Into The Wild

Today I am going to discuss what is probably one my favorite movie soundtracks of all time, and the reason I am talking about it is because it is by Eddie Vedder. Eddie Vedder is not only the lead singer of  the rock band Pearl Jam, but a musical genius himself. 

This is Eddie Vedder.

  The  nonfictional story of the movie revolves around the life choices made by Christopher Mcandless, a man who faced many hardships and decided to leave behind  his whole life, burn all his money, and his disgust of society, led him to surviving in the Alaska wilderness for quite a while. Christopher made a fake name to those who saw him on his way up north which was Alexander Supertramp.  The weather was brutal and cold and his only shelter was an abandoned bus in the middle of the forest. Christopher lived off of whatever meat he could find, until the cold had eventually caused the animals to stray.  Starving to death, out of rice and meat, Christopher is too afraid to cross the river that would lead him right to a small town full of people. With his fear holding him back, he makes the desperate mistake of picking a sweet pea plant and digesting it. The next morning he had trouble breathing and was crying out in pain. The plant was poisonous and he was now alone, left to die because of bad choice and dream to live away from society alone. On his death bed, more like a worn out mattress, he writes that happiness is found with others and never alone. To this day the true story of how he died is still a mystery... 

The story is very disappointing, but the soundtrack is amazing. Every song takes you on this trip, an impossible dream of seeking peace out far alone without anything but the thrill of knowing you are away. I listen to this soundtrack whenever I am out in nature because the lyrics reflect the sun, the wilderness, and what it would be like to be somewhere with "No Ceiling". I especially love the use of a soft acoustic guitar as sometimes its noise seems to slow things down. The song "Tuolumme" is 1 minute of this serenity.  Closing your eyes to the soundtrack allows you to picture a bright yet fading sunset, similar to how our hopes may dim.  The reason I admire this soundtrack is because it is brutal yet soft. the lyrics once you realize what they are saying adjust your perspective on the world around, and the lyrics ''I am falling, safely to the ground'', in the song "Long Nights", many can connect with because staying strong as life messes with us, is a very challenging thing to do. In great contrast, the songs like "Rise'', make you see an exit to the dark forest of life and think although it is faint there are things ahead and to look forward to. 

This movie also lets us get in touch with our wild, and crazy sides we all have at times where things may not be chosen wisely. "The Wolf'', is an example of this craziness, and the howling in it makes you realize how Jurassic the realization you are slowly dying would be.

In conclusion, I love this soundtrack because of the various emotions you get listening to it, and how it takes you away from society and its depression, to being lost in an Alaskan forest.