No comments about Rock Climbing Skills.

No comments about Masters of Stone 5 Climbing DVD.

1 comments about No Permanent Address Climbing DVD.

1. Good film overall. Covers the feel of a good climbing roadtrip and the sense of accomplishment you receive by striving for a hard fought goal.

1 comments about A Day In The Life; 5 Women Who Rock Climb.

1. A beautifully created real-life mini documentary of 5 woman climbers who's lives have forever been changed by one of the most extreme adrenaline sports, Rock Climbing.
   
   Whether you desire to rock climb, or to go outside of your comfort zone to experience something you've always dreamed of, this DVD will inspire you on every level possible. A must have for ALL woman!

5 comments about Inertia 1 and 2 Rock Climbing DVD.

1. one successful send after another leaves you wanting to see some struggle, conflict, =something= to represent how hard those climbs really are. also fails to identify location of climbs, although name of climb and rating is given. punk music.



2. I see to sentiments in the reviews:
   
   1) It was the first video of it's kind. It started the current climbing genre. Therefore it has intrinsic worth.
   2) The director, Josh Lowell, was young. This was his first video of any consequence, and we see a lot of antics: kickboxing, milk drinking, snot blowing, girl watching, etc.
   
   Thankfully Josh managed to grow up a little, and he has been producing some of the best climbing videos in the industry - including King Lines which has garnished awards from across the globe.
   
   Like some of the other reviewers, I watch this one with my finger on the fast-forward/skip button. There are a lot of great climbing sequences - and it's fun to see what some of the guys (like Chris Sharma) looked like 10 years ago.



3. This is the first climbing DVD I ever bought... And it is still the only DVD I watch over and over to get motivated to go climb. So much good climbing on hard routes! Action Direct, Book Of Hate, Sharma, the list goes on and on... Super Classic.



4. Not a bad video as far as just the climbing sequences are considered but the intermediate sequences are just innapropriate. Climbers are not the kind of creazy people we see in the intermediate section nor are we necessarely amateur of kick boxing. I was deceived to see that climbing was associated with Jackass activity.I have take this video as a practice for a new producer who was short on tape. I do not recommend this video at all



5. This is a WASTE of money and should not be called a 'climbing video'!!!
   
   It is the most amateur DVD I have ever bought -my home videos are better-.
   You have to fast forward all the time; as between VERY VERY SHORT climbing clips are various childish pranks and people skating and boxing.
   
   You start watching a climbing scene and puff! someones puking milk...
   Non-Climbing clips are UNNECESSARILY long and ruin the climbing scenes.
   
   I agree with the other reviewers that this should be edited or described properly so people who are looking to watch climbing scenes are not fooled into spending $25 on this.
   
   Should be categorized as a home made glimpse into climbers lives or something. NOT a sports/climbing for sure!
   
   I do not recommend this video at all!!!

5 comments about The White Hell of Pitz Palu.

1. This late German silent is very much an action and mountain-climbing disaster film, of which genre "The Holy Mountain" is probably the best remembered, and in comparison "The White Hell of Pitz Palu" probably falls short in a few areas. Firstly, there is not much of a story or plot as it revolves around three main characters who have a climbing accident, get stuck and inevitably need to be rescued. Without a doubt the action and disaster scenes (climbing walls of ice, falls and avalanches) are expertly done, and the cinematography is close to breathtaking. In fact, watching many of the scenes - beautiful melting and dripping icicles, moody clouds, glistening walls of ice and simply the rugged snow-capped mountains made me wish it could be in colour in order to be absolutely perfect. From a visual viewpoint, "The White Hell of Pitz Palu" can't be flawed, and I'm sure that anyone interested in mountaineering (or even photography of such mountains) will find this film exciting and interesting. But I'm not a mountain nor snow and ice person, and I usually prefer a good, more complex story and interesting characters, and for such viewers this film might feel rather slow and too much of the same thing. Although the orchestral musical score is new and suited to the scenes, it might not be to everyone's taste and I found it rather heavy at times - but perhaps that was the intention after all, since ominous big mountains do create that kind of mood! Nevertheless, I can see plenty of merit in other aspects of this film such as the impressive visual, photographic qualities (the picture quality is very good, by the way) and also a glimpse into the lives of the characters such as Dr Krafft who lost his wife in an earlier mountain climbing adventure, and who thereafter `haunted' the mountain, roaming around alone - until he meets a young honeymoon couple who change everything for him. The emphasis and focus in this film are not on the story or people, but rather on the physical mountain itself and above all, the forces of nature: wind, ice, storms and mere mortals staying alive in the ruthless elements. For more story and character angles with the same star (Leni Riefenstahl) and also directed by Arnold Franck, "The Holy Mountain" might still be the best of this `mountain film' genre for the general viewer.



2. Unlike Pabst, Arnold Franck has been a figure unexplainably forgotten at the moment of naming the great German filmmakers in this diamantine period, where the flame of the creativeness was directly proportional to the anguish and fears in the rest of the German citizenship.
   
   Strongly influenced by the adventure novels of the Swiss Gustav Renker, who seemed to be possessed by the eternal conflict between the man and the nature, under the perspective of domain and constant struggle. The location photography was achieved on the snow-covered slopes of 12.000 foot high Piz Palü in the Bernina Alps of Switzerland.
   
   The undeniable artistic and financial triumph and universal acclamation was instantaneous, specially in a historic transition where the epic seemed to be absolutely absent from all the imaginable stages; because while Brecht and Kurt Weil appealed to the cynicism and decadence state; Shostakovich and Prokoviev depicted the somber nightmare around the fist iron man and Picasso gave us his Guernica; the loyal Surrealism and Dadaism Cerberus such Chirico, Dali, Ernst and the Great Depression in North America are evident and notorious evidences the world certainly was not the best of the possible worlds.
   
   It is easily evident the underground voltage tension and anticipation premonitory for the cloudy times to come through the avalanches, precipices and high risks to climb and conquer: As you may realize the metaphor could not be more obvious.
   
   Go for this flawless film.



3. Although originally a silent release (German) - this is one of my all time favorite films. I sincerely hope that Ray Harryhausen and Legend films will be able to colorize this film sometime in the near future - because it's spectacular mountain (Pitz Palu) scenery truly lends itself to the colorization process. Mountain climbing film - staring a young Leni Riefenstahl - against a backdrop of the tragedy - (of a doctor having lost his young bride ten years earlier on this very same mountain) - as portrayed magnificently by Gustav Diessl.



4. 
   Arnold Fanck's spellbinding THE WHITE HELL OF PITZ PALU is a 1929 German silent with English intertitles and a powerful orchestra score. The notorious Leni Riefenstahl stars along with two German actors I have never heard of, Gustav Diessl and Ernst Peterson. Pitz Palu is a dangerously steep Swiss mountain that a young mountain climbing couple and another man decide to ascend. But once they get to the top, how do they get back down without freezing to death?! Fanck loved making adventure films like this one, on actual locations, long before the current era of computer graphics and matte paintings. He directed the mountain climbing sequences, and the renowned G. W. Pabst directed the first half of the movie back in a Swiss town. Fanck edited the movie and collaborated on the screenplay with Ladislaus Vajda. The fearless and beautiful photography is by Sepp Allgeier, Richard Angst, and Hans Schneeberger. The stunning music score was recorded by Ashley Irwin in 1998. THE WHITE HELL OF PITZ PALU is a marvelous adventure film, a long 133 minutes, when you want something unusual. The Kino Video print source is an uncut nitrate print that is in beautiful condition, or at least has been restored by European film archives to look beautiful.
   
   Also included on the Kino DVD is a 59 minute documentary chat from 2002 by Sandra Maischberger with a 100 year old Leni Riefenstahl, who is just in from filming a scuba diving movie! She shows Maischberger various scrapbooks and autobiographies, plus stills from her oceanography movies. We also see scenes of her infamous TRIUMPH OF THE WILL (1934) and epic OLYMPIA (1937). Leni is a fascinating paradox, and this conversation (in German with English subtitles) makes me want to see the 190 minute 1993 documentary on her.
   
   There are also a photo gallery for PITZ PALU and an excerpt from a 1935 sound reissue.



5. Weiße Hölle vom Piz Palü, Die
   
   Newlyweds Johannes Krafft (Gustav Diessl) and Maria Krafft (Mizzi Götzel) have been warned not to be goofing off while they are climbing the pale mountain in the Bernina Alps of Switzerland. Of course, they do not listen and Maria falls into a crack and her rope brakes.
   
   Now many years later Dr. Johannes Krafft is still wandering over the mountain looking for his lost Maria.
   
   A new couple come to the common cabin on the where many climbers and skiers start from. Then they meet Dr. Krafft. A hand full of student hikers are about to attempt the toughest part of the mountain. Krafft wants to beat them to it. Only it is too dangerous to go alone. Therefore, the couple decides to help him get the jump on the students.
   
   Well the race is on and here come the student up the back strip. Now we remember what happened to Maria Krafft when she did not heed the warning to pay attention. So guess what? Yep Hans Brandt (Ernst Petersen) insisted on taking the lead so he can show his stuff.
   
   Will the students who are taking a shortcut get there first? On the other hand, do they get a few surprises?
   This film is a true cliffhanger.
   Will Hans showoff his stuff or will they get stuck on a cliff cave and need to be saved by Flieger Udet (Ernst Udet)?
   
   What a minute did we not see Ernst Udet save someone with his plane in "Sturme uber dem Mont Blanc"
   
   Additional Release Material:
   Bonus Short - THE IMMODERATION IN ME
   Additional Footage - 1935 sound version excerpt
   Photo Gallery:
   Photo Stills
   
   This film is part of a series of German Mountain films that were popular in the lat twenties and early thirties. The stars of the film are the mountains and the clouds (shot in elapse time.) In this film, there were contrived and real avalanches. Actor Leni Riefenstahl almost was avalanched.
   
   
   The Wonderful, Horrible Life of Leni Riefenstahl

2 comments about To the Limit (IMAX) (2-Disc WMVHD Edition).

1. I wanted to test my 1080p HDTV. Unless you have a Blue-ray, the only way to view a full HD on a 1080p TV is with a computer. This WMVHD disk plays great eventhough I only used a VGA connection (my laptop does not have a DVI connection). Resolutions and details are so life like, you have to run it to believe it. I would like to get commercial movies in this format.



2. To The Limit is an exciting way to introduce or review some basic anatomy & physiology. The external physical activity is matched with high quality internal photography and the result keeps your attention, especially with the high quality soundtrack. I have found that most IMAX or OMNIMAX productions on DVD or BlueRay really hit the subject with a reasonable length, high quality information product.

5 comments about Gone, But Not Forgotten.

1. From the reviews and basic plot synopses I'd read, I was already pretty sure I'd like this movie. What I didn't expect was to fall completely in love with it. I'm absolutely enchanted by the wonderful story, and characters I really care about. With his very first scene, Aaron Orr draws me to his character, and throughout the movie, proceeds to make me laugh with and cry for Drew. His chemistry with Matthew Montgomery is nothing short of electric, and the two of them easily make me forget that Drew and Mark are only characters on the screen.
   
   The less polished production quality is one of the things I love most, and every time I watch it, I'm so happy with this little gem, created by the talented writers, cast and crew with such a tight budget.
   
   "Gone, But Not Forgotten" is like a gift, and I'm recommending it to everyone I know!



2. For a film that has won such recognition and great reviews I was hoping for a real treat.
   I was left feeling why has this film been hyped so much?
   The story was dull the whole feeling of the film was just anticipation for something good to happen but it just does not deliver.
   I dont mind low budget aslong as the film has heart and you can really feel the emotion I was left cold.



3. Gone But Not Forgotten is one of those movies that stays in your mind and heart for days after seeing it. It is one very touching movie leaving you in tears at times. Both Matthew Montgomery and Aaron Orr are first class actors and their acting makes one believe that you are in the movie with them, living their lives.
   I could write a long review but other viewers have said it all but all I can say that to me it is a first class movie - touching scenes, great acting and the most wonderful scenery.



4. Some people might click "not helpful" simply because I gave this little movie two stars. Yeh, it's kind of a low rating, but please know that I didn't hate this film... let's be fair and say it had some good points, lots of bad points, and many points in between. Let's also be fair and say that those who gave the film five stars didn't look very far beyond its emotional value, and those who gave it one didn't look beyond its lack of technical polish.
   
   The truth is that "Gone, But Not Forgotten" has both. It's another in a string of independent films that wants to tell an earnest gay romance but gets bogged down by a lack of money, experience and talent.
   
   This film was undoubtedly put together on a shoestring budget, and it really shows. The soundtrack is unbearable at points, and there are a few editing and film stock shifts (especially the swimming scene where the lake and background suddenly turn yellow) that are jarring. There's no arguing that this is an amateur movie with some truly painful technical moments.
   
   That said, the story is engaging enough and most of the acting is at least ok. As much as I didn't care for Aaron Orr as park ranger Drew (his delivery just struck me as odd throughout the film), I did like Matthew Montgomery as Mark, who has the thankless task of taking on the world's hoariest plot device (amnesia) and making it seem plausible.
   
   I have to add that, story-wise, I was really uncomfortable with how agressively Drew pursues the amnesiac Mark. At the climax of the film, we find out that there's a reason for this pursuit, but it didn't remedy the fact that Drew gave me the creeps beforehand.
   
   In the end, this film compares directly with "Big Eden"... both have a mountain/forest setting and are centered on a "will they or won't they" story line. Yes, in "Gone, But Not Forgotten", the leads are hunkier and there is the tender love-making scene that's missing from "Big Eden". But - and I know some people will shriek over this - "Big Eden" is a far better film, both technically and thematically. If you're planning a purchase of either film, I'd definitely recommend "Big Eden" first.



5. From previous reviews I was expecting this movie to be above average. Instead it is a huge disappointment. It looks and sounds like a cheap soap opera done on a shoe string budget. The story line is thin and the acting rather average. I do not recommend buying this DVD, rent it if you must

5 comments about Catch That Kid.

1. I could barely sit through this film because it was so ridiculous. The main thing that stands out is the absurd chase scene involving a couple squad cars and kids driving go-carts. Are we to believe that experienced, professional police officers driving high-powered squad cars cannot apprehend a couple bratty children driving go-carts down a city street? Come on, give the cops a break here. Those kids would have been nailed in about five minutes. Scene after scene was just plain stupid, as is the tradition in so many assembly-line Disney movies for "tweens." Walt Disney would be rolling over in his grave if he could see the mindless junk being produced under the Disney banner.



2. I just watched this movie with my two boys (ages 11 and 8) and while there are holes in the plot and technical continuity to drive a truck through, as a tween-ager action flick this movie is great. I liked it better than the Spy Kids series.
   
   The characters are very likable (with the exception of when Maddy manipulates the two boys into helping her rob the bank by lying about loving them) and though it is hard to get behind robbing the bank, it is definitely for a good cause -- to save her dad who Maddy idolizes. And when she does steal the money, she doesn't take any more than is actually needed. As one of the lines points out -- there was 24 million dollars in the vault; why would anyone just take 250K?
   
   The ending is heartwarming and leaves you with that warm fuzzy feeling.
   
   If you are looking for an action flick that you and your kids can enjoy together, then this is a good one.



3. Childish movie that kids will like. It was kind of a cross between Adventures in Babby Setting and Zoom Acadamy.



4. My daughters loved the movie. They are 8 and 2. If you want to watch a movie with your kids (one that is not animated), this one will do. It's funny, witty and clean. I actually enjoyed the commentary version with the young stars.



5. This was a great family-oriented story. Way better than Cody Banks, Spy kids, etc. Even for a kids story, it has a few touching moments. One thing's for certain:those kids sure have initiative! Highly recommended for family viewing.

5 comments about King Lines.

1. King Lines is a great documentary film about the lifestyle of Chris Sharma. It captures the very essence of Sharma's journey to climb the hardest routes in the world. The music and personal narration of Sharma and the people that he interacts with complements the film well. This is not merely a bunch of shots of Chris climbing up and down routes but an informative and thrilling documentary about how the world's best climber lives his life. Great video and I would highly recommend it to any aspiring climbers.



2. Beautiful film work. The scenery is breathtaking. The HD really adds to the quality. Chris Sharma really inspires the new generation of climbers to take climbing to a higher level. Chris is a pioneer who innovates the sport. He is a very humble individual who never gloats or boasts about his skill. He is an ideal role model and this movie clearly shows that. The music combined with the suspense of the ascent really puts the viewer on the "edge". I caught myself saying "Whoah...now that is just crazy". I recommend this video for all climbers(new and experienced) and for all nature lovers. Very inspirational.



3. Not as "cool" as the Dosages when it comes to "thrills" and more like a biography of Chris, but a unique glimpse of his amazing life as one of the very best climbers ever...with plenty of beautiful locations and great climbing...the DVD is a must-have...



4. Such a great movie! My boyfriend is obsessed with this guy (I got this movie for him for his birthday). I'm more into doing the climbing, than watching others do it for me. I have to say though, this is a good one. It is inspiring and drives you to want to climb more, climb better and set your sights higher. The film is well done, and not like other sponsored/low budget climbing films. There are some beautiful scenes and mind blowing shots in here!



5. By far this movie is one of my top 5 climbing movies. It captures awesome climbing, what climbing is all about, the quest for getting better and yet the zen-mind about climbing. Great movie, please buy it, you won't regret it.