Touching the Void (2003)

User Rating:

8.1/10   

Director:

Kevin Macdonald

Writer:

Joe Simpson (book)

Release Date:

12 December 2003 (UK)

Genre:

Documentary | Adventure | Drama | Sport

Tagline:

The closer you are to death. The more you realize you are alive.

Plot:

The true story of two climbers and their perilous journey up the west face of Siula Grande in the Peruvian Andes in 1985.

Plot Keywords:

Rope | Disaster | Crevasse | Broken Leg | Delirium

Awards:

5 wins & 7 nominations

Cast

Brendan Mackey	...	Joe Simpson
Nicholas Aaron	...	Simon Yates
Richard Hawking	...	Himself
Joe Simpson	...	Himself
Simon Yates	...	Himself
Ollie Ryall	...	Richard Hawking

MPAA:

Rated R for language.

Runtime:

106 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Iceland:12 | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Germany:12 | Netherlands:MG6 | Singapore:NC-16 | Switzerland:7 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:7 (canton of Vaud) | UK:15 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Chamonix, Haute-Savoie, France

Company:

Darlow Smithson Productions

Trivia:

Again at the end of the movie, another line claims that the route opened by Simon and Joe has never been repeated. This also partially incorrect. Political unrest in the area (because of Sendero Luminoso activities) prevented climbers to reach Siula for many years. However, in 1999, Carlos Buehler, one of the most talented US alpine-style climbers, repeated the route with a companion. In the last section (the one covered by Joe and Simon in their last day on the West face), Buehler decided conditions were too dangerous, and thus opened a more direct variant (humorously named "Avoiding The Touch") going straight up the summit, more technically difficult but safer. They went up the summit ridge but not to the summit proper (as Joe had originally considered), choosing to descend back the climbing route in order to avoid the treacherous North Ridge.

Goofs:

Audio/visual unsynchronized: After Joe pulls the rope completely down while in the crevasse, the cut rope end is frayed. Later when looking at the rope end again, it's a nice clean cut.

Quotes:

Joe Simpson: Bloody hell... I'm gonna die to Boney M.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Touching the Void: Return to Siula Grande (2004) (V)

Soundtrack:

Brown Girl in the Ring

eye-opening

Even for those who cannot understand why anyone would attempt to risk their life to climb a peak that most will never even know about, this film is a true eye-opener. It will show you the part of climbing that many amateurs such as I will only read about..and now, through dramatic reenactments as described by the survivors, see in this film. The beauty of the mountain is juxtaposed in tense dramatic fashion by the two climbers struggle to survive. In pitting human against nature, it will force the viewer to confront themselves with the fundamental principle of American culture--the morality of self-interested, rational behavior. As the law prof reviewer suggested, you may come away from this film with a different outlook on "acceptable" behavior in an ethical sense.