TOUCHING THE VOID, CH4 right now

[hedders]

it is supposed to fantastic...

DOCUMENTARY: Touching the Void
Channel: Channel 4 104
Date: Thursday 4th November 2004
Time: 21:00 to 23:05 (starting in 36 minutes)
Duration: 2 hours and 5 minutes.
Acclaimed, award-winning drama documentary about two young mountaineers attempting to conquer a peak in the Peruvian Andes with minimum equipment. On the descent, one of the mountaineers falls and breaks his leg, leaving his friend to make a difficult decision - join him in the fall, or cut the rope. Based on the book by Joe Simpson.
Director: Kevin Macdonald
Starring: Nicholas Aaron, Brendan Mackey, Richard Hawking, Ollie Ryall, Joe Simpson, Simon Yates
(Premiere, Widescreen, Subtitles, Audio Described, 2003, 15, 4 Star)

[midgster]

It is great...saw it on DVD a few months ago...didn't realise it was a documentary style film so we almost stopped the DVD after 10 minutes, but were glad we didn't as it was an amazing story.

It's actually a true story too.

>> Edited by midgster on Thursday 4th November 21:07

[alfaman]

Great film!!!!! - most realistic climbing movie I've ever seen (from an experienced climbers perspective )and very gripping.

[shadytree]

Amazing self belief. I'd still be dangling !

[gemini]

The description of bone pushing through bone

Great film and
amazing will power

[Mrs Fish]

Great Film, saw it a few months ago, the book is also very good

[tvrforever]

Joe's www site is at :-

www.noordinaryjoe.co.uk/flash/index.html

Haven't found Simon's yet though...

Captivating, stunning & awe imspiring are all too small words for what they all went through... 3 individuals with nothing but their own thoughts - must have been horrendouous....

I once have the privilege of meeting Chris Bonnington and was amazed - would be great to see if Joe's doing the lecture circuit...

Absolute respect for all 3 of them.

p.s. Anybody know what the 'problems' are between Simon & Joe now and what's caused all the divide in the climbing circles?

[Mrs Fish]

The divide in the climbing circles I believe is down to the fact that there are two camps... ones who believe the rope should have been cut, and those that don't. Willing to be corrected if I'm totally of the mark

[silverback mike]

Fantastic programme. Damn good effort by Joe.

I ask myself the question, would I have cut the rope?
I think I would have faced with the situation in hand.

Easy for me to say sat in my nice comfy chair though isn't it.

What a great programme. Especially as we are awash with sodding house doing up/selling/buying, garden updates, cooking/ medical and police rubbish.

[john75]

We ain't got any mountains to climb here in Norfolk

[davidd]

Amazing, talk about putting the daily toil into perspective.

I'd read that that climbers had rallied against Simon for cutting the rope, I really don't understand why (well I can sort of), I mean he had worked really hard to get Joe down, and what else could he do? Was climbing down to him a realistic proposition??

D

[tuscan_v8]

I'm climber and totally agreed with decision of cutting the rope.

[silverback mike]

I think the problem was that he was hanging over a void, so Simon had no way of pulling him up.

Plus, Simon didn't know where Joe had gone, so couldn't take action accordingly.

If he had lost his grip both would have gone into the crevass, and as it was, Joe was lucky he handed on a ledge inside it rather than plunging down and down.

What a way to go.

[andy_b]

fantastic documentary, one of the best things I think I've ever watched on TV.

Are there problems with simon and Joe? At the end it said that Joe supported Simon in cutting the rope....he didnt really have any choice did he?

[Balmoral Green]

Good film, I understand they are making a similar film about the guy that had to cut his own arm off with a penknife having been trapped for a week.

[shadytree]

Balmoral Green said:

Good film, I understand they are making a similar film about the guy that had to cut his own arm off with a penknife having been trapped for a week.

bet that smarts.

[viper_larry]

Well worth hiring/buying the DVD and watching the 'Making of...' and seeing them go back to the mountain after 18 years and the emotions they felt. Facinating...

[andy mac]

shadytree said:

Balmoral Green said: Good film, I understand they are making a similar film about the guy that had to cut his own arm off with a penknife having been trapped for a week. bet that smarts.

[monty python]
Its just a flesh wound
[/monty python]

[andy_b]

Balmoral Green said:

Good film, I understand they are making a similar film about the guy that had to cut his own arm off with a penknife having been trapped for a week.

yes and I believe a book is (or coming) out. Saw an interview with him when I was in Canada earlier this year. Amazing

[andy mac]

andy_b said:

yes and I believe a book is (or coming) out. Saw an interview with him when I was in Canada earlier this year. Amazing

Thats a terrible pun!