I recently read Jon Krakauer's "Into the Wild," and appreciated how the new film's plot line stuck to the book.

The film that follows the story of a young man who travels to Alaska comes to major movie theaters September 21. Before it hits theaters, it was shown at the Blue Loon as a fundraiser for the Denali Education Center. It was also a chance for people who had participated in the making of the film to get a first glimpse. I was lured into picking up the book in a Seattle bookstore just a few weeks ago. I couldn't put it down and felt very privileged to be able to see the "premier" of the film.

Since its publication in 1996 the book has become an American classic. In 1992, Chris McCandless ditches his belongings, promise of a successful future, and the ideals of modern society to "live off the land." He takes off across the country, hitch hiking and picking up odd jobs across America.

This true-life story ends tragically. McCandless dies of starvation in an abandoned bus less than 30 miles from the Parks highway while trying to pursue his dream of living in nature.

Since the director, Sean Penn, was unable to make the premier special showing of the film in Fairbanks, executive producer, John Kelly was sent in his place. "I'm envious of him [McCandless] in a way," he said as he described the scenery the crew encountered during the filming.

The film was undeniably gorgeous. The scenery ranged from the deserts near the border of Mexico to wide expanses of Alaskan landscape. Locals who see the film will probably most appreciate the scenes of Fairbanks in springtime. There is even a shot of UAF bookstore in the opening scenes.

Emile Hirsch, who played McCandless demonstrated professional ambition in the lengths he went to accurately depict what someone who starves to death looks like. Contrasting images of different parts of the character's life showed a shocking deterioration as he starved. The graphic images of starvation in the wilderness are brought to life in the film in a way that the book could not depict.

During the film, I could not help but wonder how McCandless would feel about his story on the big screen. When I asked Kelly how he thought McCandless would have felt about the film, he said, "I think he'd be happy." I find it a little ironic that the society that McCandless rejected has embraced his story.