In mid-winter, when much of the story takes place, the sun doesn’t reach the horizon and temperatures plunge to 50, 60, or even 70 degrees below zero Fahrenheit. In summertime, the advantages of 20-hour daylight are offset by horrendous swarms of mosquitoes, among other challenges. Techniques including computer-generated imagery enabled the latest filmmakers to shoot the entire production without leaving California, and it’s hard to criticize them for not using authentic Yukon locations. Such is the enduring power of the story-a dog named Buck is kidnapped from California and thrust into the frozen wilds of the Far North-that this is the ninth time that the 1903 novel has been adapted for film or television. His best-known Yukon book, The Call of the Wild, has been translated into nearly 100 languages, and will be released in February as a movie starring Harrison Ford as a Klondike gold prospector. Questing for gold, what he found instead was inspiration and material for one of the most successful literary careers of all time. Library of Congress Jack London Collection / The Huntington Library, San Marino, California Though his time in the Yukon was brutal, Jack London (right, in 1896) was grateful: “It was in the Klondike that I found myself. Left, the riverfront in Dawson City, Yukon Territory, December 1897. This article is a selection from the November 2019 issue of Smithsonian magazine Buy Subscribe to Smithsonian magazine now for just $12
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |