23/12/2021
For lovers of the mountains: 7 must-see movies
When you love mountains and for some reason you are far away from them, time drags on endlessly. It remains only to count down the days until the next meeting with the silent giants. Conquering mountains is first of all overcoming oneself. And while it is not possible to be physically in the mountains, it is possible to plunge into their atmosphere on the screen. Documentaries and feature films about climbers, explorers and rock climbers tell amazing stories about human resilience and irresistible movement towards the goal. The list of films is suitable not only for mountain lovers, but also for everyone who is interested in exploring our world.
Free Solo (2018) - documentary
The story of climber Alex Honnold, who conquered Mount El Capitan in Yosemite National Park in California. El Capitan is a mountain with a height of 2307 meters, popular with rock climbers all over the world. Honnold was able to perform a free ascent, i.e. without using artificial support points and ropes. The ascent took almost 4 hours. The footage captures from the first minutes, and you constantly empathize with the hero and seem to follow him step by step together. In 2018, the film won the Oscar for Best Documentary. The film is directed by Jimmy Chin, Alex's friend, photographer and mountaineer.
Interesting fact: Alex Honnold underwent brain research, and doctors found that his reaction to fear is completely different from the reaction of ordinary people. In a sense, he is fearless.
The Dawn Wall (2017) - documentary
Again Mount El Capitan and one of the most difficult routes in the world called the "Wall of Dawn". Two climbers, Tommy Caldwell and Kevin Jorgeson, embark on a dangerous journey to the top. The preparation took 6 years of constant training. Maximum concentration, honed movements and an immeasurable desire to complete the route.
It was a personal challenge for Tommy. Due to an accident, he lost his index finger, which is critical for climbers and climbers. Then he went through a difficult divorce, but was able to come back and prove that a big goal is achievable if you have the courage to go after it.
127 hours (127 hours, 2011) - feature film
The true story of Aron Ralston, mountaineer and adventurer. During one of the walks through the canyons and mountains, he is trapped by a large boulder. The film shows his thoughts, actions and endless will to live. For 127 hours he was unable to eat, drink and move around. What does a person feel at this moment? How can he not give up before the circumstances? A complex and deep film about the dangers in the mountains and the indomitable human will.
Everest (2015) - feature film
The dream of conquering the highest mountain in the world captures many people. Everest, or Jomolungma, as it is called by locals, does not forgive an amateur approach and makes harsh demands on the conquerors. The film is based on the real events of 1996, when a group of travelers stormed Everest, but as a result of a series of events ends tragically. There are no trifles in the mountains, no one will come to help there, and you need to count on yourself first of all. The atmosphere of the Himalayas, their true grandeur and the serene beauty of the mountains are perfectly conveyed.
Touching the Void (2003) - feature and documentary
It is a rare case when a film about a mountain is shot on it, and not in the studio. Joe Simpson and Simon Yates decide to conquer one of the peaks of the Andes in Peru, Siulu Grande, with a height of more than 7000 meters. The action takes place in 1985. They choose a remote and difficult route of the western slope. On the way back, Joe falls and breaks his leg, and the friends face a difficult choice. How much does a person want to live? What are you willing to do for another person? And most importantly - why do climbers like to go to the mountains?
The film is accompanied by comments from the participants themselves and memories of that overcoming.
The Northern Wall (Nordwand, 2008) - feature film
1936, the northern wall of the Eiger in the Alps. Mountaineering is just beginning to emerge in the modern sense. Four desperate people decide to storm the "Wall of Death", which the authorities have forbidden to climb. The shooting and landscapes are amazing – the feeling that you are next to the heroes on the rock does not leave the whole film. It is amazing how people ascended the mountains at that time without modern equipment and equipment. Some mistakes of climbers now seem impossible to us, but then people often paved the way to the peaks of the mountains at the cost of their lives.
Vertical (1966) - feature film
A group of climbers goes to conquer the top of Or-Tau in the Caucasus Mountains. After the base camp is broken up, two heroes, a radio operator and a nurse, remain, and four climbers go to storm the top. The weather changes dramatically, and the radio operator transmits information about a speedy return. But the climber who received the radiogram decides to reach the top, no matter what. Thus, he starts a chain of events, which the viewer will observe. A slow and deep film with excellent actors and a true life situation. To conquer the peak at all costs is an intoxicating feeling, which often turned out to be the cause of the death of climbers. How to resist the temptation and not let your comrades down?
