INTO THE WILD
Into the Wild, film trivia
Emile Hirsch lost 40 pounds to play the role.
Into the Wild, film trivia
Brian Dierker was originally hired as a whitewater consultant. Sean Penn cast him as Rainey
after Emile Hirsch suggested it 
Into the Wild, film trivia
• Jim Gallien (opening scene at Stampede Trail)
is played by the real Jim Gallien.
Into the Wild, film trivia
The moose was actually roadkill.
Into the Wild, film trivia
The watch is really Chris’s watch (a present).
Controversy
• Heroic? Chris rejected
conformity and materialism.
He tested himself, experiencing
the rawness of life without a
safety net. Courage!
• Idiot? He was arrogant,
woefully unprepared, mentally
unbalanced, and possibly
suicidal. Naïve!
Cause of Death
Coroner’s Report:
Probable cause of death -- Starvation
Chris wrote in his journal:
“EXTREMELY WEAK. FAULT OF POTATO SEED.
HAVING MUCH TROUBLE JUST TO STAND UP.
STARVING. GREAT JEOPARDY… TOO WEAK TO
WALK OUT.”
Chris’s Diet in Alaska
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Squirrels
Porcupines
Small Birds
Mushrooms
Roots*
Berries
*Wild Potato Root
• These caused him to
run up a huge caloric
deficit, considering the
level of physical activity
needed to survive in the
wilderness.
Diet
• When Chris became more desperate, he
started harvesting and eating the seeds from
the Wild Potato plant as well. He was already
eating the roots for a few weeks. One of his
photos depicts a one-gallon bag stuffed with
these seeds.
Krakauer’s Quest for TRUTH
1993 article: Krakauer speculated that Chris was
wrong about the “FAULT OF POTATO SEED.” He
concluded that Chris ate the Wild Sweet Pea
seeds instead, which are toxic. (The film depicts
this hypothesis, with Chris realizing he ate the
wrong plant).
Krakauer’s Quest for TRUTH
• 1996 book: Different hypothesis. Krakauer
retracts his former theory. Chris had extensive
handwritten notes about how to tell the two
plants apart. So….. Perhaps the widely
believed non-toxic Wild Potato plant contains
a toxic alkaloid? Again, Chris was convinced
that it was the “FAULT OF POTATO SEED” but
the plant has been know to be edible for
years. Hmmm???
Krakauer’s Quest for TRUTH
• Wild Potato Seeds were sent to a lab, in
search of a toxic alkaloid that would inhibit
digestion/metabolism, leading to starvation
(the film depicts this). Results were negative.
• Then………. another scientist comes forward
with new findings.
Krakauer’s Quest for TRUTH
• Latest findings: The wild potato seeds don’t
contain the toxic alkaloid initially sought after,
but they DO contain a different neurotoxin.
This scientist who came forward had extensive
knowledge about an experiment that was
conducted on Jewish inmates during World
War II who were fed bread made from toxic
seeds.
“The Silent Fire,” Lathyrism
Effects:
Most Susceptible:
Limping
Paralysis
Muscle atrophy – leading
to crawling/inability to
stand
“Young men (ages 15-25)
who are essentially
starving or ingesting
limited calories who have
been engaging in heavy
physical activity”
Let’s look at Chris’s notes again:
“EXTREMELY WEAK. FAULT OF POTATO SEED.
HAVING MUCH TROUBLE JUST TO STAND UP.
STARVING. GREAT JEOPARDY… TOO WEAK TO
WALK OUT.”
Hmmm…..
SO WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?
• The controversy continues. Scientists are at odds
over the toxicity of the plants Chris McCandless
consumed.
• Local Alaskans hold firm to the belief that Chris
was an arrogant idiot who became trapped in the
wild and starved to death due to lack of food.
• Supporters say McCanless wasn’t as clueless and
incompetent as the naysayers say.
• WHAT DO YOU THINK????????