May 26, 2003
The Sweet Hereafter
I watched for the second time tonight, Atom Egoyan's The Sweet Hereafter, a haunting but beautiful film that chronicles the aftermath of a tragic event in a small Canadian town when 14 children die in a schoolbus accident.
This movie brought back one of my strongest childhood memories, which I can't quite place. I remember reading a book when I was about eight or nine years old about a kidnapper who hijacks a schoolbus and then holds the children hostage in a semi-trailer buried underground, forcing them to deficate in a corner and eat nothing but boxes of cereal while he negotiates the ransom. I think this book was was also made into a movie in the 1970s and possibly was based on a true story.
Out of simple curiosity I want to re-read this book and experience it from the adult perspective; and possibly also to put my childhood demons to rest.
What is the name of the book/movie that I am remembering?
I found a few things online:
[Reference] Frederick N. Woods, one of three men who kidnapped and buried a busload of school children in 1976 for a $5 million ransom, was denied parole Tuesday in his 10th bid for freedom.Posted by Cameron Barrett at May 26, 2003 01:27 AMWoods was arrested about two weeks after he and brothers James and Richard Schoenfeld, all scions of wealthy San Francisco Peninsula families, commandeered the bus on July 15, 1976, near Chowchilla in the San Joaquin Valley.
They transferred their hostages to two vans, drove about 100 miles north and put them in a moving van they had buried in a quarry owned by the Woods family in Livermore.
While they were trying to arrange for the ransom, bus driver Ed Ray and some of the older boys dug their way out of the truck and summoned help.
Richard Schoenfeld turned himself in six days after the kidnapping. Woods and James Schoenfeld were captured six days after that, Woods in Canada.
All three were sentenced to life in prison.
Cameron, this may or may not be the book you are looking for, but I'm pretty sure that this is the event. I was ten years old and living in Fresno, CA at the time. It was on the news every night. The part about them being buried alive with the bus was very traumatic.
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0440194687/
Posted by: Sean at May 26, 2003 07:20 AM
This one sounds close, but it's probably not it, since it was published in 1995.
Captive by Paulsen, Gary:
Kidnappers force a class of children onto a school bus and head out of town. When the bus stalls, the men force four boys into the back of a truck they hijack. The four youngsters struggle for survival against dangerous forces in the rugged countryside.
This one also sounds similar, but I think the bus driver was an 18 year old female...
After The First Death by Cormier, Robert:
Events of the hijacking of a bus of children by terrorists seeking the return of their homeland are described from the perspectives of a hostage, a terrorist, an Army general involved in the rescue operation, and his son.
These I believe are actually true crime books based on the events...
Why have they taken our children? :
Chowchilla, July 15, 1976 /
Author: Baugh, Jack W.; Morgan, Jefferson,
Publication: New York : Delacorte Press, 1978
Kidnapped! At Chowchilla /
Author: Miller, Gail Moock.; Tompkins, Sandra,
Publication: Plainfield, N.J. : Logos International, 1977
Posted by: nat at May 26, 2003 08:58 AM
Cam, I remember this as the Chowchilla bus kidnapping. It was made into a made-for-TV movie, called "They've Taken Our Children: The Chowchilla Kidnapping Story." It originally happened in July of 1976. Lots of references to it online in association with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
Back in 1999, the kidnappers tried to sue ABC for the movie:
">http://www.stnonline.com/stn/industrynews/newsarchives/august99.htm#2
Posted by: Tom at May 26, 2003 09:08 AM
Funny to see Robert Cormier's name mentioned. I remember reading his books when I was an early teen. Cormier is the modern master of the YA psychological horror novel. His books are unnerving in ways difficult to describe. He primarily deals with the ugliness of everyday people living everyday lives. Good books by Cormier: "I am the Cheese", "The Chocolate War" and "Fade". I never read "After the First Death", but according to Nat's synopsis, this sounds right up his alley.
Posted by: Erik at May 27, 2003 05:12 AM
Cam,
I think the book that I remember might be the same that you are talking about. It was called "Kidnapped" in the 70's but I beleive the title was changed in the late eighties. I remember this particular book because I was reading it into the early morning (around 2am) the night the Skynyrd plane went down in 77. I do remember deep discussion in the book about death because I found it sorta ironic the next day. I also couldn't put it down and had to finish it in one night. I may be totally off but the name Robert or Richard is coming to memory. I'm trying to picture the cover to get the author name. I was reading alot of S.E. Hinton at the time but I know this book had a different author. If I find out I will let you know. I've been wondering about a book named "Leslie" from the same time period that I never got to finish. It was somewhat similiar to "Go Ask Alice".
Posted by: Lisa Crawford at May 27, 2003 08:39 PM
I don't know if this is the same book you are looking for but this is the one I remember. I knew I was not remembering Chowchilla becasue the characters in the book I read were teens.
Ransom - Lois Duncan
Posted by: Lisa Crawford at May 27, 2003 09:15 PM
Cam-
I immediatelt flashed on "The Solid Gold Kid" ny Norma Fox Maer and Harry Mazer. Amazon info: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0553278517/camworld/
Is this the one?
Posted by: Jeremy at May 30, 2003 02:37 PM
Jeremy, I don't think that's it. The book/story I remember was based on a true life story. I'm sure it was the Chowchilla incident.
Posted by: Cam at May 31, 2003 02:02 AM
My mom and three of my aunts were on the bus-- the Carrejo girls. I think it's neat that some of you are sharing your personal perspectives. Good luck in all you do!=)
Posted by: Chasity Labendeira at June 6, 2003 05:55 AM
Cam
It was definitely Chowchilla. I was talking to my parents the other day who still live in Redwood City, Calif. They said, "the Wood's boy was up for parole". When I couldn't remember who the "Wood's boy" was, they reminded me that I had gone to school with him in Woodside High School, and that he was the one who had been involved in the Chowchilla children/bus incident.
I checked my yearbook, and sure enough, there he was, in my class. The only yearbook I have been able to find is my freshman one, and he looks pretty young.
Course, those days are a bit "hazy" for me. And I had moved away by the time this awfull atrocity had occurred.
Posted by: tootseug at June 15, 2003 08:33 PM
Pick up L. Terr's "Too Scared To Cry". It's on childhood trauma and is awesome.
Terr uses many examples and case studies ranging from accidents, kidnappings and child sexual assault. The Chowchilla kidnapping is in it as the primary case. The author interviews the children once after the event and again four years later.
Quite a read. It rocked my world. Good luck : )
Posted by: Nicole Pietsch at June 25, 2003 11:24 AM
