The closer you are to death. The more you realize you are alive.
It’s a very cool tagline and one that sums up this documentary perfectly. It is about two men, Joe Simpson and Simon Yates, who wanted to climb the Siula Grande in the Peruvian Andes in 1985. A mountain no one had ever successfully climbed, as these men found out there was a good reason for it.
The climb to the top seemed to go fairly easy, but with limited resources getting down was a very big challenge and this movie perfectly captures the situation both men ended up in. It’s a frightening story and even though you know both men made it because they are telling about their experience, it does not take anything away from it as you can see the emotions that go through the men as they are telling what they went through. They tell about the difficult choices they had to make and how they handled facing death.
Touching the Void has a very interesting premise and never disappoints. As the men tell their story everything is re-enacted by actors and stunt doubles. The result is a documentary where you feel everything was shot while they were climbing. Although I have hardly climbed (and feel no need to do so) it does make you wonder how you would handle something like these men went through yourself. Would you be strong enough mentally to persevere? So even if you think Simpson and Yates were young and stupid for doing something like this is does let you think about your own mortality.
Yeah, this is one memorable documentary. One almost feels exhausted by the end of it. Fine look at this, Nostra.
Yeah, I know what you mean…it’s such an unbelievable story.
I love philosophical statements about being close to death. When I was very close to death, I mostly wanted not to get any closer. Death is not necessarily dramatic. As often as not, you just feel sick and keep fading. It’s not so much frightening as sad and lonely.
The way these guys described it was stunning and it’s been brought to the screen in a interesting way.
Glad you saw this one too! Very gripping and well-told. I agree that does question what we would do, we feel we are there with them on the climb.
Extremely gripping and I was not surprised by all the praise this documentary has received.
I’ll be honest, I couldn’t stand the guy that (how to say without spoiling it for your readers) did something with the rope. He was arrogant and horrible to watch in my opinion. Something about him just seemed off, and I certainly wouldn’t of remained friends with him 🙂
Hahaha, well I know what you mean, but the guy had to eventually make that choice though. I didn’t have any problems with him though 🙂 If it would have happened to me I’m not sure I would have remained friends either!
I’m with Tyson on this. I think it was he who reviewed it then I checked it out on Netflix. Visually amazing.
Great to hear!