Family Adventure Classics Lost in the Barrens / Baker's Hawk / Rugged Gold / Pony Express Rider

I fell in love with Farley Mowat's book,  Lost in the Barrens , when I was just a girl. Growing up in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, I loved imagining what it would be like to match my wits against the rugged wild winter north of a place much more challenging, the Barrenlands of northern Canada. The movie follows the book fairly well, although it adds some details like the ceremony for Awassin becoming a man, and instead of the boys hunting during the great caribou migration, it had just one caribou "giving himself" for them to live, which wasn't in the book at all and seemed unlikely. I wish the movie had spent more time dealing with the actual survival issues, such as how hard it was to build the cabin & get a working fire, and so on, instead of the interpersonal dynamics as much. I am also a fan of Canada's "Survivorman" Les Stroud, so I would have liked more of the survival aspects of this adventure. In the book, Jamie & Awassin really did mostly get along, but the movie played up their differences for the story. Still -- I loved seeing one of my favorite books of all time brought to life on screen, and I highly recommend it! If you love northern scenery, stories of friendship, and survival tales -- you will love this movie. I do recommend reading the book first, however.The movie "Rugged Gold" is based on the book  O Rugged Land of Gold  by Martha Martin, which is loosely auto-biographical based on her own adventures in Alaska. I loved the scenery and the story of adventure, imagining a young injured pregnant wife alone in the little Alaskan cabin for the winter due to a chain of circumstances beyond anyone's control. You can't help but admire her courage as she copes with everything from grizzlies to loneliness to childbirth, all alone. I found this story riveting and highly recommend the movie.The other two movies are okay, but "Lost in the Barrens" and "Rugged Gold" are my favorites. Somehow I couldn't really get into "Baker's Hawk" much.

I enjoyed all four movies. Each is a refreshing down-to-earth story about life that can be watched with children. According to the movie, "Rugged Gold" is based on a true story, which exemplifies female determination and drive to survive. Regarding "Baker's Hawk", I've enjoyed every Clint Walker western I've seen. Clint's characters are good role models -- mild mannered, strong, competent, and focused on completing each task. I'd like to get "Night of the Grizzly" when it comes out on dvd. "Lost in the Barrens" is about two teenagers, a native American (Canada) and his traveling companion, in survival mode on their way to becoming men. "Pony Express Rider" is about a nasty spoiled son of a wealthy rancher and a boy who became a man to help bring justice to the spoiled son who murdered his father. These are NOT high quality remastered dvd's but I do not sit close enough to my 42" lcd tv to matter. For the price I am not complaining.

I bought specifically for Rugged Gold. That movie is so good. I don’t know about the others. Rugged Gold was amazing though.

Does not play on DVD player or blue ray, is PlayStation. Everything says can not be played

I read the book Lost in the Barrens as a teenager and wanted to see how the movie handled the topic. I liked it although it was significantly different. Wouldn't buy it for the quality of the movies or morality lessons of the stories as presented.

Great scenery, good music themes.My favorites were Baker's Hawk, nice to see Burl And Clint Walker after so long,and Lost In The Barrens. The Pony Express Rider had good old time western stars also.The Alaska senery was breath-taking.

a gift

can't you sell a group of good movies instead of having the customer buy the same old ones over andover just to get one different