Croc-Blanc

Ahh. White Fang. The very title itself brings warmth to my heart as it was the first novel I ever read. Now, this isn't quite an exact adaption of Jack London's novel, that would be difficult. What is does do is take the fine wildlife elements of the novel and fuse them onto the tale of a boy rather than vice versa as in the novel. This is more the story of Jack than the wolf itself. As a film adaption however, it was the correct road to take and makes for splendid entertainment. There are many recognizable moments from the book however to ensure the film is deserving of the title. It's beautifully shot, with amazing scenery so it certainly realizes the vision of the book. It also has top performances from the two leads and nice support from Remar as the snarling Beauty. The bottom line though is whether you're familiar with London's touching novel or not this film will warm your heart. Recommended to anyone who likes a good old fashioned yarn.

Niz

***SPOILERS*** Heartwarming Jack London tale of a hybrid wolf/dog puppy who was out on his own trying to survive the harsh weather and the Alaskan Yukon's frozen and dangerous countryside.

The pup, who's mother was caring for it until she died, due to being shot by a gold prospector, was trying to go it alone with no family or wolf pack to provide food care or safety for it is later caught in a trap by a local Inult Eskimo Grey Beaver, Plus Savage, who gives the puppy the name "White fang" due to it's over-sized dagger-like killing canine teeth.

Later at the local town when Grey Beaver, with White Fang, was there to trade in furs for food and supplies some of the people spotted the unusual wolf/dog and set a huge sled dog on White Fang who the wolf/dog made short odor of. The owner of the sled dog Beauty Smith, James Ramer,forces Grey Beaver to give up White Fang to him for compensation for what he did to his lead sled dog and trains the wolf/dog to be a fighting dog at the local illegal dog fighting pen.

White Fang terribly abused and brutalized by Beauty to be a killer wins dozens of dog fights for his greedy owner until one night in a fight with a much younger and powerful bull-dog is almost killed only to be saved by young Jack Conroy, Ethan Hawke,as the Royal Mountie Police broke into the dog fighting pen discontinuing the vicious savagery going on there. White Fang saved Jack's life earlier in the film, before he was taken from Grey Beaver by Beauty Smith, when the powerful and courageous wolf/dog stared down a giant Alasken Bear who was about to maul and kill the wounded young man and now Jack was returning the favor.

Back at the shed Jack was with his partner Alex Larson, Klaus Maria Brandauer,a friend of Jack's late father who died in the wild Alsaken wilderness and left the claim to the shack and mine to him. jack patching the wounded canine showed the love and kindness to White Fang that he never knew and soon became Jack's, as well as Alex's,best friend.

Striking a gold load at the mine Jack,together with White Fang, go to town to see if the gold he found in his mine is genuine which it proves to be. Beauty Smith spot's the young man and his former fighting wolf/dog and together and with a number of his criminal associates follows them back to the shack in order to kill both Jack and Alex and steal their gold but They didn't count on White Fang. The brave and ferocious wolf/dog put the whole gang out of commission and ended up plowing his ferocious teeth into the hated Beauty's derrière.

Touching tearful and uplifting ending with White Fang coming back to Jack who earlier chased the wolf/dog into the wild. That was after he decided to leave the Yukon with Alex and his girlfriend Belinda, Susan Hogan, for San Francisco to open a hotel, with the money they made from the gold mine, with Jack being a co-partner. Wonderful story for kids and grownups of all ages with some of the most scenic and beautiful photography, around the towns of Halnes & Skagway Alaska, ever put on film.

The film deals about a very young man (Ethan Hawke) going to Klondike , Alaska territory , where there's a mine which inherited from his deceased father . There he meets prospectors (Klaus Maria Brandauer and Seymour Cassel) and they go on looking for gold . The protagonist befriends a mixed dog-wolf called ¨White Fang¨ for its white and sharp tooth when he is saved during the attack of a bear . After that , he rescues to White Fang from hands a villainous (James Remar) who utilized it for illegal dogs fighting .

The picture is based on autobiographic life of Jack London , as in his real life was a gold seeker or prospector . Furthermore , there remains the essential elements as the young-dog friendship , the gold rush , spectacular outdoors and snowy locations and several moving scenes . Authentic film stars are the animals , there appear the followings : dogs, wolves , bear and specially ¨White Fang¨ incarnated by a magnificent animal , middle wolf and dog . As says the warning in the beginning of the movie , the animals aren't mistreated but they're well cared by an exceptional trainers group . The best part of film are the spectacular snowy outdoors , the marvelous landscapes are stunningly photographed by Tom Pierce Roberts . The film is wonderfully set in Klondike -Yukon territory- on the end XIX century and was filmed in sensational scenarios and gorgeous landscapes . The movie is a feast for the eyes and ears that captures the adventure feeling as few others have ever done . Ethan Hawke as a young adventurer is nice , he's a newcomer and would have much success later on , converting himself in a world star . Evocative and atmospheric musical score by Basil Poledouris (author of Conan soundtrack) .

The film was one of the various adaptations about Jack London novel , though differs partially from the book (other pictures were directed by David Butler , Lucio Fulci and Italian exploitation) . The movie got an official sequel : ¨White Fang II, myth of the white wolf¨ , though differs significantly from the book , being directed by Ken Olin , starred Scott Bairstow , Alfred Molina and Geoffrey Lewis . The motion picture was rightly directed by Randal Kleiser (Grease) . The flick will appeal to animals enthusiast and adventure cinema fans. Rating : Good and entertaining , it maintains the charm and magic of the classic novel but still makes for decent kiddies amusement .

In 1991 it was a ok family film . In 2022 it's great. Filmed in real locations , real animals, good acting . It's an almost surreal experience imo . The story is really basic and some bad cuts in the beginning. The actors don't really have much to work with but they have great presence in all the scenes. The settings is strikingly beautiful.

I've never read Jack London's book, but it's certainly on my wishlist. And after seeing this film I think I might finally get around to buying it.

Ethan Hawke plays Jack Conroy a young gold prospector in Canada/Alaska during the gold rush of the late 19th century. His story is without considerable peril and seems to take a backseat to the more intimate story of a young wolf cub who loses his mother and ventures out into the world on his own. Many people (kind, cruel and indifferent) interact and encounter the wolf before Jack adopts him as "White Fang".

The scenes of the cub hugging his dying mother are heartbreaking, and the training the filmmakers did with the animals is really impressive. A disclaimer pops up before the film begins to explain that although all the animal cruelty looks realistic is was done safely.

The scenery is wonderful, but I am puzzled as to why director Randall Kleiser didn't shoot it in anamorphic Panavision. When filming in breathtaking parts of the world it's kinda dumb to not take full advantage. The resulting picture looks a bit TV-ish. But it's a minor quibble.

Basil Poledouris' score is also great. I am convinced Hans Zimmer might have also contributed as there are a couple of tracks that have the early 90s Zimmer sound. But it's definitely Poledouris' show, and it's a shame that a definitive score CD was never released.

For those of you who love wolf, adventure and great outdoors movies, this one is a must.