Lost had a strong start in 2004. An international group of seemingly ordinary travelers crashes into a deserted island and has to survive. The focus has changed more than once in the past three seasons, but the core premise is the same – making a home in the wilderness, and either staying sane (if the survivor is alone) or rebuilding society (if a group is stranded). It’s appealing, and has been for ages. Robinson Crusoe capitalized on it; so did Survivor. But neither of these managed to get a volleyball its own entry on IMDb.
Robert Zemeckis' Cast Away (2000) did just that. Tom Hanks as Chuck had wonderful chemistry with the ball – more so, in fact, than he did with Helen Hunt as Kelly. There were no wasted scenes, and no wasted energy. The most powerful moments were the most understated, as when Chuck and Wilson discussed a suicide test run.
If you haven’t seen the film, or if it’s been a while, here’s a summary: Chuck is harried, time-obsessed FedEx employee. His job is to make sure that deliveries arrive on time, worldwide. Time and timeliness are his Thing, capital T.
So of course, when it’s most important for him to arrive home on time and make a life with his true love, the plane he’s in crashes on a deserted island. This island is truly deserted: no beach resort, no village of Others. Just a few scraggly trees, a few caves and cliffs, and the ocean. Chuck has to make fire and shelter, and collect food and water – Lost fans and Scouts may cringe at his efforts and priorities, but Chuck is a man of the late 20th century, and his lifestyle doesn't allow room for outdoor survival skills. Chuck eventually goes against his FedEx instincts and begins to use the packages from his delivery plane as tools. Enter Wilson the Volleyball.
Chuck does manage to appease the type-A aspects of his personality; he devises a sundial calendar on the wall of his cave. He may not be able to deliver his packages overnight, but he can still tell the date.
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