I have a fear of heights.I also have a new fear of being stranded on the side of a sheer cliff called "The Murder Wall" during a blizzard. This unexpected thriller, based on a true story, held me spellbound for it's just over two hour running time. I can't recall a more harrowing mountain adventure.
This riveting recreation is set in 1936, a short time before the famed (and notorious) Berlin Olympics which Hitler hoped to use as propaganda to tout the superiority of all things Nazi and Aryan. The worldwide news of Germans conquering this impossible, peak was a hoped-for event before the Olympics and something encouraged by the German press. Here two Germans -Toni Kurz and Andreas Hinterstoisser -confront "the last problem of the Alps": the Eiger's unclimbed North Face. They are closely followed up "The Murder Wall" by a competing Austrian team. But things go terribly wrong. The crowds and the press watch the ensuing, heart-stopping drama through telescopes from the inn and chalets below.
A terrible point of no return is reached. Under unimaginable conditions, the men fight for survival, trying to do what's right when everything's gone wrong. This extraordinary drama does not relent. It held me in a freezing visceral grip. I was on the mountain with these men and never once felt that it was anything less than real. If you have a need to climb the Eiger, please make note of the Hinterstoisser Traverse. Director Philipp Stoelzl superbly captures the dangers, the daring and the tragedy.
It's a pleasure to watch a film that covers all the dramatic bases well. Nordwand starts pleasantly, introducing the characters one by one with subtle details that say volumes but with little effort. We get to know the people, and then the adventure begins. I could really feel for these guys, and for once the love story didn't seem tacked on; it plays out like an integral part of the movie.
In fact, the best performance here might be from Johana Wokalek, excellent as the young photographer---you can believe the love she portrays. But everyone is solid, and my only qualm might be that the last 30 minutes stretch a little too long, with too many tense close-ups etc. Still, the tension is real and I felt like I was there; the music is perfect, the sound of the snow and wind quite visceral, and I felt cold while watching this on a hot Texas night. That's good filmmaking.
It helped a lot that I didn't know the story ahead of time; if you also don't, just watch the film before learning more. I was suitably surprised by what happens and never felt manipulated as in many films of this type. The climbing scenes are magnificent, perhaps the best I've ever seen, and you come away with huge respect for these early climbers and what they did with such basic equipment.
All in all, a gripping adventure recommended to fans of mountains, man vs. nature adventures, and even those who enjoy a low-key love story.
One quibble: I speak German and the subtitles are miles off in many parts, not even beginning to convey the subtlety of what these characters are saying at points. Imagine hearing "Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn," while reading, "It doesn't matter." If you're going to spend this much on a movie, make the subtitles perfect! Bitte...I can't give this movie less than three stars-on the mountain, the cinematography is superb and the acting outstanding. To watch these climbers set out strong, then engage in a long, grueling struggle, outfitted with 1930's gear and within sight of tourists below ... it's every bit as riveting as the 5-star reviews say.
And that is precisely why I'd love to sock them with only one star: the story itself is so incredible that it did not need falsifying or romancing. Can we truly not watch an adventure movie without a ridiculous and superfluous romance? And was the actual climb not gripping enough without false additions? The "competitors" were a 4-man team from the start; no living person cut himself off the rope (it was cut the next day, when the men who fell were beyond rescue and no longer responsive); no woman had to galvanize reluctant rescuers, they responded as a matter of course; and on.
If the filmmaker wants to include a fictional story, then the people portrayed should be fictional, as in Titanic. To use a real story, with real, legendary people, and then to falsify it -that verges on obscene. If you would like to know how events actually unfolded, I highly recommend the British production "The Beckoning Silence" based on the book of the same name by Joe Simpson ("Touching the Void"). Right now, it is available only in European format DVD. In it, Simpson talks of how this climb inspired him, what the climbers did and how they must have felt, and mountaineering in general. It is accurate and incredibly compelling in its own right. And yet, the scenes recreating the climb, though nicely acted and extremely well filmed, fall just a little flat after watching "North Face". Oh, my kingdom for a hybrid of these two movies! That would be a 10-star!
Read Best Reviews of North Face (2008) Here
This is an action packed film involving a mountaineering adventure, a love story, and the politics of pre-1936 Olympic Games Germany. Pay close attention to the dialogue to catch the subtle politics emerging in the social setting at the posh hotel in the Alps. The mountaineers make basic mistakes which result in a nailbiting climax. The film is based on a true story and should be watched by anyone who thinks they want to climb a mountain. I'm recommending it to all my dear mountaineering friends and relatives to remind them to plan well, climb wisely, and return home safe.Want North Face (2008) Discount?
Next to "Touching the Void" its the best climbing film ever made. Shows how the early climbers suffered with woefully inadequate clothing and gear to reach the summits of what are now regarded as the classic peaks around the world. Hard to watch these guys struggle and freeze their ass off climbing the Eiger! If you are a climbing enthusiast you will definitely enjoy this film. (Even has a little romance for your significant other!)Save 49% Off
No comments:
Post a Comment