Alive is a 1993 film by the husband and wife team, director Frank Marshall and producer Kathleen Kennedy. It is based upon Piers Paul Read's acclaimed 1974 book, Alive: The Story of the Andes Survivors (which itself was based upon interviews with survivors of the crash of Uruguayan Air Force Flight 571 on October 13, 1972).

One of the survivors, Nando Parrado, (portrayed by Ethan Hawke in the film) served as the technical advisor to the film. Alive is narrated by John Malkovich.

The Survivors

16 out of the 45 passengers survived. The film includes some additional fictional incidents to add action to the story. Actual survivor Nando Parrado was on hand during much of the filming as technical advisor. Nando's mother died instantly from the crash and his sister died in his arms after being on the mountain for nine days.

Story

See main article: The crash and rescue

The film tells the story of a Uruguayan Rugby team (who were alumni of Stella Maris College (Montevideo) and their friends and family who were involved in the airplane crash of Uruguayan Air Force Flight 571 which crashed into the Andes mountains on October 13, 1972.

Criticism and reviews

The film received mixed reviews. Some focused their criticism on the physical characteristics of the cast, arguing that it should have been chosen mainly from actors of Southern European ancestries (i.e. Spanish and Italian, according to the demographic composition of Uruguay), instead of Northern European. David Ansen said that, while, "Piers Paul Read's acclaimed book ... paid special attention to the social structure that evolved among the group ... Marshall ... downplays the fascinating sociological details—and the ambiguities of character—in favor of action, heroism and a vague religiosity that's sprinkled over the story like powdered sugar.

Others, such as Ray Green, praised the tactful nature of the film stating that, "despite the potential for lurid sensationalism, Marshall manages to keep his and the film's dignity by steering an effectively downbeat course through some grim goings on thanks in no small manner to the almost allegorical ring of Shanley's stylized dialogue. Green continues by describing the film as, "thrilling and engrossing as it is at times, Alive is more than an action film—in its own way it is also a drama of ideas, and of the human spirit as well."

Roger Ebert wrote "There are some stories you simply can't tell. The story of the Andes survivors may be one of them." He also questioned the realism of how normal the actors body looked after portraying near starvation after two months.

Documentary

A companion documentary, Alive: 20 Years Later, was released at the same time as the film. It includes interviews with the survivors, as well as documentary footage of the rescue. The 30th Anniversary Edition of Alive: The Miracle of the Andes (on DVD) includes this documentary in the Extras section.

References

See also

• Miracle in the Andes: 72 Days on the Mountain and My Long Trek Home

External links

• Ebert review