The Beckoning Silence (2007) North Face of the Eiger Full Documentary
Mountain | reviews | videos | photos
In The Beckoning Silence, Joe Simpson--whose amazing battle for survival featured in the multi-award winning "Touching the Void"--travels to the treacherous North Face of the Eiger to tell the story of one of mountaineerings most epic tragedies. As a child, it was this story and that of one of the climbers in particular, that first captured Simpsons imagination and inspired him to take up mountaineering. Toni Kurz was a brilliant young mountaineer, who along with three other climbers tried to climb the mountain in 1936, which was then the last great unconquered peak in the Alps. Their assault on the mountain started well, but then disaster struck. One by one Kurzs colleagues were killed, leaving him alone, hanging on the end of a rope fighting for his life in the most horrific of circumstances. Over 50 years later in Peru, Kurzs story haunted Simpson as he battled for his own survival while hanging in mid-air. His plight uncannily mirrored that of Kurz--except, against all the odds, Simpson lived whilst his hero had perished. The Beckoning Silence tells the story of Kurzs heroic battle for survival, but in the process it also forces Simpson to confront a fundamental question: why continue climbing when you have come so close to oblivion? In this gripping, action-packed adventure film with a difference, Simpson finally confronts his demons on the Eigers North Face, and rediscovers the thrill of the climb that once made him feel so alive. For full Everest and K2 documentaries, see my playlist here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEq-_K2Ii0oGkxhq49Wl_gKI8fwHg-JVR
Comments
-
These men have something in them that I apparently don't. I have great respect for the physical strength they have, but I'm more so amazed at the fearlessness. To me, and my non-skilled view of mountaineering, this borders on a fascination with suicide.
-
Sure. Do what you should have done the previous day, on the second day with a frozen hand.
-
far out and groovy is it like climbing a tree or something battle to survive lol crazyer than a shithouse rat on a hot saturday night brrrr its cold out here tea anyone keep toes and noses covered could be last day here look up and up good god
-
If your life is your own, knock yourself out. Take all the crazy risks you want, if you die, you'll leave behind some heartbroken friends and devastated parents, possibly, but a parent's greatest wish is for their child to be happy, so if my kid died in the pursuit of something just for fun, that made them truly happy, even if it carried lethal risk, I could deal. BUT, once you become a parent, your life is NOT your own. Now, you have no business taking huge risks with your life just for fun, because you are responsible to someone who never asked to be born. So live it up BEFORE kids, or, if you can't live without the adrenaline, DON'T have them. If you DO, take up video games, because leisure activities that carry a huge chance of leaving your kid without a parent are selfish and unfair.
-
Something wasn't damaged after the accident. Something was damaged loooooooooong before the accident that caused the obsession to begin with. The lack of personal insight, in the vast majority of people, is very perplexing to me. Obsession is a result, not a cause, of internal damage.
-
Taking unnecessary risk by climbing a mountain just to be the first man to summit. Such great men gave their life for somthing worths nothing.
-
Heartbreaking story. Thanks for uploading.
-
Damn
-
How could you possibly stay warm and at the same time stay dry from perspiration? And how could they possibly not plan the decent as carefully as the ascent? Heartbreaking.
-
good god, I've just realised that throughout almost the entire film I've felt physically sick, literally shaken and traumatised at the events depicted in this documentary.
I can honestly say, with my hand on my heart, I have never been so disturbed by a film in my entire life, nor so physically and emotionally drained by the end.
I fear that, in my fascination of mountain climbing, the subject of this film will haunt me in the weeks and months ahead, much as it has haunted countless other people over the intervening decades, and I have my own stories of taking unjustifiable risks with my life, which brings an added depth to the extent of my horror.
I'm not prepared to discuss the risks I took with my own life because the mediums are irrelevant. The fundamental fact is that oftentimes we don't appreciate the risks we take with OUR lives until someone else loses THEIR life in pursuit of their objectives, and the mortal dangers we face are brought into context with the force of an earthquake.
my risk taking days are over now, thank God, but for those who have not finished yet I say this...
May God walk with you all, and I pray he keeps you safe, always.
R.I.P to these young men. -
STARTING THE CLIMB HALFWAY UP IS BULLSHIT.
-
It's the Widow maker.
-
Is this what the North Face clothing company is named after?
-
Where are the greybeards?
-
Awesome to watch. Loved the story.
-
Obsession for the mentally deranged ... 'bout says it all.
-
I'm never going climbing again.
-
wauuu
-
This is rescue team mistake, at list he can alive if rescue team could take right decision, totally rescue team false, huge history because of lake of rescue education and system, sorry for lost your life man..
-
I would hate to be that idiot who diden't bring a long enough rope
0m 0sLenght