‘Free solo’ next Thursday 9pm on Channel 4.
Trailer looks good even though I’ve never climbed in my life.
It's really good. The Dawn Wall on Amazon / Netflix (can't remember which) makes a nice companion piece too.
Both on Netflix, watch Valley Uprising first, The Dawn Wall second then Free Solo.
Each is a film in its own right but they kinda go through the generations in that order.
I should think I'll need to get the old chalk bag out so I don't drop my wine glass.
Prize for the first person who doesn't feel like strangling AH's girlfiend half way through Free Solo.
Really? Me and the missus paid for it on amazon not so long ago...
TBH the dawn wall was better IMO.
I'm not a climber by the way, but I do like a good climbing doc.
Prize for the first person who doesn’t feel like strangling AH’s girlfiend half way through Free Solo.
Does she like a bit of breath play then?
Prize for the first person who doesn’t feel like strangling AH’s girlfiend half way through Free Solo.
Wow that's harsh. She's having to deal with her partner doggedly prepare for an activity that could easily kill him. I'm sure that was really easy for her 🙄
So are you claiming the prize?
Great film and I’m a non climber. Agree with the suggestions for Dawn Wall and Valley Uprising 👍🏻
Both on Netflix, watch Valley Uprising first, The Dawn Wall second then Free Solo.
+1, I of course watched them in the wrong order
Wow that’s harsh. She’s having to deal with her partner doggedly prepare for an activity that could easily kill him. I’m sure that was really easy for her 🙄
For me it's the way she fell for the climber then went about trying to stop him being a climber she was trying to change what he is.
I get why she is doing it and I'm sure the film was edited in a certain way to make it look worse. But I felt at the end she was more happy that she thought she had got her way rather than what AH had done. (Rubbish sentence to try and not make a spoiler in case there is someone that didn't know what happened.)
On film suggestions: Have a look for "A line across the sky" (the 40 minute version) - I think it was available on Vimeo - well worth a few ££
You can get Line across the sky for free on Redbull TV. Look at the REEL Rock series, i think it's split across two episodes
Great film. More about the attributes of a person who can do the climb rather than the climb itself.
I've just found out that it (Free Solo) is showing in the cinema in Colwyn Bay next Thursday, too.
Was gutted that I'd missed seeing it on the big screen so I may well go along. (And see it on the medium sized screen, at least 😀 )
I'm not a climber, but watching it gave me very sweaty palms, nail biting stuff!
Well if they ever split up I would gladly take on his girlfriend in a heartbeat....
Ta. Set to record.
Well if they ever split up I would gladly take on his girlfriend in a heartbeat….
He took her to the Oscars. What are you offering.
Spoilertastic there Eddiebaby 🙂
Meru, by the same film-maker, is on Amazon Prime. Best climbing film I've seen by a long way.
Total melter that bird.
If you like this sort of thing then worth checking out if the Banff mountain film festival is touring near you (or any of the various other ones that now exist). You often end up seeing a mix of stuff you wouldn't normally watch but there can be some right hidden gems.
Bump in case anyone had forgotten. On this evening.
Valley uprising has disappeared from Netflix but Dawn wall is still on. Going to watch tonight
9pm tonight on Channel 4 https://www.channel4.com/programmes/free-solo
Also worth watching is the TED talk that he gave
Watching it now - my g/f has gone to bed with a book, she’s refusing to watch it!
I think his girlfriend is pretty amazing. She’s fallen in love with a fairly autistic chap with a penchant for free soloing.
It’s not a straight forward relationship but she’s there with her eyes open and just hopes it doesn’t go wrong.
“There’s a guy there, in a bunny suit! Is that a tail.”
W.T.A.F?
I can understand the guy at the bottom with the ‘scope not wanting to watch.
Sadly Freesat only does C4 in SD so I'll not watch it as it won't give it justice.
The trees below him look like carpet pile he is so high. **** that for a day out.
I wasn’t at all sure I could watch that climb all the way through, but it was engrossing, and I found I couldn’t not watch it.
Astonishing feat of climbing, and to do it in what, a shade under four hours?
Incredible.
I wouldn’t want to arm-wrestle the guy, I reckon he could rip my arm out and beat me with the bloody end!
The Dawn Wall is excellent. IMO Kevin Jorgensen is the real hero of the film, and his part in Tommy's success is massively underplayed.
I have nothing but admiration for anyone who has absolutely no fear of heights or their impending death.
To all you climberists...... I wholeheartedly salute you.
It's a great film made even more spectacular by viewing on a cinema screen.
I had to watch it with the volume turned right down as I couldn't cope with hearing him say "like" every other word.
Spoilertastic there Eddiebaby 🙂
Oops. 🤐
I thought after all this time and the Oscars and all, that everyone knew the outcome.
Spoilertastic there Eddiebaby
That would only be a spoiler if they won an Oscar in the film! And that would take some kind of fangled time-travel...
The Dawn Wall is excellent. IMO Kevin Jorgensen is the real hero of the film, and his part in Tommy’s success is massively underplayed.
Tommy going back when he could have gone on made the film for me. Both did amazing things but I wasn’t expecting it like that. I remember vaguely the excitement in the media when it was happening but I had some major work on and was in a colouring cocoon for a couple of weeks and didn’t really take in any details.
Love Free Solo for the cinematography and the interplay between the couple. For me Dawn Wall is the more satisfying film.
.
eddiebaby
Oops. 🤐
I thought after all this time and the Oscars and all, that everyone knew the outcome.
Must admit I knew of the oscar result before I saw the film, but when I did watch it with a pal of mine he said he was on edge the whole film as he didn't know how it was going to turn out - he wasn't aware of the result of the climb, even
I could only watch it cos I knew he made it. What a guy! His lack of empathy was astonishing...
I wasn't that surprised by the atttitudes of him or her or the filmmakers (not a dig).
I thought his gf/wife was clearly scared witless so I thought her questions were understandable even though she wasn't going to stop him. And yeah he has tunnel vision and detachment but are we really that surprised given his desire to do something so dangerous?
I've been to Yosemite and the magnitude of the scale is something else when you see it for real.
According to the Yorkshire couple we overheard in Yosemite "It's just like the Lake District, but bigger". Somehow they were not impressed.
I’ve been to Yosemite and the magnitude of the scale is something else when you see it for real.
Yes, absolutely - it really doesn't come across in photos. We've hung around near the base of El Capitain spotting the tiny dots making their way up it (with ropes and all the kit). The scale of his undertaking is barely comprehensible.
BTW: My main gripe with his GF was that she DROPPED HIM when belaying a simple climb - also that she didn't seem to understand that the decision whether to embark on something so audacious on a particular day could not be voiced.