Henry David Thoreau: A-Listers Revive His Relevance on Screen

A new three-part PBS documentary series brings the life and timeless insights of American philosopher and essayist Henry David Thoreau back to the screen with an extraordinary voice cast. The project features narration by George Clooney, Jeff Goldblum as the voice of Thoreau himself, and additional contributions from Meryl Streep, Ted Danson (portraying Ralph Waldo Emerson), and Tate Donovan.

The documentary's journey began as a short film concept by Don Henley, the Eagles frontman, who has long been dedicated to preserving Walden Pond. Henley aimed to capture Thoreau's pivotal two years spent living in the Massachusetts woodlands between 1845 and 1847, which inspired his seminal work, "Walden; or, Life in the Woods." With legendary documentarian Ken Burns joining as executive producer, brothers Erik and Christopher Loren Ewers were entrusted with directing the expanded vision for the series.

Christopher Ewers, co-director and director of photography, reflected on the production: "Through the making of that first 20-minute film, we were reintroduced to the Thoreau we were taught in high school. You know, that he was one thing, a prophet who wrote two books, 'Walden' and 'Civil Disobedience' – 1849, against slavery, the product of a night in jail for refusing to pay a poll tax – and that’s basically it.” Erik Ewers, co-director and editor, added: “In getting to know Don and talking with Ken, we said, ‘You know, this really needs to be a bigger project. There’s so much more to Henry’s story.’"

The series delves deeper than common perceptions, charting Thoreau's multifaceted life. It explores his roles as a teacher and in his family’s pencil-making trade, his nuanced connections to the women’s suffrage movement, and his passionate writings and speeches against slavery. Thoreau, a staunch supporter of the controversial abolitionist John Brown, died from tuberculosis at the young age of 44 in 1862. The directors emphasize that Thoreau, often seen as a voice of transcendentalism and simple living, was a man of many layers whose perspective remains incredibly pertinent today, "actually every moment in the last 200 years.”

Assembling the dream voice cast was a testament to the project's compelling nature. Erik Ewers recounted their desire for Jeff Goldblum to voice Thoreau from the outset. Christopher Ewers' prior collaboration with Goldblum on a commercial, where Goldblum expressed admiration for Ken Burns's work, paved the way. Don Henley played a crucial role in securing George Clooney for narration and Meryl Streep, while Ted Danson was a perfect fit for Ralph Waldo Emerson, Thoreau's mentor. The directors proudly consider the limited but impactful ensemble a "dream team."

The film is threaded with dreamlike, immersive footage. Christopher Ewers spent over seven years filming around Walden Pond, Concord, and surrounding areas, capturing every season and condition. He spoke of becoming intimately familiar with the landscape, even naming rocks on the trail. Thoreau's unique way of seeing the "ordinary pond in a regular Massachusetts wood" transformed it into what it is today.

The documentary highlights Thoreau’s deep connection to nature, his tracking of seasons as if they were friends, and his profound reflections, such as how decaying autumn leaves teach us how to die. In a style characteristic of Ken Burns, Thoreau’s words are visually superimposed over stunning landscapes, images of his travels, and events of his era. Talking heads, including scholars, writers, historians, ecologists, and activists, are symmetrically filmed in period settings. They discuss Thoreau’s immense influence on civil rights leaders like Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X, while also critically examining aspects of his legacy, such as his views on Indigenous Americans.

A key aspect of the film is its deliberate effort to connect Thoreau’s world to the present. The Ewers brothers realized how profoundly Thoreau's observations resonate today. Interviewees intentionally "break the fourth wall," speaking directly about contemporary issues. Strategic visual transitions interweave Thoreau’s words with scenes of 21st-century urban sprawl, noise, pollution, climate disasters, and their devastating aftermath, subtly prompting viewers to reflect on their own actions in context of Thoreau's ideals.

Environmentalist and author Bill McKibben powerfully concludes the film, stating: “We built the world that Thoreau feared. A world that’s so noisy and crowded that we don’t have any time to think for ourselves any more.” He underscores Thoreau’s intuition that "if we’re going to make it, we’re going to have to turn to the natural world for help. In wildness is the preservation of the world.”

The documentary culminates with Jeff Goldblum, as Thoreau, delivering a poignant message over footage of Walden Pond at dusk: “‘There is a season for everything. You must live in the present. Launch yourself on every wave. Find your eternity in each moment. Fools stand on their island of opportunities and look toward another land. There is no other land. There is no other life but this.’ Henry David Thoreau.”