(2012-04-27 11:50:55)

Touching the Void

This astonishing story is told with masterful suspense and gut-wrenching sincerity. It is a must for any film-fanatic's video library and a "reality check list" for any outdoor enthusiast. The ideas of "trust" and "survival" are put here to the ultimate test.

(2012-04-27 00:23:56)

still in my seat

Joe Simpson's will to survive, kept everyone in my theater until the lastcredits. And it was a big theater with a true screen.It was as if everyone was looking for something in the credits that wouldmake a normal guy out of Joe Simpson. But the credits ended, and you'releft empty handed. Except for the note where it says he's still climbing.At that point, he's like a Steve Young, who after his 100th concussion,still goes back on the field. He's not normal, and you don't ever have tothink he is.Joe Simpson hits the apex of the human spirit. And it's nice to know it'sas high as the death picking mountains around him. And when the pointcomesin the film where he concedes the situation got so bad that finally hereally lost something inside, for the rest of us, you have to believe ifitwere you, that point would have happened days earlier. In fact, it neverwould have happened, because when you leave the theater, you carry creditcards, not carabineers. And a big climb for you at best is ElCapitan.This movie is worth at a bare minimum the time it takes to watch it. Theticket price is nothing.

(2012-04-19 03:28:57)

SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST...

This film, based upon the international best seller of the same name, recounts an amazing tale of courage, fortitude, and the will to live, despite dire circumstances. About twenty or so years ago, British mountaineers Joe Simpson and his then climbing partner, Simon Yates, attempted to ascend a perilous section of the Peruvian Andes, Suila Grande, a majestic 21,000 foot peak that was nearly inaccessible. These two intrepid climbers tackled the mountain alpine style and, surprisingly, reached the summit, the first mountaineers to do so. After reaching the summit, however, tragedy struck on their descent, when Joe, up over 19,000 feet, fell and hit a slope at the base of a cliff, breaking his right leg and rupturing his right knee. Beneath him was a seemingly endless fall to the bottom. When Simon reached him, they both knew that the chances for getting Joe off the mountain were virtually non-existent. Yet, Simon Yates fashioned a daring plan to do just that. For the next few hours, they worked in tandem through a snowstorm, and managed a risky, yet effective, way of trying to lower Joe down the mountain. Several thousand feet down, Joe, who was roped to Simon, dropped off an edge and found himself now free hanging in space, about six feet away from an ice wall, unable to reach it with his axe. The edge was over hung above him and the dark outline of a yawning crevasse lay directly below him. Joe could not get up, and Simon could not get down. In fact, Joe's weight began to pull Simon off the mountain. So, Simon was finally forced to do the only thing he could do under the circumstances. He cut the rope, believing that he was consigning his friend to certain death. Therein lies the tale. It is at this point in the film that the real story begins. What happens next is sure to make one believe in miracles. This is an absorbing, beautifully shot film. The story is told in a sort of unique docu-drama style, with actors re-enacting moments in this fantastic, true life tale of survival, while Joe Simpson and Simon Yates narrate what happened on that mountain. It is an absorbing piece of cinema, as it presents a somewhat novel and fresh way of telling this amazing survival story. The cinematography is magnificent, as the film is shot in the Peruvian Andes, where the incident occurred. Moreover, Joe Simpson and Simon Yates do the actual climbing scenes in the film. All armchair climbers will thrill to the sound of their crampons and axes digging into the ice. My only suggestion is that one read the book before viewing the film.

(2012-04-18 07:53:04)

Touching the Void

This review is from: Touching the Void (DVD) A must have for the mountain climbing enthusiast or anyone who appreciates an excellent documentary about human survival in the ultimate!!

fastmike

(2012-04-18 13:03:40)

From the depths...

This is truly a remarkable story, that should serve as an inspirationto all. Never give up. Never do nothing. Never wait for the rescue. Unfortunately, this message will reach fewer people than it could havebecause it was presented as semi-documentary, semi-entertainment.If it wasn't for the extraordinary efforts of Mr. Simpson, and hisvictory over dooming odds, it was terribly presented. The cutting backand forth to the real life characters was almost always sharp andunexpected, the 'voice over' the acted scenes muted the excitement andthe filming itself looked amateurish.It's too bad that PBS didn't get a hold of this first, where it couldhave been presented more professionally, reached a bigger audience,with the right format and for a better purpose and best of all wouldhave reached viewers time and time again, instead of being forgotten onvideo store shelves.Professional climbing has given audiences some of the most excitingadventures in history, like "Into Thin Air" and "K2". "Touching theVoid" is another such story, but better if read than watched.

(2012-04-17 21:43:58)

A winner

This film has got it all.Unbelievable film based on a true story.Strongly recommended.

(2012-04-04 15:38:27)

Read the book first, you will be glad you did.

I read the book (see my review of the book) a few months before the movie came to a theater near me, I then went to see it. Seeing the actual terrain in which the story took place made it even more spectacular and amazing. In one scene Joe (the real Joe did this scene) is filmed from far off zigzagging his way along the glacier by sitting backwards and pushing himself with his good leg, that scene alone made me realize just how big this mountain is and how hard it was for Joe to get down. Read the book first, it is a very quick read and it is well worth it, then see the film, I promise you will not be disappointed.

(2012-04-04 07:42:20)

A must have DVD

A really inspiring story.I receommend this DVD not just for real story and insipring struggle for survival, but for the fact that everyone of us in our life have up and down times. In many instances we tend to get depressed and get low key even on small failures and setbacks. At those precise movements this DVD can electrify you spirit that we mortal men have unlimited capicity to create IMMORTAL MEMORIES OF INSPIRATION!DVD is very well made. My only gripe is at 3/4ths of movie, it could feel little dragging, but the end fills up the lost time.Go get it!

Dan-Magyar

(2012-03-27 21:23:05)

Outstanding movie - brings the book to life

I read the book several years ago and was impressed. I think the moviedoes an even better job of immersing you in the drama and driving homethe conditions and ordeal Joe and Simon faced.I found myself reflecting on the movie several times after seeing it.You really experience the dilemmas they faced, and get a sense of thestrength of character of these men. In the narratives from Joe, inparticular, you realize the amount of self-appraisal he's had toundergo in facing and subsequently coping with the trauma heexperienced.A great adventure movie - better than any fiction climbing movie I'veseen. The cinematography and acting are spot on. I highly recommend it.

(2012-03-27 14:43:13)

The DVD Extras perfectly compliment this outstanding documentary

This is an outstanding DVD documenting the events and the aftermath of an assault 2 climbers made upon the unscaled face of Sula Grande in the Peruvian Andes. I'm going to concentrate my comments upon the extras included in the DVD because I emphatically believe they make this an outstanding film set. Your given a running commentary of both climbers during the film but the DVD really shines when you see the "Making of" segment included as an extra. What the viewer may not know is that all the filming of "Touching" was done on site and all 3 main characters were present during the filming. They added context, preserved the story's integrity and helped the production crew understand the amount of respect that the mountain deserved.As many people who have gone through traumatic experiences of this grade know, you have little desire to relive them but sometime later one is led back to the scene... to recapture a piece of themselves that has been stolen. The DVD extras examine Joe and Simon's separate but joint quest. The intra\interpersonal emotional conflicts are evidenced in their dialogue and the interaction with the film crew. The strain, stress and consequences of uncontrollable events as well as their actions are laid bare before you to see. It helps the viewer understand the context upon which these choices were made, the weight that was shouldered then and the impact it has upon them on a daily basis. It's amazing that both have survived, not just the events on Sula but the aftermath and all the armchair criticism that has been uttered since. This DVD set in its' entirety is a tribute to the capacity of man to survive and overcome incredible odds. Both Simon and Joe are to be commended at their miraculous survival against nature.Any veteran, survivor, adventurer or would be outdoor enthusiast will be hard-pressed to find a better film depicting one,s survival against the overwhelming forces of nature, uncontrollable events and one's self.Buy it and OWN IT

(2012-03-19 19:32:43)

good movie

This review is from: Touching the Void (DVD) Good movie, good service. Here at my house in Alaska within a week. Better believe that I will be visiting Amazon again.

grnmtnbb99

(2012-03-19 15:02:35)

Outstanding.

I read the book some years ago and now have seen the movie. Both areoutstanding. The photography is fantastic. The story is one ofdetermination, will power, and above all courage. Everyone should see thismovie if only get an idea of what not giving up means. The comardie shownbythese two men is something to be seen. Neither blames the other for theirprediciment, but only praises the courage eeach shows, for surely bothshowa unique courage. One shows the courage of decision, a decision that hadtobe heart rendering. The other shows the courage of determination, andsurvival. I think this movie deserves more notice than it it getting,because it would be well worth watching by all our youngpeople.

faraaj-1

(2012-03-09 14:30:19)

Gripping stuff

Touching the Void is a mountaineering thriller as much as it is adocumentary about a now legendary climb up the western face of SiulaGrande in 1985 by two young British mountaineers. Both Joe Simpson andSimon Yates came out alive and the documentary is based on the book bythe same name by Joe.Joe comes across as an amazing man fighting a battle between life anddeath and calling up every reserve of energy that he could muster. Theformat of this movie shows actors re-enacting the scenes (very welldone and quite thrillingly filmed in the Alps) intermixed withinterviews of Joe and Simon plus the caretaker at base camp.I'm not a mountaineering fan and watching this didn't make me want toever attempt mountaineering! but it is very interesting even forsomeone who doesn't know or care about the subject much.

seagorn

(2012-03-09 00:16:40)

best climbing film ever made

Cliffhanger. K2. Vertical Limit. Such have been the lame offerings fromthemainstream film industry. As members of the climbing community, myfriendsand I would sit through these films and laugh out loud in the theater atthemost inappropriate times as the heroes said or did utterly preposterousthings that made all climbers cringe or burst out laughing. Sure, thesemovies are fiction and made with maximum entertainment value in mind. Butsowas The Eiger Sanction, which had been the most realistic climbing film tohit the big screen. But at least they tried to make it some realism.Then there is Touching the Void. A documentary about one of the mostintensesurvival stories ever told. As another reviewer noted, the strength of thehuman spirit and will to live demonstrated in this story is akin toShackleton's epic Endurance. After visualizing the extent of suffering ahuman can endure and still fight to survive, one feels humbled and notworthy of complaining about the trivial discomfort most of us whine aboutinour daily lives!The remarkable thing about this film is how the director managed tomaintainsuspense throughout, even though the outcome was known from the beginning.Iread the book many years ago and knew the story well (it is sort of alegendin climbing circles and often told), but I found myself emotionallydrainedwhen Simpson finally arrived at the camp and yelled out to his partner,onlyto hear silence. He "lost a piece of himself" at that moment, and finallyaccepted that he was going to die. Of course the viewer knows he is notgoing to die, but we are made to feel his utter defeat and surrender. Itwasat this point, that Simpson accepts his plight: he touches thevoid.Excellent narration and acting. The makers of this film went through greatefforts to make the climbing equipment and techniques as real as possible.They did a great job explaining some of the technical aspects of climbingsothat the lay person could easily relate to what is happening.The physical conditions under which this was filmed are undoubtedly themostdifficult in the history of cinema. There is a documentary about themakingof Touching the Void that is worth seeing as well.10/10. Don't wait for the DVD. See this film on the bigscreen!

(2012-03-05 19:43:33)

"Somebody up there likes me "

When I saw this movie was at one of the Local Theatres I jumped at the chance to watch it on a Big Screen (it was actually the same one I saw "Downfall"at but that came later).I had not read the Book but had heard rumours of the Story ,I was utterly spellbound when the camera started rolling ,the attitude on both climbers was incredible. Seemingly oblivious to the actual near impossible feat they were about to encounter ,there pioneering whatever it takes philosophy was wonderful and motivational .I will not go into the outcome because the reader would not believe it!...you have to watch the movie (get the DVD well worth it),the one troubling part I had was "Joe" while he was inone of his MANY DIRE situations stated that even though he had been raised a Catholic he never Prayed or asked for help or thought about God when he needed him most ?,that just seems so strange ?because in my experience even the most ardent NON believers when they are overwhelmed with fear and up against unimaginable odds they automatically think of a higher power its the code of survival in Mans Reptilian core(Watch the "Endurance" Shackletons legendary Antarctic Expedition). When I finally read the Book (Highly recommended)in the preface written by Chris Bonnington which was a Tribute to BOTH Joe and Simon ,he put into professional context just how remarkable this expedition was .

(2012-03-05 12:11:18)

Beyond the Beyond

Picture HellPicture hell with your minds eye. Then picture yourself placed squarely within the depths of the devil's lair. Imagine the worst fear you have ever felt and couple this with the most painful experience you've ever been privy to.Multiply that by 1000 and you still don't have an estimation of what the men in this story went through!The ExtremesJoey Simpson and Simon Yates are the only men to ever successfully climb Mt. Siula Grande. Their feat has never been repeated. While watching this movie I realized why this is so. The terrain they chose to traverse is so hostile towards anything human that one wonders how they could even conceive to undertake the challenge.2 men, minimal supplies, no backup, no support, no GPS tracking, no modern technology. This is how they chose to tackle the mountain. They did this in what seems to me, a bold and stoic stance in front of God while shouting: Here I am, I am ready to vindicate my existence!This, in my mind, is the greatest vindication of one's existence: To go against nature with no hope of survival, to stare certain death in the face, to encounter madness and still survive to tell the story.PuristsThe first 15 minutes of the movie is all about how they make it up the mountain. They chose to use the single push Alpine style of mountain climbing. In this style one does not scout the mountain and set up various camps and supply points throughout the proposed route. In this style, you carry all your supplies in your backpack and, in one powerful push, you climb up and down the mountain. It is, to quote Joe, the purest form of mountain climbing.Saving My BrotherThe descent, during which 80% of mountain climbing accidents occur, proved more perilous than the ascent. It is during the descent that Joe slipped and got injured, a fate which, under such conditions, is indicative of certain death for both climbers. The impact of his fall was so great as to almost split his leg in half!It is here that Sam proved to be an exceptional human being. Instead of abandoning his colleague, as he was expected to, he attempts to get his partner to safety by lowering him down in 300 foot drops using a lengthy rope.The situation quickly deteriorates and one accident follows another. Not only do they run out of gas and therefore water, but they also run out of any other supplies. At that point, the worst possible accident happens and Joe falls over a cliff edge and into a chasm.The transformationGreat adversity often causes a change in a man. This psycho-emotional change is often marked by dramatic physical changes (as I've described before).Sam assumes that his colleague is dead and cuts the rope that joins them. When he does make it to the basecamp, their travel mate notes the following: You wouldn't recognize him.... He didn't look human....In the meantime, Joe undergoes a trip to the very nadir of depression and back to the zenith of superhumanity. He gives up trying to climb out of the crevasse. He gives up waiting for benevolent help. He decides to do the impossible: He descends into the bottomless crevasse. This is the self same crevasse that he described thus: ....I tried to use my torch to look into the crevasse. It went down forever.... The darkness just completely swallowed the light...When he eventually does make it out of the crevasse he finds that he has an entire glacier to traverse. The situation is exacerbate by the powder snow which completely covers the tracks left by his companion. He suffers from severe dehydration. The glacier is marked by snow patches that cover crevasses. One false step and you are guaranteed a certain and swift death.The Guardian Angel Within4 days later, crawling along on one leg, he makes it to the moraine which is covered with boulders. Every hop he makes there after results in him falling and injuring himself on the boulders. Yet, somehow, he makes it across and to the basecamp. Here's how he describes it: ...I set goals.. I decided to make it to the next boulder in 20 minutes.... It became obsessive...If I made it in less than 20 minutes I was overjoyed....If I took longer I would get mad at myself...Later, he starts going mad. He hears voices and the pain becomes excruciating. He finds comfort in the warmth of wetting himself. He loses all human dignity. Even then, he talks of the calm, unfeeling, hard voice of infinity that urges him on; ...The voice would tell me to get up.."No time to rest, no time to nurse the pain".... The voice wasn't mine...My mind would just observe and take everything in... The voice would force me to move...I Rescued MyselfEventually, he makes it to the basecamp. He shouts Sam's name continuously. When their travel mate hears it he thinks the following: ...I could hear Joe's voice call out to Sam.... But that couldn't be because Joe was dead...And if he wasn't then whatever was out there could not be human...Having gone through what he had gone through, the creature that was out there could not be Joe, It couldn't be humanSummaryChallenging death in such a manner is the ultimate vindication of one's existence. To face God and come out a victor and an equal is the ultimate proof that we are made in his image. There's no luck involved in this ordeal. There is only heart.Touching the Void is an excellent, priceless and timeless story. I urge everyone to read the book and watch the movie. It is guaranteed to leave tears in your eyes.I'm going to buy both the book and the DVD. You should too. Trust me, it's worth it.

unbend_5440

(2012-03-04 05:40:32)

Best Film of 2004

Touching The Void is part Documentary, and part dramatic re-enactment.Real interviews of Joe and Simon are inter-cut with dramaticre-enactments of their disastrous climb. If this had been a straight-updocumentary, told by only interviews, it would have been a movingstory, but would have lacked something. If it had been a straight-updramatic movie, with actors and special effects, it would have beenthrilling, but still missing some realism. Combining Joe and Simon'sfirst hand story with realistic recreations on location is what thisstory needed to be told in the most realistic and scary way. There-enactment was done on location at Siula Grande, with stunt climbersand actors. Watching the story unfold just by seeing the events on filmis exciting, but when you're hearing Joe and Simon narrating theirthoughts on the actual events at the same time, you can't help but feelgenuine terror and concern for them. Take the scene where Joe ishanging over the cliff, ready to die. You know that he did survive,because you're seeing and hearing him talk about it in the movie, butit's his words that ground you in the moment. I've never heard a persontalk about what it's like waiting to die, let alone have a visual imageto go along with their words. I can honestly say that I was terrifiedfor him, even knowing the outcome. And there are a dozen other scenesthat produce the same effect. The majority of this film is made up ofhopeless moments. Hearing Joe and Simon tell their story makes youbelieve it's hopeless, because that's how they actually felt at thetime. This movie is very heavy, and almost as draining as an actualmountain descent would be. Touching The Void is as unique, powerful,and terrifying as any film I've seen in years.

(2012-03-03 12:49:23)

HARROWING, HORRIFYING AND HEROIC

I was not prepared for the heart-stopping, intensity of TOUCHING THE VOID (MGM). This documentary-like reconstruction of a harrowing 1985 true-climbing incident on the previously unconquered Siula Grande in the Peruvian Andes by British climbers Joe Simpson and Simon Yates (who also narrate) is ideal for the armchair adventurer dad. The photography is stupendous, but the astounding story of courage and the staggering will to survive is unforgettable.

Marty Pouwelse

(2012-02-23 18:37:26)

Compelling, moving and beautifully constructed

Going to the cinema is rarely painful. Much of the mainstream fodder isserved up in easily palatable servings which rarely confront or surprise.It's a comfort zone. Some people like it. Some don't. I have a pretty strongwill when it comes to films and I love being confronted, but some ofTouching The Void was difficult to watch, though I never averted my gazecompletely. However, such was the power of this film.The documentary form has been changing. As a local critic mentioned,documentary used to mean actuality. Check out any historical doco on the TVtoday and 90% of it dramatised or (that word I hate), 're-enactment'. Dramaand actuality has morphed into the modern-day documentary form. For thefilm-maker, skill in dramatisation is now usually required, and thecredibility of the documentary will depend largely on the re-creations.Here, Touching the Void excels, for the entire film is a re-creation, but itonly ever SUPPORTS the verbal accounts from the two actual survivors, notthe other way round. The visuals could easily have stepped into thesensational, but thankfully they remain wonderfully genuine.Nearly twenty years ago, two English climbers, Joe Simpson and Simon Yatesscaled the hitherto unconquered west face of the Siula Grande in thePeruvian Andes. The climb was difficult but they made it to the top withoutincident. Joe says 80% of climbing accidents occur on descent, and they wereabout to increase the average.What follows is an extraordinary story of physical pain and mental torture.Joe is placed in predicament after predicament, compounded by ever-presentexcruciating pain. Eventually, when you feel Joe is meant to die, the filmbecomes existential as he starts to question his own reality. His doubts,fears, anger, indeed any emotion, washes in and out of his head. His carescome and go as he struggles with self-awareness. It is a profoundly moving,compelling and thoroughly fascinating description of the human psyche duringa time most of us will experience only once - just before we die. That hemade it through to tell the tale makes me feel extremely priveliged to haveheard it.Of course, Simon had his own problems, which I won't give away, but in thegrand scheme of life are still highly significant. How the two got throughthis ordeal is quite remarkable.Director Kevin Macdonald (One Day in September) realised that being twentyyears after the event, Joe and Simon may have trouble retelling it in thedetail that was required for the film. Consequently, he conducted theinterviews with them before filming anything else, to make sure it wouldwork - he interviewed them for around 18-20 hours each! And it's this whichforms the real backbone to the film.This is an incredibly compelling, moving and well made film, and importantif only as a revealing description of a mental experience most of us aren'tprivvy to.

Framescourer

(2012-02-23 12:47:46)

A deft documentary that marries an incongruous tale to its fact in a remarkably shot surrealism

You can see this film as a story about mountaineering, about the moralproblem of utilitarianism, about either the non-existence or, in fact,the existence of God... My impression was, and is, that it is aculturally sympathetic account of the isolated nature of the (now) 21stcentury human, Godless and self-aware/absorbed. The story is riveting,not least because the film is made in such a way as to render it so,but is less important than the metaphor it represents.I'd also recommend this film to anyone with an interest in trying toget to get to the bottom of what it is to be English. Hawking and theever-spooked Yates are representative in their cheerful but neverflippant memory of the event. Simpson's is a similar mien. However thealmost incomprehensible, mystic heart of the tale is his and he tellsit (no doubt for the nth time)... as if reading a shopping list.Memories of his emotions are reported in the same matter-of-factstenographic as the name of ice formations at the foot of the mountain.All the emotion from this film is in the imagination of the viewer,which, ably manipulated by the films cunning construction cannot failto be considerable, notwithstanding the anaemic recording of AliceNeary's cello-playing (I'm reliably informed that this was a productionissue rather than that of the artist, so apologies to Alice for anearlier edition of this comment) 7.5/10