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A Masterpiece!

This movie was so-so. It had it's moments, but wasn't the greatest.

The film makes a home in your brain and the only cure is to see it again.

This is one of the best movies I’ve seen in a very long time. You have to go and see this on the big screen.

In this docu-movie, Joe Simpson shows how to tell a true story in a modern, breathtaking way. He gives a description of events from outside but also from the inside, climbing part of the mountain (the well-known Eiger) himself. He goes deep in the characters feelings, just by comparing their emotions with his own. A story about mountaineers and the man behind the climber.Pretty influenced by the other awarded Simpson's movie "Touching the void", "The Beckoning Silence" is again a great narration about the risk, the hope, and the fragility of life.If you want to understand what climb a mountain means you have to see it. If you want to understand what be human means you have to see it.

The DVD version of this film also contains a spoiler within the extras ~ although I can forgive the great man himself as Chris Bonningtons interview is as honest and emotional as Joe's. In that interview Chris describes his own experience as photo journalist and reporter on the first 'Eiger Direct' expedition in the early 60's, when a climbing friend, John Harlin dies. This leads onto to some short research to find that John Harlins son makes an attempt on the Eiger himself, 40 years after his fathers death, in a film called 'The Alps' which I haven't seen yet but believe has the most breathtaking footage.Also, within the extras on the DVD is 'the making of', but in a way, whilst its interesting, I feel it kind of detracts from the superb acting and shooting in the the main film.

As a child it was the story of Tony Kurtz's attempt to climb the north face of the Eiger that first introduced Joe Simpson to the world of climbing. After his near-fatal accident in Peru, Simpson comes back to the story of Kurtz's mission and considers what he has in common with the climber who once inspired him. Using a mix of dramatic recreation and narration, Simpson tells the story of Kurtz's team and also attempts to do some parts of the original climb himself.I'm not a climber and indeed am not good at even basic heights so I am not target audience for Simpson's books or the film adaptations thereof. Watching people die or nearly die while climbing for sport or fun always seems to me to be a waste of life, just as any death in a high-risk sport or hobby strikes me. This doesn't mean I think it is stupid to do it (we all take risks) but just that I do have this in the back of my head while watching this sort of story. I imagine it is maybe down to the individual but certainly the main thing I got from Kurtz's story was confirmation that I'm not cut out for this activity and I cannot relate to Simpson, who takes it as an inspiration to do it himself.So the challenge with this is to make me, the casual viewer, buy into the adventure and be hooked by the story. It worked with Touching The Void and it works again here. Taking pretty much the same approach as that film did, The Beckoning Silence tells a fascinating and tragic story and does it in a way that will engage viewers even when the "why" issue is hanging around in the background. The recreation of the climb is good and avoids the hammy acting that some docu-dramas fall victim to. Simpson also goes to the Eiger for some of his narration but I'm not sure if something happened while he was there because the film makes very little use of this aspect and it could easily have done without it. Simpson's greater impact is as narrator to camera. He does well to bring his passion to the screen and convey it to the viewer – a big part of the film engaging me as it did.Overall then this is a good film that will appeal to the majority of viewers who like Touching The Void. Of course those that see climbing as a pointlessly dangerous pursuit may struggle to get past this but mostly the film does well to engage and draw the viewer into the world as Simpson sees it.

This documentary could have easily failed. If it had been based on the original book then it would have encapsulated too many different ideas to be coherent. It has therefore concentrated on two specific themes. The first is that of Joe Simpson's changing attitude towards the mountains and the Eiger specifically, from being able to enjoy and climb to that of withdrawing from the sport. The second is a more specific event, the 1936 attempt by four climbers on the face. This is explored through reconstructions of the events, and by visits to certain parts of the route by Joe himself to explain the difficulties. Joe Simpson comes across as quiet and thoughtful throughout, and, through his previous experiences, is really able to empathise with the plight of the climbers, particularly Toni Kurz.The technical work is smooth, with the camera shots and layout being very similar in style to "Touching the Void", which this documentary has been billed as the sequel to.