La Mort suspendue

'To be seen on a big screen!!'

I hated that line. I never thought it made much sense. Sure, when everyone had 13-inch television sets and a mono-VCR, I could understand how the movie going experience would be more enhanced at the local multi-plex. But in today's world of large screen, letterboxed television sets with surround sound sub-woofered DVD players, could I not enjoy any of the Lord of the Rings trilogy at home just the same as forking over $13 sans popcorn and parking to sit beside a bunch of strangers in the dark that will undoubtedly chat non-stop behind me and ignore my discomforting shhh's? (whew, deep breath!)

'To be seen on a big screen!!' You won't ever get me uttering those seven dirty words to any friend of family.

But a funny thing happened on my way to review heaven, and that funny thing included the newly DVD released true story of two mountain climbers in peril in film Touching the Void.

Based on the true story of Joe Simpson and Simon Yates, Touching the Void takes us on an adventure of endurance and the struggle for survival of two young British climbers in the 1980's that attempt to reach the summit of the Siula Grande in Peru. Their hopeful two-day venture is met with catastrophe when Joe accidentally slips and gruesomely breaks his leg and decisions by both men are made that will ultimately seal their fate.

Sound exciting? You have no idea.

Directed in a documentary style using the real Joe Simpson and Simon Yates as narrators to actors recreating their ordeal, Touching the Void follows the journey of one man trying to save another from inevitable death only to eventually cut him loose when reality supplants hope.

Now separated, Simon deals with his demons of leaving a friend to die while the very much alive in spirit, Joe, struggles for days on end with a broken leg to crawl and climb over treacherous terrain to reunite with hopefully still-in-tact base camp.

As the film is narrated by two of the three participants in the story, is comes as no surprise that Joe survived his weeklong struggle. However, knowing the outcome in no way counters the impact of the ordeal. When Joe starts hallucinating due to the lack of water or has to take one hop at a time over a rocky landscape that leaves him with abrasions and pain that you would almost feel through the screen, you are still met with an edge of your seat tension, rooting for the will of a man to take each day in 20 minute segments of accomplishments in movement.

What makes Touching the Void so unique and different from other documentaries is the truthfulness of the two leads. They hold back nothing in an attempt not to sugarcoat the horror. Simon talks about thinking about the stories and lies he might tell in order to cover up what was a burdening decision to leave a friend behind. And Joe talks about yelling at Simon in anger and being surprised at how Simon developed a plan to take the two of them down the mountain when an injury of this sort was almost certain death.

But what really made this film stand out in my memory are the landscape shots of the mountain. Filmed both in Peru and Europe, the mountain's icy crevices and snow-banked cliffs were beautifully photographed and captured by director Kevin MacDonald. When Joe falls into a crevice that would be undeniable death for even a seasoned climber, we are left with a sense of claustrophobia and loneliness that is hard for even the most seasoned of directors to capture.

The DVD comes with extras that include a short of Joe and Simon reuniting 17 years later to go back to the mountain to relive the experience for the film crew, that is just as honest as the feature presentation. Joe talks of having no feeling whatsoever towards the attempt and wonders why he has agreed to what will be a disappointing emotional response for the director. And when Simon talks about how he and Joe have not remained close after adventure, we are reminded that these are real people with real feelings that survived something that might even have had Job cry 'uncle'.

So, in a year where documentaries have begun to outperform some mainstream Hollywood films, you can add Touching the Void to the list. Just make sure you see it on a big screen.

Beautiful scenery and excellent cinematography highlight this true-life story of two young adventurers who, in 1985, attempt to be the first climbers to reach the top of imposing Siula Grande, in Peru. The two actual climbers, Joe Simpson and Simon Yates, narrate the story, while two stand-in actors re-enact the climbing.

A big part of the film is Joe's quest merely to survive, once he becomes separated from Simon. Toward this objective, he calls forth inner strength in the form of two mental processes: first, make a decision and then act on it; second, set small goals or targets. During his ordeal a part of him keeps pushing: "You have to do this, this, and this, if you're going to get there; come on, keep moving, keep moving; right, get up, and do it again".

In a docudrama like this, acting ability is not that important. What is important is the cinematography. The mountain scenery is spectacular. The camera also captures visual perspective, by backing away from the two climbers, or Joe alone in the second half, to reveal how small and insignificant they are against the towering mountain face, or lost within the vast expanse of a huge glacier, peppered with a maze of dangerous crevasses.

The story is certainly harrowing. And I admire how Joe kept going, in the face of such adversity. However, I must say that overall I was not impressed with Simpson or Yates, both of whom came across in the film and in the DVD special features as overly ambitious, opportunistic, and egotistical. Joe as much as admits it: "We didn't give a damn about anyone else or anything else, and we just wanted to climb the world ..." This kind of cavalier attitude is not uncommon among participants in extreme sports, many of whom participate less for the adventure than for the opportunity to set records and make money.

"Touching The Void" is a great story of survival set amid the majestic splendor of the mountains of Peru. The only thing that would have made the story even better is if the two actual climbers had not been so arrogant. Overconfidence, born of an inflated sense of self-importance, almost cost them their lives.

Touching The Void is part Documentary, and part dramatic re-enactment. Real interviews of Joe and Simon are inter-cut with dramatic re-enactments of their disastrous climb. If this had been a straight-up documentary, told by only interviews, it would have been a moving story, but would have lacked something. If it had been a straight-up dramatic movie, with actors and special effects, it would have been thrilling, but still missing some realism. Combining Joe and Simon's first hand story with realistic recreations on location is what this story needed to be told in the most realistic and scary way. The re-enactment was done on location at Siula Grande, with stunt climbers and actors. Watching the story unfold just by seeing the events on film is exciting, but when you're hearing Joe and Simon narrating their thoughts on the actual events at the same time, you can't help but feel genuine terror and concern for them. Take the scene where Joe is hanging 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, but it's his words that ground you in the moment. I've never heard a person talk about what it's like waiting to die, let alone have a visual image to go along with their words. I can honestly say that I was terrified for him, even knowing the outcome. And there are a dozen other scenes that produce the same effect. The majority of this film is made up of hopeless moments. Hearing Joe and Simon tell their story makes you believe it's hopeless, because that's how they actually felt at the time. This movie is very heavy, and almost as draining as an actual mountain descent would be. Touching The Void is as unique, powerful, and terrifying as any film I've seen in years.

'Touching the Void' has chosen the right approach to tell the true story of Joe Simpson and Simon Yates. Two mountaineers who had a lot of bad luck while climbing a certain mountain in the Andes. That they both survive is clear from the beginning since they are telling their own story, looking straight into the camera, the way people explain things in a documentary. Since two actors play Simpson and Yates in a reconstruction of their story this is not a documentary completely. The tension that is created due this approach is great. If it was a movie-remake of their story things would seem implausible and unbelievable. It would become a movie like 'Vertical Limit'. If it was all documentary with explaining and maybe showing the mountain from the time to time it would be a great story but boring to watch.

Honestly, the movie had more suspense than most horror movies today. The real Simpson and Yates explain what happens and with perfect visuals the actors Brendan Mackey (Simpson) and Nicholas Aaron (Yates) show us how it must have looked like. There is third character named Richard Hawking who stayed at base camp while Simpson and Yates did their climbing. He is played by Ollie Ryall and of course it is necessary that he is in the reconstruction, but he himself also speaks like the real Simpson and Yates in between. For me he did not add anything to the story and therefore I did not really get his presence.

About the story I will not spoil anything for you, although you must know some things already, but I can say that the events you will see are close to unbelievable. If you are already a little scared of things like climbing, you will definitely not change your mind after seeing this. If you want to see a nice documentary, or a thriller, action, horror, disaster-movie, see 'Touching the Void'.

Awe-inspiring work by director Kevin Macdonald takes us with a minimum of fuss to a corner of the Andes in Peru for this epic tale of endurance against the elements. After what appears to be a relatively rapid, routine conquering of a 22,000 foot peak, we are left contemplating what might be in store to fill out the rest of the film. Suffice to say we are told that eighty per cent of climbing accidents occur on the descent. Harrowing times in the extreme soon present themselves, with amazing camera work accompanied by stark human emotions as life-affecting decisions have to be made in the harshest of conditions. There are only three actors in this reconstruction of an actual climb made in the 1980s. The original climbers themselves personally add to the screenplay at appropriate moments, to what I believe is just the right extent for maximum effect. We are made to wonder what drives a couple of fit 25-year-olds to climb to such heights, in such conditions, with an insufficient gas supply, no oxygen, and no backup team. But that is sometimes the reckless nature of young people that age.

The viewer is left in no uncertain mind about the might of nature versus the insignificance of human effort. This is reinforced in most spectacular fashion by the use of zoom photography, underlining the sheer size of the Andes mountains. What does make the difference, though, is the strength of the human will, particularly when it comes to a matter of very survival. In this case we are given to believe this is largely driven by the fear of dying alone, but I found myself trying to identify what other motives might have been present in such dire circumstances. Considering the semi-documentary nature of the film, and the conditions under which it was made, I cannot rate Touching the Void less than 9 out of 10. It had me on the edge of my seat until the final credits.