Posted by BDavis on August 27, 1997 at 23:11:39:
I've been reading the notes here for a while and I don't think anyone has mentioned visiting Chimney Rock Park where the ending scenes were shot. If you haven't, then you're really missing something! First, some advice...avoid it during the summer vacation season, the entire little town of Chimney Rock and Lake Lure is bumper to bumper traffic, it's awful. However, I first visited last April on a weekday morning right when they opened and just as some rain was moving in. Let me tell you, driving up that winding road leading to the Mountain and Hickory Nut Falls while listening to the theme of "LOTM" put chills down my spine!
Even better, when I got there it was practically empty. After climbing the steps to the top I approached the highest part of the trail, which led to the falls and then circled on over to the cliff trail, and the rain began falling lightly while the wind began roaring through the treetops. I felt like I would be swept right off the mountain at any minute, but man what a feeling! After getting to the top of the falls where Magua bit the dust you then descend slightly to the cliff trail and are able to see the locations of all of those great scenes. A truly great place to visit, whether you love the movie or not, but make sure you go at the right time!
A few other things I thought I might mention: I just saw part of a pretty good movie called "The Journey of August King", starring Jason Patric, which is set and filmed in the NC Mtns. It deals with a runaway slave that he befriends. Some of the music sounds like it's almost directly out of "LOTM", and the scenery is very familiar as well. It's definitely worth checking out. For those who really want to read a gritty, accurate "no holds barred" account of frontier life, including the French and Indian War, then you should check out Alan Eckert's "Narratives of America" series. The titles include, "The Frontiersmen" and "The Conquerors". Great books! Also, I have several wav files from "LOTM" available, including the "River Walk" (I still say it's "subtle". If anyone would to receive some of them let me know and I'll send them out.