His name has been legally changed to Marty Stouffer. I think that people can relate to the Stouffers brothers: Sweet, quiet, animal loving Marshall (Jonathan Taylor Thomas), who narrates and is the epitome of a young boy; Girl crazy Mark (Devon Sawa); or Marty (Scott Bairstow), the older, most mature of the group who loves filming. The boys take a break from their trip and stop in a desert area to try and find some shade from the blistering sun. | A typical day might include spending between two to four hours at a bear viewing site depending on activity. From the rolling hills to the desert, this is truly an American movie. And Mark only brought three mags of film - about 30 minutes worth - to last the entire trip. I have a hard time believing that a Stouffer brother actually signed off on this movie. In fear for their lives, figuring their chances are better with the snakes than with the bears chasing them, they run through the rattlesnakes as we hear all sorts of rattling sounds and the snapping sounds of the snakes striking at them. The three follow it and discover a cave. Is this a classic teen idol flick? While in Africa, he was confronted with the often cruel and wasteful killing of animals, political unrest, and human tragedies. google_ad_height = 60; The brothers look up and see two F-4 Phantoms flying overhead. Loved the show. Recalls Mark Stouffer, "In Savannah, summer came early, it looked like Arkansas, the people were very warm to us, and we found the house that became the family home sitting just outside of town." OK at times the screenplay does stray away from it's original context and the stereotypical WASP family may reinforce unrealistic portrayals of Hollywood, but with this, with a little effort on our behalf, we the audience can allow ourselves to be whisked away into the young boys adventure, out of the harsh realities of life. But you add to that the voyage of discovery that these boys have with these animals -- I mean, watching a fawn stand up, cross to an actor and lick him on cue -- it's just something you could only call 'the magic of the movies.'" Suggestions? The chef cooks three delicious meals per day and at dinner wine, beer and appetizers are complimentary. When the moose is seen chasing Marshall, a mule was used and the actor called to him with food given as a reward. I want people who see this film to say, 'I want my great-grandchildren to see these animals.'" Their destination is the legendary "Cave of a Thousand . The men are the real-life Stouffer brothers. The moose and Marshall are next seen in the rapids and then the moose is seen walking out of the water without Marshall. Marty Jr., Mark, and Marshall successfully shoot most of the footage they set out to get (including the fabled Bear Cave and the many bears that resided in it) and return home to Fort Smith. Wild America was one of my brother's favorites growing up. G. Allen Johnson is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. They felt doubly blessed when three of the hottest young talent around -- Jonathan Taylor Thomas, Devon Sawa and Scott Bairstow -- were available and, once cast, bonded almost instantly. PLOT: Marty (SCOTT BAIRSTOW), Mark (DEVON SAWA), and Marshall Stouffer (JONATHAN TAYLOR THOMAS) are three brothers in the 1960's who, went not helping their father, Marty Sr. (JAMEY SHERIDAN) and his carburetor business, are out making home movies. Mark Stouffer found the similarities between his family and their onscreen counterparts a little disconcerting. The boys take a break from their trip and stop in a desert area to try and find some shade from the blistering sun. Its fossils have been excavated from Alaska to Mexico. He notes, "During that era, unprecedented energy and new ideas were coming into people's homes and lives through the media. I thought the acting was pretty decent and not as bad as other people say. Bear viewing is done face to face on the ground with bear specialist Phil Timpany. Whenever I am in the mood to watch a movie, it is always Wild America. American Black Bear. The camp accommodates a maximum of 4 guests, Possible sightings of moose, wolves, caribou and even wolverines. W.C. Fields Knew a Thing. If you're looking for adventure, action, love nature, or you need a movie to watch with the whole family, I highly recommend this. Although this is an old movie, I just saw it on television for the first time. Wild America (1997) Wild America. Many of the 260 PBS stations chose to broadcast the programs multiple times each day throughout the weeks. This is roughly the size of today's Kodiak or Polar bears, two of the largest species of modern bears. I saw this film for the first time yesterday, and I must say that I love it, it is so funny but then at the same time so serious. There is a scene where the boys are in the swamp and Marshall goes into the water to retrieve a fallen flashlight when an alligator enters the murky waters. Soon after that success and his decision to pursue a career in wildlife documentary-making, he graduated from college and began his career in earnest. With the use of special camera angles the truck looks as if it is backing up at a faster speed. Despite their father Marty Sr.'s insistence that they cannot afford the camera, he relents after their mother, Agnes, says she will give them her "vacation" money that she has been saving for several years. Well, take three teen hunks who can't act, add a screenplay that doesn't really have a plot (one moment you're filming wildlife, the next you're on a "nude beach") complete with an ending that's twenty minutes too late, stir in REALLY lame visual effects and you've got "Wild America", one of 1997's worst movies. The family structure was secure and I was happy to see that. (That might actually work. The colt's mother was also on set at all times. This page is not available in other languages. During the day, guests explore the area on board . The weird thing is that I still love this movie now. It was very believable and the theme is definitely something I would encourage my students to evaluate and analyze as their own lives reflect some of the same things these young men experienced. The 'role' of Leona, Marshall's owl in the story, was filled by Owl-X, a great horned owl who resides at the National Foundation to Protect America's Eagles complex at a theme park in Tennessee. Don Stroud, Tracey Walter, Zack Ward and Claudia Stedelin have peripheral roles. The three brothers start camping. At that time, he approached the programming managers at PBS about a half-hour-long wildlife series. Some snake photographers will put a nervous snake in a cooler full of ice to slow it down so it can be posed. Despite their father Marty Sr.'s insistence that they cannot afford the camera, he relents after their mother, Agnes, says she will give them her "vacation" money that she has been saving for several years. Wild America is a 1997 American adventure comedy film directed by William Dear, written by David Michael Wieger based on the life of wildlife documentarian Marty Stouffer, and starring Jonathan Taylor Thomas , Devon Sawa and Scott Bairstow . . Each character is beautifully woven and "real". In 1970, Stouffer graduated from the University of Arkansas with a degree in English. One of these efforts was The American Wildlife Project.[2]. I thought the acting was pretty decent and not as bad as other people say. The film was directed by William Dear, written by David Michael Wieger, and starring Jonathan Taylor Thomas, Devon Sawa, and Scott Bairstow . They are nearly eaten by an alligator, encounter sleeping bears in a cave for which they sing back to sleep after a near tragedy, one of them rides the antlers of a moose in a totally stupid sequence. Quotes "We were blundering and staggering our way through those dangerous situations without a clue or a plan of how to pull them off," recalls Stouffer. Please note we recommend a budget of from 7,000 / $10,000 USD per person for our style of trip to this destination. During the journey, they meet a woman whose husband was killed by bears. As Marshall Stouffer, the youngest of three brothers, growing up in Fort Smith, Ark., in 1967, Mr. Thomas looks like a baby Brad Pitt and acts as though he had been born and brought up on the MGM lot in the 1930's, then whisked 60 years into the future with his Shirley Temple-meets-Mickey Rooney mannerisms intact. The wall was made of Styrofoam and a stunt double was used for the actor. Strango and Phil would exchange stories about their wilderness adventures. IT'S HARD to believe the Stouffer brothers would approve of "Wild America," the film retelling of how they became inspired to be among the foremost nature documentarians. Rotten Tomatoes, a review aggregator, reports that 27% of 22 surveyed critics gave the film a positive review; the average rating is 4.5/10. By the time the brothers return to Fort Smith, they have enough raw film to wow the locals with a cute little movie show. I saw it 1 year ago, and it was really a very interesting movie! Set up by Phil Timpany, renowned bear specialist and wildlife photographer, the camp is located in deep with the Niiinlii Njik Territorial Park & Wilderness Preserve along the Arctic Circle in the Yukon. He says, "Having first-hand experience working with a lion, bears, a baby deer -- it's amazing what their faces contain. It was one of PBS's most highly rated regular series, never leaving the top ten, and in more than one year, it was the number one highest rated regular series to air on the network. Panthera atrox, better known as the American lion, also called the North American lion, or American cave lion, is an extinct pantherine cat that lived in North America during the Pleistocene epoch and the early Holocene epoch, about 340,000 to 11,000 years ago. He returned home to a warm reception by an audience of 1,800 local Arkansas residents in the Fort Smith Municipal Auditorium who turned out to view what was basically a home movie. Jonathon Taylor Thomas stars in this story of brotherly love, ambition, and beauty. Kodiak bears are one of two brown bear species in North America and are the larger relative of the grizzly bear. Okay.. Is it a nature film? I'll be honest, my wife is the one who ordered this from Netflix and I didn't want to see it. Marty and Mark purchase the camera & begin planning their trip. google_color_text = "FFFFFF"; Armed with their new toy, Marty and Mark set out into the wild blue yonder to film rare and endangered species, driving around the country in a battered old truck. This rouses Marty's attention and he asks about it. I'm just a ordinary guy who enjoyed this movie immensely. Eight wranglers were strategically placed around the perimeter along with safety lines in place. And not just because of Jonathan Taylor Thomas, when he wouldn't have been in it, I would have loved it as well! Strango would talk about hunting alligators and Phil would tell tall tales about bears. This movie is full of hope that dreams can come true, as cheesy as that sounds, and is even better as it is a true story based on the naturalists behind Wild America. They're so beautiful, it's mesmerizing. A two hour helicopter flight north from Dawson City in the Yukon takes you to the camp Niiinlii Njik Territorial Park & Wilderness Preserve along the Arctic Circle. Of course, the Stouffers wouldn't have much of a story if it weren't for the amazing array of wild and domesticated animals that trotted, stampeded, flew or swam into their lives. I don't have this one yet, but I hope to get it soon. Released in 1997 and directed by William Dear, "Wild America" is a family adventure about three Arkansas brothers in the late 60s, Marshall, Marty and Mark Stouffer (Jonathan Taylor Thomas, Scott Bairstow and Devon Sawa respectively), who dream of becoming nature filmmakers. Mark won an Emmy award and became one of the foremost wildlife filmmakers in the world. The script is filled with laughs, and even if you may not cry at this wonderful family film, you may be close to tears. Fill out our Feedback Form. Despite his injury, they continue seeking the bear cave. Manage all your favorite fandoms in one place! The deer was very tame. After a strange man saves Marshall after going down the stream, he too tells the brothers about the cave and where it is. Later, they display their film at the school gym, and everyone claps, but when their adversarial affiliate DC makes a rude comment, their dad begins to applaud, having the crowd cheer and clap. | But by enduring heartache, we get to grow stronger. Smith states, "We wanted to blend the facts of the story with the fantasy that comes of it being seen through the eyes of a 12-year-old boy. Sure, the three leads are all teen idols, but I am not going to knock their performances because of that. Eager to begin writing, Wieger packed a suitcase and spent a week with both Marty Stouffer and Marshall Stouffer, one week with their sister, and one week with Marty, Sr. and Agnes, the boys' parents. I certainly don't have the credentials to analyze screenplays or actors performances. Unfortunately my dad got the VHS of the movie called Wild America and I had no choice but to watch it. Wild Americais a 1997 Americanadventurecomedy filmdirected byWilliam Dear, written by David Michael Wieger based on the life of wildlife documentarianMarty Stouffer, and starringJonathan Taylor Thomas,Devon SawaandScott Bairstow. This scene was shot in cuts, using several different camera angles. Scott Bairstow, Devon Sawa, and Johnathan Taylor Thomas were great in this movie. "We did outrageous things because we didn't know we weren't supposed to. Sure enough, once they get past the snakes, they find a group of bears sleeping in a large open area in the cave, and they wake them up. The trainer placed the owl on his mark and cued him with verbal and hand signals with food as a reward. To that audience he first aired an unsophisticated movie of his adventure in the North, paid for his summer vacation many times over, and easily made an early decision to spend his life creating many more such productions. Luckily, the brothers know a song that puts the bears to sleep, allowing the brothers to escape with the camera. Set in the late 1960s, the boys - 12-year-old Marshall (Thomas), and older high school brothers Mark ( Devon Sawa) and Marty ( Scott Bairstow) - are frustrated kids growing up in a small Arkansas. It remains the most-broadcast Series which has ever aired on Public Television. Yet this is suppose to be family entertainment. They're barely out of town when Marshall, who has stowed away in the back seat, makes his presence known. Despite the three young actors being "teen idols," they pulled off really good chemistry throughout the film. I just made that up.) Welcome to WildBeare! Marshall uses his brothers' toothbrushes (the green and yellow ones) to clean the toilet, then places them back in the holders with their names on them. Marshall and his father smile at each other. The deer was filmed before a blue screen and on set. It's the kind of adventure everyone wishes they could have had when they were that young." The best-known of them is Marty Stouffer, whose TV show "Wild America" was an excellent portrayal of North American wildlife (and made him rich.) Martin Luther Stouffer Jr. (born September 5, 1948), is the narrator and producer of the wildlife and nature documentary television program Wild America that originally aired on Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) in the 1980s. Director William Dear states, "It's very easy for the writer to say 'the wolf runs to the water hole and chases the antelope away.' As they get up, a herd of wild horses comes thundering towards them. In several scenes, at their home, various animals such as a dog, a duck, a rabbit, a cat, a fawn, an owl, and some puppies are seen sitting on the porch, the bed, couch, chair or being held by an actor. Mark and Marty have a dream of filming dangerous animals around the country, and the dream starts when they find a rare, special camera in a shop where they have their films developed. The pilots see the brothers and turn around, firing missiles at them, eventually hitting a giant boulder knocking the three down. https://www.nytimes.com/1997/07/02/movies/three-brothers-in-search-of-wildlife.html. Set in the late 1960s, the boys - 12-year-old Marshall (Thomas), and older high school brothers Mark (Devon Sawa) and Marty (Scott Bairstow) - are frustrated kids growing up in a small Arkansas town, under the firm guidance (read grip) of their mechanic father (Jamey Sheridan). Marty and Mark draw it on Marshall's chest and show it to an old Native American woman. Director William Dear Writer David Michael Wieger Stars Jonathan Taylor Thomas Devon Sawa Scott Bairstow See production, box office & company info Watch on Prime Video Today Kodiak bears are among the largest bear species in the world and are able to get up to 1,500 lbs. When Marshall is seen touching the baby, the colt was on a light line and food was used to keep him near the actor. Strango and Phil would exchange stories about their wilderness adventures. He is joined by Devon Sawa and Scott Bairstow and together they prove to have more guts than brains. The filmmakers knew of the famous maxim about performing with children and animals, and met the challenge head-on. As they go in a swamp on a boat, Mark throws some bait, but it lands in the trees. Occasionally, Marty and Mark will show footage of their antics in their garage to all their friends. Tracy Walter is featured among the locals as well as the stereotypical strict father who learns to lighten up and encourage his children to get eaten by animals. They even began to act. Last edited on 23 February 2023, at 01:24, "Wild America: ReMastering the Film Collection in 4K Ultra HD", "Phony wildlife photography gives a warped view of wildlife. As a safety precaution all holes and cracks were filled prior to filming the scene. The snakes are blocking the way to the bear cave and the boys are afraid to walk through them, so Marty devises a plan to get snow from outside the cave and cover the snakes with it. The relationship between the brothers makes the movie. There are 2 main caverns, the Forest cavern, and the Water caver. The filming was done on an inside set with a fake hot wire placed around the area that the bears worked in. Two brothers, Mark and Marty, dream of filming movies about wild animals. Also, the boys are supposed to have this love for movies as well. That's a blessing because it shows onscreen." Sometime during early to mid-October winter conditions set in, with snow beginning to fall and colder temperatures. I remember when I shot my first movies and dreamt of one day becoming a director. When they get back to the hut, the alligator man (Strango) tells them about how back when he served in the Korean War, he befriended a fellow soldier named Phil. "There's a certain dynamic operating among Scott, who plays Marty, Jr., Jonathan, as Marshall and Devon, who's playing me. Their parents put up surprisingly little resistance - their "fearsome" father merely chomps on a cigar thoughtfully for a few seconds before giving his assent - and receive a big surprise when they find Marshall stashed in the back of their rickety truck. | ",