Your favorite climbing video/movie/documentary?

I looked back through a few months of posts and am surprised that I didn't see a similar post...

What's your all-time favorite climbing video/movie/documentary? Anything on film, I guess, is what I'm getting at.

Being pretty new to this, I've seen a dozen or so "climbing videos" and a few feature-length items. For me, it's a toss-up between Vertical Frontier (which I most likely have watched over 30 times in the last year) and Touching the Void. Both amazing.

I know that there's a wealth of climbing movies from the past that don't appear to be available anymore. Books that I have read refer to film crews on expeditions, movies based on climbs, etc., often no longer available.

Anyone with access to source footage, I'd be interested in talking to. I would like to work toward transferring these to a digital format to archive and share with the climbing community.

Chris

The Eiger Sanction.

The Sharp End

Online "Blockwork Orange" is one of the best I have ever seen, bar none. Though I do like the new dispatches from Caldwell and Jorgeson on El Cap.

On film, probably Dosage 5, though when CORE comes out, I think it will give it a run for its money for a favorite.

But please please please, support these movies yourself, not through a "digital archive" or file sharing. Its hard enough for good movies to be put out when the directors aren't making a lot of money in the first place off of them.

Front Range Freaks

CalmAdrenaline wrote:The Sharp End

Oh, that's another one that finds it's way into the player pretty often.

Great film...well, all but the segment about the dude who lives in Eldo Canyon with the barfing dog.

I don't know about that guy. He's questionable.

Hank Caylor wrote:Front Range Freaks

Last time I watched this one I wondered if there was any other footage of Derek out there.

Is there?

Mark Kauz wrote:...But please please please, support these movies yourself, not through a "digital archive" or file sharing. Its hard enough for good movies to be put out when the directors aren't making a lot of money in the first place off of them.

You misunderstood what I meant by archive. I wasn't talking about a personal digital archive, I was talking about transferring to digital media films that are laying forgotten in a can somewhere. For example, someone has the rest of this awesome footage shot by Yvon Chouinard somewhere.

Many of Messner's expeditions were filmed to produce documentaries...where's that footage?

I'm thinking in terms of preservation, not hoarding.

Specimen is pretty good, but hten again it's the only film I've seen

Hank Caylor wrote:Front Range Freaks

+1
Timmy, Derek, etc. Best part though is the BASE segment. It has this CRAZY guy named "the Spank" who pulls off some great one-liners. He stole the show I think. I wish he was on Mp.com.

Chris D wrote: Many of Messner's expeditions were filmed to produce documentaries..

Here is one of the Messner documentaries you can watch for free online:

hulu.com/watch/126230/messner

The Sharp End
Dosage Series is cool.
Front Range Freaks is classic (love the Will-Ville chimney)
Eiger Sanction
Probably the most accurate depiction of climbing in film yet, Vertical Limit.

Matt Segal came into the AAC library (I work there a few days a week) and found the film "Stone Monkey" (the climbing exploits of Johnny Dawes) a few weeks back. I watched it and it has definitely become one of my favorites. Check it out if you haven't seen it (2 copies in Golden at AAC library).

Christ people, please stop linking to the online ones. I'm supposed to be working today!

Chris D wrote:I know that there's a wealth of climbing movies from the past that don't appear to be available anymore. Books that I have read refer to film crews on expeditions, movies based on climbs, etc., often no longer available.

This is definitely the case. A couple examples I know of are films of Watts/Kauk, et al freeing the Backbone on the Monkey at Smith Rock in the early 90's and George Willig climbing Angel's Landing in Zion in the 70's. These were filmed for TV shows like ABC's Wide World of Sports...I would love to see these, but good luck finding them now.

Either Cliff Hanger or Vertical Limit

Mike Anderson wrote: This is definitely the case. A couple examples I know of are films of Watts/Kauk, et al freeing the Backbone on the Monkey at Smith Rock in the early 90's and George Willig climbing Angel's Landing in Zion in the 70's. These were filmed for TV shows like ABC's Wide World of Sports...I would love to see these, but good luck finding them now.

How about Kauk and Moffet freeing the Lost Arrow Spire on WWoS. If anyone can find that, lemme know.

Gonna date myself here...Painted Spider has some cool stuff on Moses; Peter Croft soloing (of course); Merry Braun and another woman on Astroman. Sure makes you glad Lycra went away, but the whole thing is enthusiastic and respectful.

El Capitan is a don't miss. If you can get your hands on Leo Dickinson's Eiger, it'll curl your hair.

I hear good things about Scary Faces, but haven't seen it.

Chris D wrote: You misunderstood what I meant by archive. I wasn't talking about a personal digital archive, I was talking about transferring to digital media films that are laying forgotten in a can somewhere.

Then this is indeed a noble task and I'd really enjoy it. I wasn't trying to jump on you for your idea, I just misunderstood.

Sweet! Good luck with it!

The Stone Monkey, a video about Johnny Dawes climbing and buildering in Britain cerca the late 80's, is the best climbing video ever made.

the lotus flower tower video petzl has with tommy caldwell, beth rodden, arnault petit, and stephanie bodet, probably one of my all time favorites, that and dosage V is pretty cool, especially the dose of all the crazy hard bouldering in the valley

mcdbrendan wrote:Probably the most accurate depiction of climbing in film yet, Vertical Limit.

Yeah, they got us Aussie mountaineers down to the smallest detail... lounging around high ridges, naked, in camp chairs, with beer in hand.

I've always been a fan of Hard Grit. I did like the new Progression film, but I liked The Sharp End more. Still haven't seen Dosage V.