"Countless books, movies and television shows chronicle the adventures (or misadventures) of people stranded on remote islands. Consider, for example, Daniel Defoe's Robinson Crusoe, the beloved Tom Hanks movie and the classic 1960s sitcom " Gilligan's Island." Now , a new Sam Raimi horror-thriller about a woman (played by Rachel McAdams) stuck with her overbearing boss (Dylan O'Brien) after a plane crash, is set to join the ranks of these survivalist stories."
"Narratives about deserted islands often depict the ingenuity required to build shelter and acquire food and water, as well as the mental fortitude needed to patiently wait for rescue. Many of these story lines are exaggerated and sensationalized for dramatic effect. Still, the challenge of being pitted against nature, secluded from civilization and forced to live with only the barest essentials taps into themes of resilience and adventure that have always fascinated humans."
"When real-life stories of people somehow surviving on uninhabited islands emerge, the castaways quickly become celebrities. The public wants to know every detail of their experience-especially what it took for them to endure not just a handful of days but sometimes months, years or even decades of isolation."
Countless books, movies and television shows chronicle experiences of people stranded on remote islands. Popular fiction and media portray the ingenuity needed to build shelter, procure food and water, and the mental fortitude required to await rescue. Many storylines are exaggerated for dramatic effect, yet real-life castaways often become celebrities whose survival details draw intense public interest. Sam Raimi's Send Help, a horror-thriller about a woman and her overbearing boss stranded after a plane crash, releases January 30. Seven real-world castaway stories include Alexander Selkirk, who was marooned for four years and four months on Más a Tierra, 416 miles off Chile.
Read at Smithsonian Magazine
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