Cast Away - What Would You Do Differently?

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Vivi

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I watched the movie Castaway today for the first time since it came out and I took notice of a few things I would of done differently.

1. Should of taken that SAK Spartan (I think it was a Spartan) off your keychain and brought it with you. :)

2. When I got to the island I think I would of done a better job of setting my clothes up to dry (He just tossed them on the ground) and I would of searched the island for anything that could be a predator. Probably gather some tinder and dead wood while I was at it.

3. Wouldn't of given into despair so many times.
 
Vivi said:
Wouldn't of given into despair so many times.
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I remember reading about the first solo non stop circumnavigation of the globe in (IIRC) '69. One account told of a contestant (Nigel Tetley) having the front of his cabin stoved in with a huge atlantic wave at nigh that flooded the cabin. It sounded rather grim, not as grim as being there of course.

On your island you could be attacked each nigh by sand fleas, eat something that makes you puke your ring up or itch like a camels arm pit. Its easy to say you wouldnt lose heart when you are under no hardships.
 
You're correct that we cannot accurately judge ourselves until we've been in such a situation, but I find myself optimistic and determined when faced with hardships in general, so I think I'd fare well. Certainly would be interesting to see how each of us would behave if we really were put in that situation though. I'd like to think my philosophy of depending on knowledge rather than equipment would grant me favour, but there are always unpredictable problems. Hence why I'd go looking for predators asap. :)
 
I was kinda bummed when the life raft survival kit was lost... I know they didn't want to make it "easy" but I would have enjoyed seeing the stuff get used
 
Predators would most likely be insects or reptiles on small islands like the one on "Castaway". Maybe wild pigs could be a problem. I understand a few islands were seeded with monkeys during WW2, although I have no reference to back the statement up.
Human beings are social animals and a little despair now and then might be healthy. Being isolated for long periods of time is bound to stunt normal emotional range. Note the main character did not commit suicide, he found a reason not to.
 
I would have started with the basics:
1) Inventory/survey
2) Fire
3) Shelter

I found the film weak and overly pessimistic. The human body can adapt to pain and tune it out; this film just never seemed to get beyond that "oh, that has got to hurt" stage. Robinson Crusoe was a fictionalized account of the real world Alexander Selkirk, who did find himself marooned alone on an island for 4-1/2 years. The real character matured and grew on the island, and was actually fit enough to be given command of his own ship upon rescue. Almost every culture has a number of religious/political figures who have sought such isolation to develop self-awareness. Perhaps our ancestors, who came up with these stories, knew something about confronting the elements.

The movie should have explore, not just what he suffered; but, what he learned during the experience. Did he cultivate a coconut grove on corner of the island to improve his supply? Did he study the habits of local animals to best determine which were edible and how best to capture and prepare them? Did he enjoy the beauty of a clear and starry night? Did he do anything in that cave to either help him harvest water, or shelter during storms? I found the movie very frustrating to watch. In such a situation the character should have either adapted to the environment or died. There is little time or energy to be wasted on self-pity and despair in a survival situation. It is all about taking care of basic needs, and becoming better accomplished at doing so over time.

n2s
 
I agree that there was a lot more that the character could have done and it's easy for us to critic the movie and in fact, maybe it's best that it is incomplete. It gives us reason to think, put ourselves into that situation and come up with additional exercises that may or may not have helped in that situation.

Being alone will take it's toll on anyone who experiences it for an extended period of time. All in all, the character handled it all pretty well.

Overall, I thought it was a pretty good movie, but I would have taken Helen with me. Nothing like a good woman to give a man incentive.:D
 
not2sharp said:
I would have started with the basics:
1) Inventory/survey
2) Fire
3) Shelter

I found the film weak and overly pessimistic. The human body can adapt to pain and tune it out; this film just never seemed to get beyond that "oh, that has got to hurt" stage. Robinson Crusoe was a fictionalized account of the real world Alexander Selkirk, who did find himself marooned alone on an island for 4-1/2 years. The real character matured and grew on the island, and was actually fit enough to be given command of his own ship upon rescue. Almost every culture has a number of religious/political figures who have sought such isolation to develop self-awareness. Perhaps our ancestors, who came up with these stories, knew something about confronting the elements.

The movie should have explore, not just what he suffered; but, what he learned during the experience. Did he cultivate a coconut grove on corner of the island to improve his supply? Did he study the habits of local animals to best determine which were edible and how best to capture and prepare them? Did he enjoy the beauty of a clear and starry night? Did he do anything in that cave to either help him harvest water, or shelter during storms? I found the movie very frustrating to watch. In such a situation the character should have either adapted to the environment or died. There is little time or energy to be wasted on self-pity and despair in a survival situation. It is all about taking care of basic needs, and becoming better accomplished at doing so over time.

n2s
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That is very similar to what I thought when I saw the movie. I did think they played on the idea that man will revert back to an animal and not cook and not try to salvage his humanity while in a situation like that(played out where he eats the fish raw). I disagreed as I believe he would have still cooked food, found ways to boil water and make his life in a whole easier. Mankind likes to make living easier so I believe he would have adapted or died as well. As well as that it did not show him searching in land much but they may have assumed that we would assume that. I too stand frustrated with that movie.
 
It had potential, and managed to do a few things right. Too many things missing though, and lots of scenes were kind of a waste of time IMO. Tom Hanks is one of the few actors I have respect for though.
 
First off, I would have stripped the clothes off the dead guy, and checked his pockets, etc.
 
That's what I was thinking when he buried him. There's some useful clothing and / or cordage to be had.
 
not only that I would have opened ALL the packages I mean...what if that package he dropped off to that women was a survival kit that she ordered from a website with matches, fishing line a saw, magnifying glass, etc etc hahaha. It may not have been I just dont remember what was supposed to be in the package. But I woulda stripped the boddies.
 
Yes but you have to remember that the character was a buisiness man. modern man who waits in line to be seated in resturants, the only bush he has probably seen is in the winter when his wife stops shaving her legs,
We all love camping and getting out into the bush, but a big part of that is knowing that civilisation will be waiting when you decide to go home.
How many people have been caught out in a power blackout, or interuption to water supply, even a couple of hours without the building blocks of modern civilisation sees me sharpening a stick and stalking the neighbours cats in a tattered loincloth.:D
 
I went on a long walk this morning through a park, staying off the trails of course. Can read about it in Whine and Cheese. I was going around getting drinks of water off leaves, making cordage out of grass etc. Was a fun time.
 
Somebody beat me to the Helen Hunt line, but actually I think I would have rather taken along the sculptor woman that he delivers the package to at the end of the movie.

What would I do differently? I guess I would have been better prepared with a decent pocketful of useful goodies. And I wouldn't have wasted my torch batteries by fiddling with the torch so much and then falling asleep with the danged thing turned on.

It was a good movie to get people thinking. Unfortunately they made the friction fire lighting look too easy with their artistic licence, but it was still an entertaining tale.

I think my deep interest in wilderness survival was largely influenced by a book I read several times when quite young. This was a very old edition of the "Swiss Family Robinson". The date written on the inside is something like 1896. The author is obviously very interested in utilizing what nature provides and it appears to me that the story largely centers around the authors apparent knowledge of useful plants and animals. It is great read about an emigrant family who become shipwrecked and live on an unknown island.
 
I'll have to check that out. I love those kind of stories. Walden is what hooked me on them.
 
IMHO, the desire to survive is paramount to any other factor. Forget being on solid ground, and other skills: remember after the Tsunami an indonesian woman was floating around at sea for weeks on some wooden wall of a shantytown hut? What did she have? Even if she had a PSK, probably the only thing available was the fishing kit. What about water - no desalinator there. Micropur tablets wouldn't help. She survived on true grit.

We have also known of trained and healthy soldiers who gave up in the wilds. 3 aviators barely survived in Northern Australia when their plane crashed there during WW2. And that place is full of food and drink, so to speak. Still, they barely made it and was pondering death when approached by an aboriginal who was observing them for 3 days to be sure they were not enemies. They were not alone. And had some gear with them.

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About 10 years ago, a team of SAS and (kindly like) SWATs from UK and HK went to the deepest part of Sarawak, Borneo - despite repeated discouragement from the Malaysian army. The place was so bad, even we didn't go there. IIRC, they got lost. 3-4 died, 4-5 badly and permanently injured. The CO - a UK SAS colonel or something, was court martialed together with some other officers. (It took a lot of our Rangers to get them out). Highly trained soldiers, fit, equipped.
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Finally, what about the american girl who's plane crashed in South America (forgot the details)? She walked outta there - maggot infested but alive.

I think Cast Away has a lesson for me: when you allow yourself to be fattened and softened by the comforts we built around us, neglecting to be prepared, then the first thing to go is to remember to survive. Of course, with that gone, whatever kit we have on us is almost useless. Unless its something that can empower us. A laminated pic of our love ones, and some key verses from whatever religion we follow, would go quite far in that respect. Owning and possessing the best Bob Loveless knife in that situation would be next to useless, if we are not driven to fight and live.
 
I've stayed out of "Castaway" talk up til now. Can't stand that film. After five years, bussiness man or not all this loser did was talk to a ball, draw stick figures on a cave wall and contemplate suicide useing up all the vine on the island. Wasn't til the half crapper blew ashore did he try to get off the rock.
With all that palm and coconut fiber there he should figured out how to atleast make some sandles:confused: not to mention a sail. Hell, to me it would be like being in prison, nothin but time to figure a way out.

:thumbdn: :thumbdn:
 
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