Anyone who has spent time in the great outdoors knows that it’s a time of chaos and unexpected twists and turns. We all have those stories of the time a raccoon got into our tent or where it rained so hard we slid down a mud hill.
Hollywood hasn’t forgotten this, and made some great films about the outdoors and the adventures you can find. These range from family favorites to inbred hillbillies out for a good time.
If there was ever a show NOT to watch the day before a big camping trip its “Deliverance”. A group of friends go out on a rafting trip, but end up stranded in the back woods with some, shall we say, not-so-friendly country folk. This movie has become iconic through the years and is known for the special lovin’ Ned Beatty gets from a hillbilly. You cannot get much farther away from a kid’s move than “Deliverance”, but if you want a good fast-paced outdoorsy movie, “Deliverance” slays the competition. Also, who uses crossbows?
The late John Candy and Dan Aykroyd played feuding relatives in one of the best anti-buddy films in history. Chet Ripley (Candy) takes his family out to a popular camp from his childhood for a family vacation, but it’s interrupted when brother-in-law Roman (Aykroyd) shows up with his family. Poor Chet is clobbered, beaten and stuffed with meat because of his overbearing brother-in-law. Chet and Roman end up seeing through their differences and save both families when attacked by a bald-headed bear of camp legend. The best parts of the movie are the conversations between the raccoons every morning.
If you want a movie that will freak you out and leave you scarred for life — and, really, we all do — then watch either the original or remake of “The Hills Have Eyes”. We not only have inbred hillbillies, but horribly mutated inbred hillbillies. This cult classic was recently remade with great special effects and enough gore to make you hurl. And as a general rule, don’t take your RV out into the middle of desert, just FYI.
Ollie Hopnoodle’s Haven of Bliss
Everyone knows about the trials and tribulations of Ralphie and the Red Rider BB Gun in “A Christmas Story”, but few know about this film made five years later. Ralphie is a teenager know, and his father wants to take them on a family trip to Ollie Hopnoodle’s Haven of Bliss. Primarily a road movie, this exemplified Jean Shepherd’s comedic genius and follows Ralphie through the summer. The trip does not go smoothly because the old car just ain’t what she used to be.
A death acts as a catalyst for three friends to go into the wilderness to find the treasure of D.B. Cooper. They come closer as friends as they face a bear with a penchant for cuddling, cannabis-growing hillbillies and an old miser that knows more than he reveals. This is one of my favorites and comes off the DVD rack a few times a year, at least. You will walk around for weeks saying “Suuupernatural.”
See also:
- Wienie Roast Time: Tips for Making an Outdoor Fire Pit
- Outdoor Lighting: Ambiance vs. Effectiveness
- Outdoor Lighting – Driveway Solar Lights
- A Safety Lesson: Lifting with Your Legs
- Man vs. Nature: Top 5 Outdoor Entertaining Hazards
- Garden Decor: Wooden Outdoor Furniture Options
- The Outdoor Lighting Guide
- Discount Table Linens for Outdoor Parties
- The Naked Truth about Chippendale
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