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| Touching the Void is based on the true story of two mountain climber, Joe Simpson and Simon Yates. This film took on more of a documentary feel than regular films, but that said, it far exceeds any documentary I have ever seen. |
(2003) Film Review |
| This
page was created on March 11, 2004
This page was last updated on
January 9, 2005
—Overview
—Review by Melinda Ledman
—About this Film
—Spiritual Connections
Dial up modems will take a few moments |
| CREDITS |
| Directed by Kevin Macdonald
Writen by Joe Simpson Book
Producers
Charles Furneaux ... executive producer
Robin Gutch ... executive producer
Gina Marsh ... line producer
John Smithson ... producer
Paul Trijbits ... executive producer
Cast
Nicholas Aaron ... Simon Yates
Richard Hawking
Brendan Mackey ... Joe Simpson
Joe Simpson ... Himself
Simon Yates ... Himself
Original Music by Alex Heffes
Cinematography by Mike Eley and Keith Partridge
Edited by Justine Wright |
| TRAILERS AND CLIPS |
| QuickTime
High Resolution: Cinemas Online
Medium Resolution: Cinemas Online
Low Resolution: Cinemas Online |
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| BOOK |
Concise and yet packed with detail, Touching the Void, Joe Simpson's harrowing account of near-death in the Peruvian Andes, is a compact tour de force that wrestles with issues of bravery, friendship, physical endurance, the code of the mountains, and the will to live. Simpson dedicates the book to his climbing partner, Simon Yates, and to "those friends who have gone to the mountains and have not returned."
What is it that compels certain individuals to willingly seek out the most inhospitable climate on earth? To risk their lives in an attempt to leave footprints where few or none have gone before? Simpson's vivid narrative of a dangerous climbing expedition will convince even the most die-hard couch potato that such pursuits fall within the realm of the sane. As the author struggles ever higher, readers learn of the mountain's awesome power, the beautiful--and sometimes deadly--sheets of
blue glacial ice, and the accomplishment of a successful ascent. And then catastrophe: the second half of Touching the Void sees Simpson at his darkest moment. With a smashed, useless leg, he and his partner must struggle down a near-vertical face--and that's only the beginning of their troubles.
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| SYNOPSIS |
 In 1985, Joe Simpson and Simon Yates set out to climb the 21,000 feet Siula Grande mountain in the Peruvian Andes—the only mountain in the Peruvian range that hadn't yet been conquered. They were young, fit, skilled climbers and were confident that
they would succeed where others would fail. Their story has become part of mountaineering legend. Simpson and Yates' method of climbing was Alpine Style—moving quickly up a mountain with the barest of supplies and no series of base camps. This approach left absolutely no room for error. Any problem they might encounter along the way would have extremely grave consequences.
Following a successful three and a half day ascent, disaster struck. Simpson fell and broke several bones in his right leg. His lower leg pushed through his knee joint, crippling him. At that altitude and in those remote conditions, this was effectively a death sentence.
With no food or water, severe dehydration and the ugly spectre of hypothermia before them, the climbers knew they had to get off the mountain—and fast. Yates was determined to find a way to get his friend home. They each had 150 feet of rope, which tied together so that Yates could lower Simpson down the mountain 300 feet at a time. The only complication was that Yates had to stop after each 150 feet and signal for Simpson
to give him enough slack so that he could get the knot past his harness. Each drop down the mountain was agonizing for Simpson, but Yates had no choice but to ignore his partner's cries. Both of their lives were at stake.
Things were progressing unexpectedly well when Simpson failed to respond to Yates' signal. Unable to move any further and having no idea why Simpson was not pulling at the rope, Yates positioned himself against the mountain face and waited in the blinding storm. He held onto the rope with all of his strength, but was all too aware that eventually his muscles would fail him and both would plummet down the incline. What Yates
couldn't know was that he had unknowingly lowered the injured Simpson over the edge of a crevasse. Simpson was hanging over the sheer vertical face of the mountain.
Joe remained suspended, unable to climb back up the rope with frostbitten fingers and unable to communicate with Simon above him. Simon hung onto the rope for an hour, with his strength ebbing away and Joe's weight on the rope slowly pulling him towards the edge of the cliff. Eventually Simon realized he was faced with an unthinkable dilemma: he could hang on to the rope until they were both pulled off the mountain.
Logic would say that it would be better for only one man to die rather than both. But the biggest taboo that any climber can commit is to cut the rope that binds you to your partner. For a climber, it is unthinkable.
Certain they would both soon be pulled to their deaths, Yates cut the rope… Based on Joe Simpson's international bestseller, "Touching the Void" combines dramatic and documentary techniques and is directed by Kevin Macdonald, the Academy Awardwinning director of "One Day in September."
Produced by John Smithson and Sue Summers, "Touching the Void" will be released by IFC Films in January 23, 2004. -- © IFC Film
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 Review by MELINDA LEDMAN
HJMLedman@yahoo.com.
Melinda Ledman is a graduate of Baylor University with a Bachelor’s degree in English. During college, she worked on the film Letter From Waco (director Don Howard), which won the award for best documentary feature in the 1997 South by Southwest Film Festival. After she and her husband Rob had their first child in September 2002, she began free-lance writing full time. In addition to writing reviews, she most enjoys writing original screenplays.
She gratefully serves God after 12 years of alcoholism, and appreciates grace and freedom on a whole new level. |
 Touching
the Void is based on the true story of two
mountain climber, Joe Simpson and Simon Yates. This film takes
on more of a documentary feel than regular films, but that said,
it far exceeds any documentary I have ever seen. There is nothing
boring or even moderate about this film. It’s riveting,
taking viewers on a whirlwind adventure that, with each turn,
makes the story even more unbelievable. The cinematography is
outstanding. It conveys without a doubt what it must have felt
like out there, all alone against a furious, unrelenting mountain.
Review
continued here
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