2 comments about Mas Alla de la Cumbre (Spanish Version).

1. A crude story based on real life, full of teachings and lessons about life and death surrounded by beautifull landscape images.



2. An amazing view from Jose A. Delgado and his climbs. Through his own eyes, he reveals the contagious spirit and philosophy that drives this climber's hunt for the summit. Beyond the summit, I'll see you there when my time comes.

No comments about DVD - Alpine Mountaineering On Mt Rainier.

No comments about Dying For Everest.

5 comments about Get on the Mountain.

1. What a great video! I have been climbing for years, but this DVD is great for laying down the basics and giving you a comprehensive, step by step guide through the basics and advanced techniques of mountain climbing. I recommend it to everyone!



2. "I'm really happy with Get on the Mountain. I wanted to see if I could step it up from hiking to mountaineering, and this DVD gave me all the information I needed to take that next step. Thanks!"
   Ron Laue, Chesterfield, MO



3. Ich bin noch recht neu was Klettern angeht und war auf der Suche nach einer DVD die mir viel
   beibringen kann, da ich bald mit ein paar Freunden vorhabe etwas anspruchsvollere Berge zu besteigen.
   Die DVD "Get on the Mountain" habe ich mir auf Grund der positiven Bewertungen bei Amazon.com zugelegt
   und ich wurde nicht enttäuscht!
   Es werden sehr viele Themen behandelt (Ausrüstung, wie man sich körperlich am besten vorbereitet, Sicherheit usw.)
   die auch sehr gut auf der DVD gegliedert wurden. Man verliert also nicht den Überblick.
   Die DVD ist sowohl für Anfänger als auch für Fortgeschrittene!
   Meiner Meinung nach gibt es so viele Infos auf der DVD, das kann man gar nicht alles wissen.
   
   Der einzige Kritikpunkt der mir aufgefallen ist, die DVD ist leider nicht in
   Deutschland erhältlich aber die DVD ist auf jeden Fall 5 Sterne Wert und somit lohnen sich auch die Importkosten!
   
   Mit dieser DVD fühle ich mich nun wesentlich besser vorbereitet und ich traue mir auch mehr zu.
   Eine klare Kaufempfehlung!



4. I've been a hiker for a long time, but always a little afraid of the technical stuff. A friend recommended I check this out and I am happy to say that it really helped me get over my apprehension.
   
   The simple instruction and video explanations of technique were great. And it was even entertaining. My teenage daughter watched it too and now she wants to try climbing with me!



5. Great stuff. I'm recommending this to everybody in my hiking group. The Gear section was really helpful when I went to REI to shop. Thanks for the printable gear list!

5 comments about Higher Ambitions.

1. Just watched the new video last night and I highly recommend it. I'm pretty jaded when it comes to mountaineering films - too much Hollywood, and too many 'content-free' films. This is neither. A compelling story, fantastic footage, and a sense of realism that's missing from most climbing films.
   
   I just came back from the Himalaya (Tibet) myself, and can say that Higher Ambitions captures the 'feel' of climbing in China.



2. Excelent for those who like ice climbing and mountaineering. Pretty good movie.



3. Wow, I was totally impressed. I just finished watching this movie about 10 minutes ago, and I still have goose bumps from it! The steepest big route I have completed was the Liberty Ridge on Rainier, and man, this video takes you back to exposure, suffering, danger, and joy. I was not expecting something this good. It TOTALLY RAISED THE BAR in climbing films. I can't wait to see what other videos he produces in the up and coming years. I am sold, my climbing partner is sold (I had to call him and just boast "I can't believe I just saw this!"
   
   All in all, it is a great film, it has a coherent story, beautiful filming and great editing. It isn't quite as pretty as the Everest Imax movie, but I think it is a superior movie as a whole.
   
   If you are looking to expand your climbing DVD library, you need to have this movie!



4. Higher Ambitions is about a Chinese-American Expedition to complete the fifth ascent of the highest of the four sisters mountains, Siguniang (20,500ft), in the Sichuan Mountains of China. It is an amazing look into a world that few westerners have ever seen.
   
   The film is clearly not a high budget film. Movies such as the 1996 IMAX Everest film, or Touching The Void were both created using large budgets, film crews, porters, support staff, etc. While theses films are great to watch, and are easy for non-climbers to relate to, they leave out the essence, taste and feel of what it is like to be on an expedition. The lead up to the climb is long, and the struggle to gain the route is slow; which Tim Boelter includes in his documentary. However, having been on expeditions before I can say from experience that this is a true depiction of a large scale climb.
   
   Higher Ambitions was filmed by the climbers themselves. Their cameras are not high tech, and the editing has the feel of a very well-done home video, and Tim Boelter is not afraid to lead out footage that one might think is boring and unimportant to the actual climb. However, this is not a video about merely the climb of Siguniang but a teams experience and with the region and the mountain in general.
   
   I would recommend this film to people who have experience climbing, mountaineering, enjoy the story of true adventure off the grid, or outdoor enthusiasts who enjoy hearing about not just the "sexy" moments of adventure but all the rest as well.
   
   I have shown this to friends and they didn't enjoy the move. But they weren't outdoorsy nor mountaineers, and as a mountaineer I really liked it.
   
   Cons - It dragged on too long at some points. And, in my opinion if your going to make a DVD for distribution a little more effort should have gone into editing and filming. Almost all the shots are done without a tripod so the frame shakes a lot at times and can get annoying.
   
   Pros - Stunning shots of a seldom seen part of the world. Film makes one feel like their actually on the mountain with the climbers (i.e. when an avalanche hits the team all you see is white and chaos because one of them is holding the camera). Shows the entire trip and not just the "Hollywood" scenes. Accurate depiction of what climbing a 20K mountain feels like.



5. This is by far the best, raw, heartfelt film about mountaineering I've seen. In no way fancy, the rough-around-the-edges filmaking creates an immediate connection to the action and characters, particularly for someone who's a climbing nut like myself. This is not Hollywood; I've seen Everest and The Alps, and they're sap-filled gushers, making you ask, "where's the rest of the CLIMBING!?" If you're into mountaineering, do the director a favor and buy this. Furthermore, if you're Chinese, I can only imagine how proud this film will make you.

5 comments about Cho Oyu, West of Everest.

1. The film is very professionally done with beautiful shots. To me, it's worth the money just for that. But I think what I appreciated most about it is that it doesn't do what a lot of these films do in terms of being melodramatic. It's a very straightforward and very accurate portrayal of Himalayan climbing, from the widespread sickness to the yellow snow and even death. I most definitely recommend it -- one of the best I've seen.



2. The film is very professionally done with beautiful shots. To me, it's worth the money just for that. But I think what I appreciated most about it is that it doesn't do what a lot of these films do in terms of being melodramatic. It's a very straightforward and very accurate portrayal of Himalayan climbing, from the widespread sickness to the yellow snow and even death. I most definitely recommend it -- one of the best I've seen.



3. The film is very professionally done with beautiful shots. To me, it's worth the money just for that. But I think what I appreciated most about it is that it doesn't do what a lot of these films do in terms of being melodramatic. It's a very straightforward and very accurate portrayal of Himalayan climbing, from the widespread sickness to the yellow snow and even death. I most definitely recommend it -- one of the best I've seen.



4. Documents the 2000 expedition of 21 climbers attempting Cho Oyu from the Tibet side.
   
   The story line is fairly straightforward following the team driving from Kathmandu to Tibet Base Camp, trekking to ABC, and then the climbing to the camps on the mountain. I liked the filming, giving me a better appreciation for Cho Oyu, especially the challenge of the rock step on summit day. It nicely highlights the ordinary challenges of attempting high altitude climbing, things like trouble acclimatizing, stomach troubles, coughing, and snow blindness.
   
   On October 3, 2000 Tim Boelter, Expedition Leader Dan Mazur, and Durge Tamang reached the true 8201m summit of Cho Oyu. On October 10th the team helped an exhausted Serbian climber, who was suffering from pulmonary edema, down from Camp I. The rescue turned out sadly when he died when his heart went into fibrillation.



5. I'm a new mountaineer and try to get as much information as I can. I collect videos and books. Cho Oyu is one of the best videos I've ever seen. I strongly recommend for people who wants to learn what is an expedition on the Himalayas

5 comments about Messner.

1. Mr. Messner is a real inspiration! He proved that with drive and determination (not to mention skill) the human body can accomplish anything! This is a gotta-have for any collection, but a mountaineering Must Have. A true hero, who did what nobody else had done...a pioneer such as Cook or Perry.



2. This documentary was done very very well.It is an excellent source for anyone
   who is fascinated with the extreme mountain climbing. It's Amazing see how
   one man has pushed his body to the limit, physically and mentally.
   It is a pleasure to finally see and hear his philosophy on life.



3. My only "complaint" in this DVD about Reinhold Messner is that it's too short! The DVD runs 47 minutes and no bonus extras. So too [** and you may wish to take a gander at my Amazon review of Messner's book, "Reinhold Messner -- Free Spirit: A Climber's Life"], anyway, while this DVD came out in 2008, it was produced in 2002 and therefore 3 years 'prior' to the subsequent 2005 discovery on Nanga Parbat of the remains of Gunther Messner [verified via DNA] thereby totally vindicating Messner from those critics who alleged that Messner had "abandoned his brother" during the 1970 Nanga Parbat climb on the other side of the mountain face due to alleged "ego driven ambition" [sic]. That issue and J'accuse mongering therein by certain individuals or chronic Messner critics has now been put to bed.
   
   In the DVD, Messner is quite candid and he also shows quite readily that contrary to some journalists opinion of him, he is not "perpetually sucking on lemons" [sic] nor "gruff" [sic] and can be rather jovial in demeanor. This too -- it is not Messner's fault when the mountaineering accolades come his way but then, as I stated in the review of "Free Spirit", Messner doesn't have to 'shut up' since he has amply "put up" during the bulk of his long career ranging from being the first 8,000'er [** the first man to climb the world's 14 highest mountains over 8,000 meters] and not to mention the additional accomplishments in 'both' the North and South Poles, the Gobi desert 2,000 kilometer trek, the Greenland ice-cap adventure, his 5 year stint as an MEP [** Member, European Parliament] representing the Italian South Tyrol since he is in fact an Italian by birth [** which comes as a complete surprise to some folks and to this day one can see hither and yon on the internet where Messner is mentioned as the world famous "German" [!] or "Austrian" [!] climber] albeit his German mother tongue derives from the German speaking South Tyrol section of Italy, his many successful books and public mountaineering lectures and the multiple mountaineering museums which he originated and administers therein.
   
   Personally, I think Messner should get into producing his own and indeed 'expanded' DVD educational series because he possesses such a wealth and breath of experience that sharing such input and climbing/mountaineering experiences would, at least in my opinion, easily find both an avid and well interested audience. Myself among them.
   
   Doc Tony



4. The name "Messner" sells.
   The producers of this DVD are taking advantage of that.
   
   The title of this DVD should be "How to produce a DVD at minimum effort and minimum production cost which sells at a good price".
   The answer is obviously:
   "Interview Reinhold Messner - a fascinating person with inspiring views about himself, the mountains and the impossible."
   PLUS: "Make people think they are buying a comprehensive documentary on Messner's life and adventures on the mountains."
   
   I fell for that and I was VERY DISAPPOINTED.
   
   This DVD shows Reinhold Messner in a recent interview filmed in his castle in northern Italy. The SHORT interview in English language is interlaced with a few images and some miminal footage documenting his life and his breathtaking adventures.
   If you buy the DVD DO NOT EXPECT a documentary! In the Amazon review this DVD is compared to Werner Herzog's "Dark Glow of the Mountains". In my oppinion this comparison is gruesomly inappropriate. What an insult for Werner Herzog!!
   
   This DVD is definitely NOT A REVIEW of Messner's expeditions and achievements. Do NOT EXPECT more than 5 minutes of significant footage of this kind. Do NOT EVEN EXPECT this DVD to even mention all of Messner's historic climbs or expeditions.
   
   This DVD was obviously produced to fill a 30min+ TV broadcast. At low production cost!
   That it sure does.
   Marketing the DVD as a great video compilation of Messner's life and adventures however is misleading.
   
   Bottom line:
   Messner gives an inspiring 30min+ interview which is worth seeing.
   Messner is not only a fascinating man but also a remarkable philosopher.
   
   Buy this DVD for $5. But asking $20 for this low cost production is definitely not okay. We shouldn't let the producers get away with that.



5. The review by P. Hintz is seriously misinformed and requires correction. Contrary to his assertions, "Messner" is a feature-length documentary with a six-figure budget, which contains multiple interviews with Messner for this production, which is obvious in the film, as well as multiple on-camera interviews conducted over the course of his climbing career, including his 1978 historic first ascent of Everest without using bottled oxygen (which was filmed by Leo Dickenson) and licensed for this film. The production further interviewed Ed Viesturs, America's most accomplished mountaineer, Sir Christian Bonington, Britian's most accomplished mountaineer; and Kitty Calhoun, one of the world's preeminent female climbers. The film includes many photographs from other Messner climbs that were not filmed.
   
   "Messner" was the official selection of ten international film festivals, including two of the most prestigious and competitive mountain festivals: Telluride MountainFilm, where it was shown on opening night in 2004, and the Graz International Adventure Film Festival in Austria; juried festivals that certainly gave "Messner" strong affirmations.

5 comments about THE MOUNTAIN with Spencer Tracy (Import Edition)(Adventure).

1. This is one of my Top Ten movies ever. I saw it when it first came out, and it made a huge impression on me that I never forgot. When VHS came out, I was thrilled that I could find it and see it again. Then later, looking for it in DVD format, I was able to find it via Amazon. I am thrilled. However, I still haven't received my order (it's been about a month), so I am now having to research for it. For those of you who haven't seen the movie, the movie will not feel dated whatsoever and its dramatic power is as strong today as it was then. It continues to be a one-of-a-kind drama concerning sibling rivalry, choices, those who never married, being stuck in your job, death, kindness, courage, mountain climbing in the Alps, and even has diversity - an East Indian woman is a supporting actress. This movie is a classic and timeless.



2. I enjoyed this movie and saw it years ago. I decided to buy it because of the mountain climbing episodes and the interaction between climbers(brothers).



3. If you want this movie there is no need wait, god knows how long, for a completely restored copy. Although it is not perfect like the colors are a little too vivid and the audio isn't perfectly synced overall the quality is good enough to enjoy what I consider one of those rare gems that Hollywood often overlooks. The first month I had the CD I watched the movie three times.



4. Great adventure & suspense movie, excellent acting from one of the all-time greats. Very highly recommended.



5. Product is from Korea and has a bad review of the movie on the cover. Odd, but movie is in Korean unless you switch to English.

5 comments about Everest (Large Format).

1. The footage was absolutely beautiful on this video. However, I wish it were a little longer and had gone into more detail.



2. If you're into eye candy, this will fit the bill. But given the context of the 1996 disaster on Everset and Krakauer's book about it, this is a strange film, made during a historic disaster on Everest and barely mentioning it even though the film crew was part of the attempt at the rescue. It's very odd that this whole thing is only about 45 minutes, given the scale and scope of what happened in May 1996. As for that, the best part of the DVD is the extended interview with Beck Weathers, in the bonus stuff, not in the film itself. Here in the obligatory thrown in stuff you have the real story of what really happened in May 1996 on Everest. Beck Is a movie unto himself, as is the whole May 10-12 effort of everyone who was up there then, including the Imax film project. Their efforts to help the stranded hikers way up above, including offering to give up oxygen tanks to potential rescue teams, gets barely a mention. Come on! Give yourselves some credit other than in the Bonus Material! In the main, this is a self-indulgent piece of cinematography, fun to look at, but edited in the wrong way for the conditions under which it was actually filmed and in which the film crew actually experienced the disaster. It had the potential to capitalize on its situation, adapt, adopt abd improvise, but it seems that the predetermined script held sway. Consider also most of what is in the bonus features--the suits, sitting on snow capped peaks (not Everest) much later talking about how the goal of the movie was to make a movie and bring some heavy camera equipment to the top of Everest. They missed a historic opportunity to grab what happened and instead stuck to just a mundane let's-get-the-camera-to-the-top visual spectacular.
   
   Don't buy it, and if you really must, just rent it. Read Jon Krakauer instead.



3. Having just a wee bit of climbing experience, it is absolutely unfathomable how they got the IMAX equipment up there to film this. Absolute beautiful cinematography, and an exciting story make this film a winner, and left me wanting for more. This is an IMAX film, so it's rather short (they all are) but I had wished that they could have made an additional film that delved more into the tragedies that they witnessed that day. That said, this is a definite *must see*, well done, informative movie with breathtaking scenes.



4. Overall a nice video. I got this after reading the books "Into the Thin Air and The Climb" that details 2 versions of the 1996 tragedy in Mt.Everest, the worst in its history. While the cinematography is excellent the film lacks the details that I was looking for. Overall a nice collection to have.



5. Short (45min.), quasi-plot-driven, and too brief for character development, it could have been better. That being said, it's IMAX film, so the fact they got one of those hulking cameras up to the summit *makes* this film.
   
   Unfortunately, this DVD-quality 4:3 version doesn't do the cinematography and film quality justice. Wait for the blu-ray version.

5 comments about Touching the Void.

1. Having a very small amount of climbing experience myself, I vividly remember hearing this story, and all of the criticism that poor Simon faced, back when this actually happened, but I only recently saw the movie - and I am oh so glad I did.
   
   Even if you are not at all interested in climbing, this is simply one of the most riveting stories ever told and one of my favorite movies ever. The story itself is absolutely awe-inspiring, almost too fantastic to fathom. An unbelievable journey into what a human being can endure, and still survive. This alone would be compelling enough to make this a "must see", but it is the WAY the story is told that makes the movie unforgettable. Part documentary, part re-creation scenes and part movie, make this DVD absolutely unique. Incredibly beautiful cinematography and excellent re-enactments (not the usual cheesy stuff you are used to seeing) combine with technical climbing accuracy and the drama of the unfolding story.
   
   What really sets this movie apart, are the interviews with Joe, Simon and Richard. I was absolutely taken aback by the honesty they exhibited in telling their stories (as when Richard reflects on who he would prefer to survive). This type of honesty and insight is exactly what is missing from most true story movies. The filmmakers, (as well as Joe, Simon and Richard) are to be commended on the job that they did, and this movie should be used as an example is film schools on how to make a story come to life in a truly excellent fashion.



2. This documentary-style film has been reviewed by over 100 people, so I'm not going to add much by recounting the plot. Briefly, experienced climbers Joe Simpson and Simon Yates climbed Siula Grande in the Peruvian Andes in 1985, and got into trouble on the way down. Mr. Yates made the controversial decision to cut the climbing rope he was using to help ferry Mr. Simpson down the mountain, after Mr. Simpson became seriously injured.
   
   Suffice it to say, I (like most viewers, I'd suspect) used the gift of hindsight to evaluate the decisions made by the two climbers.
   
   I suppose the first mistake made was shared by both; they traveled so light they forgot a support crew. True, they did have the 'help' of a man (Richard Hawking) they met on the way to their mountain (who was not a climber), but they essentially went it alone. They summited, but got into real trouble on the way down.
   
   The film is very well done, going to the actual mountain where the events took place (though much was filmed in the European Alps). It details both men's experiences, and begs the question, 'what would you do?' I don't think the answer is a simple as some believe.
   
   A harrowing and gripping film. The scenery, as one could imagine, is stunning. Draw your own conclusions as to which decisions were the right ones, and which weren't.
   
   Highly recommended.



3. This is my all-time favorite documentary that plays out just like a very gripping film. It does an excellent job of raising conflicting emotions in the viewer as Joe and Simon confront their mountain-top ordeal.
   
   Bottom line, and what is so truly harrowing, is this documentary is like watching someone come back from the dead. The connection between that dark crevasse of snow and ice and seemingly no way out that Joe falls into and a tomb is immediately apparent. Guts, desire, ingenuity, maybe even a bit of anger and rage manage to get him to the "light."
   
   Surreal music adds to this drama. A definite one to see, especially for those who enjoy a great adventure!



4. Even though the DVD arrived promptly, which I appreciated, it has stuck at the beginning and in numerous other places. It it not in an acceptable conditon. I do understand that the shipper offers a 100% back guarantee, but if I have to pay shipping, it's not worth it to return it. I do understnad that the shipper offers a 100% guarantee, and I have yet to follow up on that. So, this review might be a bit premature, but this has been my experience so far.



5. I first saw a portion of this video on PBS & was completely amazed. The story itself is incredible- a man's exemplifying the human will to survive. The events surrounding his ordeal are equally as incredible. The director does a great job of reenacting the climbers' successes and accident, as well as the ensuing harrowing trek. Initially in the video it was a bit challenging to determine who was who (who was Simon & who was Joe), but that was the only slight trip up. It truly is an inspiring documentary, and solidifies the idea that it's better to make a bad decision now than a good decision too late.