The Alpinist

[FireOnTheMountain]

One thing I couldn't wrap my head around was how they filmed the first Torre Egger sequence as a party of two, unless his partner was also soloing.

Ha. I had the exact same question, it was pretty hard not to. Always have a hard time thinking how gnar the climber being filed is while wondering well how the heck did the camera dude get there when clearly they werent rapping in or had lines fixed to that point....

[blazintoes]

[quote=FireOnTheMountain post_id=757868 time=1638983135 user_id=19999]
[quote="Boggy B" post_id=757827 time=1638919680 user_id=14851]One thing I couldn't wrap my head around was how they filmed the first Torre Egger sequence as a party of two, unless his partner was also soloing.[/quote]
Ha. I had the exact same question, it was pretty hard not to. Always have a hard time thinking how gnar the climber being filed is while wondering well how the heck did the camera dude get there when clearly they werent rapping in or had lines fixed to that point....
[/quote]



Drones?

[nyker]

I watched this yesterday. Amazing. Like most here I watched in silence, mouth agape as he moved effortlessly up that terrain few people could do. It was stressful to watch as I was waiting for a slip or a hold to break but he stayed cool and eerily calm for the duration. I also found it sadly ironic that with all these incredibly difficult, onsight solo ascents he had under his belt, it's a climb with a partner where they're roped up where his luck ran out. As with many others, a life taken too early. I'm glad I was able to see him at least in this film and in his element, it's rare to get to see a master at work.

RIP Marc.

[d_baker]

The scenes where there's no background music, just him and his tools scratching on rock....awesome. Those moments were tense, and I'm glad the producers didn't add music or conversation or background audio fill, just him in the elements of the climb.

[AndrewLyonsGeibel]

The scenes where there's no background music, just him and his tools scratching on rock....awesome. Those moments were tense, and I'm glad the producers didn't add music or conversation or background audio fill, just him in the elements of the climb.

100. I sorta thought people were overreacting to it and then I watched it and nope. That’s so so far outside my comfort zone. Only people who have been in the mountains understand why it’s better to use the raw but high quality footage instead of adding crap like you mentioned.

[susanjoypaul]

I watched this yesterday. Amazing. Like most here I watched in silence, mouth agape as he moved effortlessly up that terrain few people could do. It was stressful to watch as I was waiting for a slip or a hold to break but he stayed cool and eerily calm for the duration. I also found it sadly ironic that with all these incredibly difficult, onsight solo ascents he had under his belt, it's a climb with a partner where they're roped up where his luck ran out. As with many others, a life taken too early. I'm glad I was able to see him at least in this film and in his element, it's rare to get to see a master at work.

RIP Marc.

On second viewing, I noticed that about 45 minutes in, there's an interesting bit where Marc-Andre talks about the mountains. The interview foreshadows what's to come (and I'm sure the editor/director placed it there for that reason) but I missed the significance the first time around. I think they also wanted to show the viewer that Marc-Andre was keenly aware of the dangers inherent in his sport. I'm glad they put it in there to ward off critics of his climbs. He knew exactly what could happen.

[Dave B]

I wish I watched this movie and saw anything more than Free Solo 2. Seems like cinematographers trying to find the next big climber to make a splash after Honnold has been squeezed for as much public response as possible and is now domesticated and less likely to do gripping things.

Marc is a complete badass, don't get me wrong, it's just the movie concept and execution is a complete copy.

But, I'm cynical.

[FireOnTheMountain]

Marc is a complete badass, don't get me wrong, it's just the movie concept and execution is a complete copy.

Sex, drugs and rock and roll dude. Add to that list potential splatting. Give the people what they desire!

Edit: with that in mind. I actually very much appreciated his super dont give af about anyone knowing me or what I'm doing attitude. I know its cliche, but its also a breath of fresh f**king air in an age of Insta whores everywhere.

[JtheChemE]

Marc is a complete badass, don't get me wrong, it's just the movie concept and execution is a complete copy.

Sex, drugs and rock and roll dude. Add to that list potential splatting. Give the people what they desire!

Edit: with that in mind. I actually very much appreciated his super dont give af about anyone knowing me or what I'm doing attitude. I know its cliche, but its also a breath of fresh f**king air in an age of Insta whores everywhere.

I agree with your sentiments on the IDGAF attitude. To me the movie didn't feel like a carbon copy free solo. Rather, felt it was almost the "anti-Free Solo". Free solo was full of feigned humility and shameless self aggrandization. Not that there is anything wrong with that, but Marc doing these things just to have a good time in the mountains just feels more relatable. The fact he put up those world class solos on-sight is nothing short of remarkable.

The movie is a fitting tribute to a life well lived, and I am glad that everyone involved elected to continue with the release given the circumstances.

[blazintoes]

14 Peaks was too much ego and not enough content with thoughts like, "It's in the blood" that aren't facts. By skimming over important facts and rushing the story it only highlighted elements like, teamwork, dedication, national pride, etc, but their struggles were not explored as deeply as The Dawn Wall or Touching the Void. Every summit was more like a milestone rather than a destination i.e., this documentary felt akin to when someone says they "bagged" a summit and took a picture of a summit register. Ugh. Purja and his team have appeal, are clear about the dangers while also showing good cheer and filmed largely by themselves so keeping all this in consideration, my film would have probably turned out the same way.

The Alpinist devastated me. It spoke to me more than 14 Peaks because I too am free and life seems so simple while climbing a mountain without anyone watching and free solo without documentation is the truest, most authentic kind of climbing. While watching Leclerc's video in his Patagonia bivy to Harrington my Marc said, "that reminds me of your dorky videos". I've made many mountain climbing and summit videos and when I get home to share with Marc, I feel free again when I can immediately delete them.

Enough about me. I'm writing today to share with the community here that I see a parallel between the two films and that is with the women in their lives. Purja's wife, Suchi attempts to explain his risks yet fully supports him also his frail mom who understands his drive but also the mortality we all face. Leclerc's mom who gave him the freedom as a young boy to use his own judgment and Harrington a badass in her own right who shared and supported him. Leclearc reminds me much of Ballard here:

https://files.journoportfolio.com/users ... faa136.pdf

The author Levy is my friend and I know how much he struggled to write about the parallels between Ballad and his mother so perhaps this is why I see the an interesting writing piece about the women who supported Purja and Leclerc. How did they discover a way to guide them into authentic manhood? Can we explore heroic masculinity?


And what about Messner? Did his mom teach him that, “People will say it is fun. It is not fun. It’s a place where you have to learn to cope with pain.”

It sounds like something my mom would say.

[hokiehead]

I think it was Mt. Robson, where in the movie they show him climbing it without rope or protective gear, but don't give any indication as to how he got down. does anyone know that story there? he had a rather small pack but I guess it could've possibly contained a very short rope for rappelling.

when I saw the movie with a friend, the first thing we said to each other was "how did he get down from that?"

[seano]

I think it was Mt. Robson, where in the movie they show him climbing it without rope or protective gear, but don't give any indication as to how he got down. does anyone know that story there? he had a rather small pack but I guess it could've possibly contained a very short rope for rappelling.

when I saw the movie with a friend, the first thing we said to each other was "how did he get down from that?"

He shiver-bivied on the summit, then walked down the south side, which is class 4-5 with some objective hazard. Robson is big on all sides, but not as steep as the Emperor Face.