A Walk in the Woods

imported
#1

just heard about this from my friend Jimmy Deane…

16 MARCH 2005

One of the silver screen’s most celebrated double acts looks set to be reunited for one last adventure. The irrepressible Paul Newman has revealed that he wants to make one more movie before he retires, and he is set on a collaboration with old friend Robert Redford.

The legendary actor says he is going to give up his two great passions – racing and acting – in order to spend more time with wife Joanne Woodward. But fans of the iconic performer will be delighted to hear he is planning one last escapade with his most famous onscreen partner. “I hate to talk about anything until the papers are drawn up, but we’ve been looking for something for 20 years and now we’re looking harder,” said the 80-year-old.

Robert, who famously co-starred in The Sting and Butch Cassidy And The Sundance Kid, has meanwhile revealed that the likely choice is a movie adaptation of Bill Bryson’s A Walk In The Woods.

“That might be something for Paul Newman and me, if we’re not too old,” said the 67-year-old, before joking: “That’s if Paul can hang on long enough, and we can get him on the Appalachian Trail before he gets in a wheelchair.”

As to what life after movies may have in store, “Cool Hand Luke” will be taking it easy with his wife of 47 years. “The two of us will be together, spend some time just horsing around,” he said.

aswah

#2

I was wondering if in the end they were going to fail to hike the whole trail but say they did anyway…Kind of like a givme shot in golf.

Oh well I guess it is an “everyone gets a trophy kind of world”

Justwonderingoutloud

#3

UGH! As if the book was not bad enough … now a movie. UGH. :mad

Boorah

#4

Which one will play Katz?

Watch this turn out to be an urban legend.

Skyline

#5

The book “A Walk in the Woods” has probably turned more people on to the Appalachian Trail than any other source. It was a humorous introduction to the AT and while it does not fit with the purist notion of “passing every white blaze from Springer to Katahdin” it did give a glimpse of the trail. It is an especially good good book to give to parents and loved ones who want to know what the trail is all about. I am looking forward to the movie.

Skylander

#6

16 MARCH 2005

One of the silver screen’s most celebrated double acts looks set to be reunited for one last adventure. The irrepressible Paul Newman has revealed that he wants to make one more movie before he retires, and he is set on a collaboration with old friend Robert Redford.

The legendary actor says he is going to give up his two great passions – racing and acting – in order to spend more time with wife Joanne Woodward. But fans of the iconic performer will be delighted to hear he is planning one last escapade with his most famous onscreen partner. “I hate to talk about anything until the papers are drawn up, but we’ve been looking for something for 20 years and now we’re looking harder,” said the 80-year-old.

Robert, who famously co-starred in The Sting and Butch Cassidy And The Sundance Kid, has meanwhile revealed that the likely choice is a movie adaptation of Bill Bryson’s A Walk In The Woods.

“That might be something for Paul Newman and me, if we’re not too old,” said the 67-year-old, before joking: “That’s if Paul can hang on long enough, and we can get him on the Appalachian Trail before he gets in a wheelchair.”

As to what life after movies may have in store, “Cool Hand Luke” will be taking it easy with his wife of 47 years. “The two of us will be together, spend some time just horsing around,” he said.

Tony

#7

The above HELLO magazine article is dated 16 March 2005

Tony

#8

I think Robin Williams and Mel Brooks should have the parts. Any other adds?

BW

#9

People bashed that book. I really do not understand why… It was amusing… far more interesting than 90% of other AT related books. You want a yawner… read the two volume set on the AT from the 70’s. I love the trail but good lord is that sh*t boring. Here’s an exciting excerpt: “Woke up at 5:45. Walked 12.3 miles. Saw a tree. Ate beef stew. Went to sleep at blah blah shelter.” Griping narrative made me feel like I was there. In all reality I love all trail books. I enjoyed A Walk in The Woods. So frigging what if he did not hike the whole trail. Really, who gives a crap. I am soooooo tired of AT purists… I personally can’t wait for the movie and think Robert Redford and Paul Newman will be awesome.

Peace and Love from Sisters Oregon…

ASWAH

p.s. when posting hate mail just please spell my name correctly.

p.p.s.s. hey Tony, isn’t that the same article I posted?

aswah

#10

Aswah,

Sure is. I surfed around for the reference since I have never met Jimmy Deane and wanted to dispel Skyline’s speculation that your post was the start of an urban legend. Forgive me being redundant.

Tony

#11

how about Robin Williams as Bryson, 'Al Borland" from Home Improvement as Katz, and maybe Rosie O’Donnel as the annoying girl they met early on, who was a gear head and had all the pop tarts… :lol

-xtn

airferret

#12

I just wonder if this is really good for the trail. Mass-marketed movies & the trail–I remember when “Blair Witch Project” came out, that town in Maryland was innundated with people. It’s good that people can be inspired to do new things, but is it a good thing that-possibly-tens of thousands of people will be starting at Springer every March, every night you’ll be camping with like 60, 70, 80 people (imagine the mine fields!!) You’re bumping into someone along the trail every 10 seconds…Could be a bad thing.

Tilly

#13

Hundreds start the AT,few finish.What is so different about Bill Bryson? He is a wonderfull story teller,articulate and funny.Why do some hikers pile on and put him down?He never said he hiked all the trail.Give the guy a break,and remember,Hike your own hike !

OLD & IN THE WAY

#14

This is so weird…I’m currently reading “A walk in the woods!” Actually re-reading it…I laughed so hard at some parts I nearly cried. Any book that can make you do that can’t be bad.

How about that guy on “Lost” named Hurley to play Katz?

Love the suggestion of Rosie O’Donnell for the obnoxious girl! She’d be a natural. (meaning she’s a great actor, not naturally obnoxious) :lol

Mule

#15

First line Chapter 21…“So we didn’t see Katahdin.”

Last line Chapter 21… “We hiked the Appalachian Trail.”

So Old & In the Way, Yes he does state that he hiked the whole trail when no he did not…not even close I might add…not even half.

Funny book? Oh yeah, great book I agree.

However in the end he is nothing more then a quiter, weak in the knees and weaker in the mind…now give him his little trophy for trying hard so that we can sleep.

justwonderingoutloud

#16

Jeez people…

Bryson saying he hiked the appalachian trail is not saying he hiked the entire AT. Yes poor word choice for a good author, but if you read the book its apparently clear he didn’t hike the whole trail. I could see if his named showed up in the ATC records at the end of the year in the list of thru-hikers.

I don’t think he used the trail to make a buch like people said. Sure it would have been nice if he’d thrown some money to the ATC (I sure hope he did) or done some trail work, but he’s a big shot author. I think its cool enough he picked the AT out of any number of other adventures and actually hiked several hundred miles. The fact is he did bring a lot of attention, but he hiked in 96’ way before the masses did. Nothing wrong with drawing attention to a good thing. He certainly influenced me to give it a shot and i’m thankful for that.

Yes I feel he mis-represented people in the south and took cheap shots at their expense for a laugh, but it’s his book and he can do whatever he damn well pleases. I don’t think he understand or ever achieved the idea of the AT community, for if he did he wouldn’t be bad mouthing good people. But maybe that’s not why he’s out there.

Honestly, I’d love to see this made a movie. I bet it’d be more interesting and entertaining than thousands of movies that are out now that are pretty horrific and boring.

A-Train

#17

All these comments honestly make me want to read it. I guess I’ll make up my own mind as to what I think about it after doing so,but anything that makes me laugh can’t be all bad!

leah

#18

I’ve never really understood the animus toward Bryson’s book. I hiked the Appalachian Trail too. That doesn’t mean I hiked the whole trail. But then I don’t say I hiked the whole trail. Neither does Bryson. If you read the book it’s pretty obvious he didn’t hike the whole trail. So to claim he says he did is absurd. He did what 80% of those who set out from Springer (or Katahdin) do. In fact he made it about as far as 50% of us do. That should be to his credit.

So what if he made a few bucks from his book. He writes for a living. I’ve read and enjoyed his some of his other books too.

I’m going to try again next year. Hey, maybe next year’s thru’s will end up in the movie.

You also have to know that if they make that movie the trail’s going to be flooded with hikers the year after. Look at the ATC website to see the bubble effect Bryson’s book had on thru hikes in the years right after it came out.

Disco

#19

If the screenwriter(s) take their cue from the first half of the book, they will write a comedy. IMHO that was the book’s only real saving grace–humor.

It seemed to me that two different authors wrote A Walk In The Woods. The first half was really funny, the second half was really boring.

Skyline

#20

Read “A Short History of Nearly Everything” and THEN you can make comments on Bryson’s mind.

The movie might be funny, but I tend to be selfish about the AT myself (aside from trail maintenance work).

Section8