:53 AM »

Quote from: Roswell on January 30, 2009, 12:30:12 PM

People might hate me for this, but The Day After Tomorrow was a pretty good survivalist film.

I'm still trying to figure out how he covered so much ground in such short amount of time.....

Hated it. Now if they had filmed it here on North Slope AK with real cold and made them walk from Nome to Barrow.....well they would have died, so again not realistic

.

But don't hate you Roswell!

BP

Dan · « **Reply #25 on:** February 02, 2009, 04:20:53 PM »

Quote from: Michael J on January 29, 2009, 01:01:59 PM

Does anyone remember "Damnation Alley" That was definitely a SHTF scenario. The all terrain vehicle was pretty cool.

That vehicle called the Landmaster is still around some place, I found it on the web a couple years ago. I was also able to find the movie on youtube divided into ten segments about ten minutes each. Damnation Alley

The same user has a movie posted called Warlords of the 21st century that looks kind of similar but I have only watched the first ten minutes so I don't know if its any good.

Sister Wolf · « **Reply #26 on:** February 02, 2009, 04:33:42 PM »

Quote from: Roswell on January 29, 2009, 12:45:18 PM

I forgot a major one (at least for me) Dune. This movie was awesome and the books are even better!

I've never seen the movie, but the books were AWESOME (all of them).

Other than the mention of Freeman, though, I'm not sure how it leans survivalist. And really, even the mention of the Freemen (in the survivalist sense) never exceeds anything other than imaginative speculation about still suits, and caves in the desert.
Now... If we're talking about resistance against the government... I totally agree that that shows up. I mean... It's an entire series of books basically about how government regulation screws everything up, and how all governments are corrupt at one point or another, and how the only truly true good guys are the outlaws. That's a great moral around which to spin a story, but is it really survivalist oriented? I'm not sure...
Then again, is it coincidence that most well-read survivalists I've met/talked to like the books? I'm not sure about that either. There might be an underlying something that I've accidentally missed. What do you think?

Roswell · « **Reply #27 on:** February 02, 2009, 08:08:37 PM »

I picked Dune because of several reasons. The people of Dune are true survivalist. They live in one of the harshest environments possible. A place where sweat itself is precious for its moisture. The Fremen go to great lengths to conserve water in every way imaginable. Not to mention they harvest the power of the sun and wind (and this was written in 1965). These people truly live off the land. They even find a way to grow their own food. In the middle of a completely tyrannical Empire, the Fremen are essentially self sufficient. Not only that, but they are fierce warriors, nobody can stand against their meticulously honed fighting techniques and fierce will to survive no matter what. They have mastered their environment and become one with it. They talk about camouflaging oneself and blending in with the terrain as they stalk their prey. At the same time they are ready for natural disasters (in this case huge sandstorms that are so fierce it will rip flesh from bone). Indeed they carry GHB or BOB, whatever you want to call them.

What you said is part of it, but not quite what I got out of it

Quote from: Sister Wolf on February 02, 2009, 04:33:42 PM

Now... If we're talking about resistance against the government... I totally agree that that shows up. I mean... It's an entire series of books basically about how government regulation screws everything up, and how all governments are corrupt at one point or another, and how the only truly true good guys are the outlaws. That's a great moral around which to spin a story, but is it really survivalist oriented? I'm not sure...

I actually felt that the Atreides didn't screw everything up. They were loyal to the people and were a family of honor. I guess you could say the outlaws were the good guys, but that seems a little too easy. You have to look at the whole situation. The Fremen lived under a tyrannical government that carried nothing for the people and indeed thought of them only as numbers. They had no representation and were often quite literally treated as slaves. The message wasn't that all governments are corrupt, but that corrupt governments can not last. The people must be free. In such a situation isn't the oppressive force truly the outlaws.

So, here we have a book that speaks about conservation of resources, self-sufficiency, preparedness as well as teaching about morality, honor and freedom.

P.S.
I agree the books were AWESOME (all of them)

Sister Wolf · « **Reply #28 on:** February 02, 2009, 09:47:14 PM »

Quote from: Roswell on February 02, 2009, 08:08:37 PM

... I actually felt that the Atreides didn't screw everything up. They were loyal to the people and were a family of honor. ...

Right. I was actually focusing on the Butler family, and the Cenvas, more than the Atreides. You're absolutely spot on about the Atreides. Well, except, even then, there was corruption within the group (not the family, but the .. um.. "cabinet"? whatever you might call the group that traveled with the Atreides). At some point, it seems like every single ruling power has a corrupt person or two who end up *almost* ruining the entire series of books. Even Norma (my favorite character in the books before she goes all playboy bunny on us) ends up being nothing more (really) than a power hungry politician. I felt really disillusioned with the entire world (our world) when I finished the books.

Funny what ~~an author~~ a group of authors can put you through when you let them, eh?

(hey, off topic - is your avatar Hunter S. Thompson?)

Roswell · « **Reply #29 on:** February 02, 2009, 09:52:30 PM »

You betcha. How could Hunter ever be off topic?

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Author Topic: SURVIVAL in the MOVIES or TV (Read 103861 times)

Michael Masse

Michael Masse

Michael Masse

Michael Masse

John Q Public

Michael Masse

tash