I understand a lot of you have read 'The River Why' and love it and are excited for this movie to come out. But before you go supporting this film by paying your eight bucks at the box office, consider holding out for a movie with a screenplay actually supported by this great author. To learn more about Sierra Club Books and Cohen misusing Duncan's creativity, Google the movie and learn the true story.
shareI agree.
shareWhy don't you just tell us the true story here or post a link to where we can find it?
shareI have great admiration for David James Duncan's fiction and non-fiction writing. He also is one of this country’s greatest thinkers and environmentalists.
But as the producer of the film The River Why, I must dispute several of the claims he has made.
After the film rights had been shopped around Hollywood without success, my husband, Tom Cohen secured them in the mid-1980s. He offered David the opportunity to write the script. David was appreciative of the offer, gave it a shot, but then acknowledged he did not have “the Zen beginner’s mind” to do so, so Tom then hired John Osborn (author of The Paper Chase) to co-write the script with him. David read an early draft of the script in 1984, but has not read one since. Tom planned to direct, but the recession of the late 1980s’s forced him to put the project on the back burner and he became a lawyer.
We always planned to shoot the film in Oregon, even going so far as to scout locations on our honeymoon there in 1987. We had occasional inquiries regarding the rights throughout the 1990s, but no serious interest. So, in 2004, following the success of my documentary, “Vertical Frontier”, I decided to give The River Why one more shot and produce it myself.
We filmed in Oregon in 2008. What motivated us to shoot that summer was not the threats of lawsuits (I did ask David to join me in the effort to make the film in 2004, but he wasn’t interested), but rather 1) two of our principle actors – William Hurt and Zach Gilford – only had small windows in which to work because of their other projects – William on “Damages” and Zach on “Friday Night Lights” ; 2) the outdoor shooting season is short in Oregon and we couldn’t shoot in January when Zach would be available again. Zach Gilford is an avid outdoorsman who still leads wilderness trips for kids when his schedule allows and we wanted him in the role and 3) because of the threat of the SAG strike that summer and the slow down in production, we were able to work with some of Oregon’s finest film crews.
I hope our movie is successful for many reasons, but I can outline two here. Part of the film has been funded by what I call “socially responsible film investing”. About one-third of the money was donated. This amount will be “re-gifted” to non-profits that support rivers and fish. If the movie is successful, that amount will grow. It is my hope we will be supporting some of the very issues David discusses in your article.
The other reason is, no matter how the movie does, sales of the book The River Why will increase. The book is a classic and should be enjoyed by many. Its story is so universal, that like many stories since long before Shakespeare, it is open to more than one interpretation.
best to all,
Kristi
Thanks for the reply Kristi. I'm really not concerned about the lawsuits, I just want to see the movie! Any idea when we (the general public) may be able to do that?
sharePlease get this movie on DVD! Sorry about the legal hassles, etc., but the wider the video circulation, the more DJD fans will be generated and the more of his books will be read and sold. I just finished "God Laughs and Plays" and am most of the way through "The River Teeth". I wanted to give a copy of "The Brothers K" to one of my baseball-loving students for a graduation present, but was laid up all summer "fighting" cancer, a virtual prisoner in a cancer ward. I always had a copy of "The River Why?" in my classroom for our silent sustained reading program, but I regret to say I don't know of any student picking it up and reading it. Perhaps video exposure would change that!
shareKristi
Regardless of the artistic problems, I want to thank you and everyone else involved for such a gentle movie. I have never fished the Northwest but have been to the Cascades and walked with a beautiful lady along the Greenway at Union Gap, Wa.
I have fished extensively in Virginia's Blue Ridge area as well as my native Michigan. I know what it is like to be hooked up with a Chinook on very light line, 4lb to be precise. I have lost a few and landed a few. I gave one to a man at the bridge who was too ill to fish anymore but wanted to be outside for the salmon run on Michigan's Rifle River.
Gus is everything I wanted to be as a young man. Sadly, for me, all of the beautiful women in my life got away. Even though I am left with just memories, I am glad they were in my life.
I recorded "The River Why" from Showtime on my DVR. I watched it twice today. The thought that entered my mind while watching the credits the first time was one of never having seen a better ending in a movie.
Again, heartfelt thanks.
Hi Kristi:
It isn't very day the producer of a movie goes online to explain the background. Thanks, I will look this movie up. Hope it is available on DVD.
I just watched this movie on netflix. Fantastic movie. Such a subtle and gentle gem. The cinematography and soundtrack were outstanding as well. A wonderful piece of art. Thank you for seeing this project through to completion. It entered my life at the perfect moment.
Nomad
My wife and I just watched this film and loved it! Beautifully shot and a sweet story. I wish there were more like this!
What we have here is failure to communicate!share
I love it when people make posts like this, telling us all what we're supposed to do, but then never return for any of the pursuant discussion. Ever... but that would come as no surprise, since the OP has ever posted to IMDB before this, or since. Yes, this is their only post ever made. Sounds personal.
sharejust watched it on netflix.. beautiful scenery
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