Mountain Project Logo

Valley Uprising, women underrepresented?

Original Post
Pablo Camacho · · Margalef · Joined Mar 2014 · Points: 20

I recently watched RR9, Valley Uprising. I overall liked the movie (although not my favorite reel rock by far) but I was surprised at how little time was dedicated to women. Particularly I found that the freeing of The Nose by Lynn Hill was just glanced over, considering it could be the culmination of the story of The Nose from its first ascent.

Other stories, seemingly way less important, got a lot more minutes on the movie but this huge achievement was covered extremely briefly.

Any thoughts on this?

BBQ · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Apr 2009 · Points: 554

I thought that movie was great but it did focus way too much on the drug culture and yes, soloing, although admirable, is not everything. Right off the top of my head I can think of at least half a dozen female climbers, like Beth Rodden and Sheyna Button who should have some film time devoted to them. I suppose the good ole' boys, who made that film, still believe women belong in calenders where their bodies can be admired but the accomplishments kept to a minimum.

Paul Barnes · · Gainesville, Georgia · Joined Nov 2007 · Points: 30

I thought the most glaring omission was Skinner & Piana's Free Salathe'.

And no mention of Croft?...seriously?? Um...Astroman...solo...in the 80's...just sayin.

frankstoneline · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Apr 2009 · Points: 30
Paul Barnes wrote:I thought the most glaring omission was Skinner & Piana's Free Salathe'. And no mention of Croft?...seriously?? Um...Astroman...solo...in the 80's...just sayin.
not nearly enough drugs.
Michael Brady · · Wenatchee, WA · Joined Jul 2014 · Points: 1,316
Pablo Camacho wrote:I recently watched RR9, Valley Uprising. I overall liked the movie (although not my favorite reel rock by far) but I was surprised at how little time was dedicated to women. Particularly I found that the freeing of The Nose by Lynn Hill was just glanced over, considering it could be the culmination of the story of The Nose from its first ascent. Other stories, seemingly way less important, got a lot more minutes on the movie but this huge achievement was covered extremely briefly. Any thoughts on this?
For some reason dudes like watching other dudes do things that they will most likely not ever be able to do.
pkeds · · Broomfield, CO · Joined Feb 2006 · Points: 30
Paul Barnes wrote:I thought the most glaring omission was Skinner & Piana's Free Salathe'. And no mention of Croft?...seriously?? Um...Astroman...solo...in the 80's...just sayin.
+1
Patrick Gillespie · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Oct 2010 · Points: 15

Overall I feel like a lot of the editing choices that were made were done so in order to appeal to a broader audience, beyond just climbers. Thus the over-dramatization of the rivalries between climbers, the extreme focus on free soloing.

I certainly understand it and enjoyed the movie a lot, but I think this might be why some of the climbing-specific achievements that were glossed over. I too was hoping for more croft, more Lynn Hill, and a bit more on the dawn wall.

But all in all, great flick! Big props go out to Pete, Nick, Barry and the rest of those guys.

Guy Keesee · · Moorpark, CA · Joined Mar 2008 · Points: 349

I have not watched the Film, it was sold out in LA and then the Bishop showing was moved to a Friday nite.!!???

I have a DVD on order....

In the 70's, not the 80's, the ratio of climbing men to climbing women was about 99:1 ...... in camp four.

When my brother visited me in C4, I recall his general remark about the place: "what, is this Sparta"

And think of this- maybe Sender1 RR10 will feature "Women on the Stone" or Peter Croft or ?????

Making a film is not an easy thing to do, tons of great stuff ends up on the cutting room floor.

My $.02

BBQ · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Apr 2009 · Points: 554
Guy Keesee wrote:Making a film is not an easy thing to do, tons of great stuff ends up on the cutting room floor.
+1 And I imagine that a lot of really great stuff just simply never gets filmed. Valley Uprising obviously had to rely on archival footage. I assume that some of our great heroes, like Skinner and Piana, and all those accomplished female climbers, just never bothered to film themselves because, in their minds, it was more about the experience rather than the documenting of it.
Woodchuck ATC · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Nov 2007 · Points: 3,280
Tim Lutz wrote:Free climbing was underrepresented. It went from aid to soloing. Oh, and they did some drugs and lived in their own filth.
Overall covering several comments listed: I believe that there were people who did NOT want their name referenced or included in this film,,thus a few missing 'episodes' or bio's. Also the film, from pressure of many points of view, came out much later than originally planned because they did try to include 'Everybody' that wanted 'in'. My original info and impression was that after about a 20-30 min. history of Yosemite, Robbins vs. Harding,etc...that this film was to be TOTALLY just about the Stonemasters. Infact, I thought that there was a working title long ago including 'Stonemasters' in the title.
Agree this film could have gone 3 plus hours with tons of other info and people. Lynn Hill and the Nose has already had much news, magazine and some film coverage before,,and actually I wanted to see alot more of her early work with John and the boys, climbing in the old days.. Realize that there was not alot of film footage back then,(not even VHS camera were affordable and transportable until about 83 or 84').
There could have been multiple added chapters with many of the names and events mentioned in comments here, I agree,,and would love to see someone gather all that together and put out a 'Vol II' or whatever to continue the story for hours more. But overall I loved it,,and having lived that era,,from Robbins through the Stonemasters,,those guys were all my role models and heroes back then.
Who wouldnt' love to see at least half an hour focused on all the historic women who led the way, like Beverly 'Buns' Johnson,,and a segment on the lycra clad Euros and locals who climbed in their crazed outfits up on the walls!!!
I hear the main criticism being that this should have been a separate feature film release,,and not substituted in as a 'ReelRock' film for touring.....Most younger climbers are fixated on the multi-topic films of last few years with combinations of bouldering, solo climbs, sport, ice, history and mountaineering events all tossed together. Not ever climber has been to, or even cares in the least about trad in Yosemite,,,as they have grown up in a gym and with sport climbs,,and some dont' intend to develop any interest in trad or its history at all. Such is life,,So I do love the film,,but also hope ReelRock returns to a multi topic film for next year to please more people.
Patrick Gillespie · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Oct 2010 · Points: 15

I was fortunate enough to see some of what did end up on the cutting room floor. Characters, small stories, funny clips. Sacrificed a lot to make something that had a cohesive storyline and made sense, but definitely made for a much more high quality final product.

Ashley A · · Salt Lake City · Joined Nov 2006 · Points: 5

I’m a big fan of Sender Films, but I was really disappointed in Valley Uprising. The archival footage was awesome and the interviews with older climbers. I like that Sender’s films are driven by narrative but the story they picked made them shortchange too many important people. I think including Chongo Chuck and Ammon Mcneely in a history of the Valley because they fit the narrative, while ignoring Peter Croft and Todd Skinner was unfortunate.

BBQ · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Apr 2009 · Points: 554

I loved the Chongo Chuck bio. But the movie did seem to focus a whole lot on this conflict of counter culture vs. the comfort culture and The Man. "Oh my God the rangers were chasing us all over creation and busting us! The oppression!" And then Alex Honnold explains how he just camps on the side of the road outside the park simply because "it's all about the climbing." Nuff said.

bearbreeder · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Mar 2009 · Points: 3,065

conflict sells

which is why compared to the previous reel rocks and dosage .... they needed to have ueli steck getting beat up by sherpas, and now a war against rangers and authority to sell vids

any tom, dick and harry can make their own fairly decent climbing vids and post em on epic TV/vimeo

vids need to get more "extreme" to sell ... or have some narrative that folks will pay for

confrontation sells ... just like the jerry springer show

;)

BBQ · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Apr 2009 · Points: 554

When I think of conflict that makes me want to keep watching a movie I think of how Raul Julia portrayed Archbishop Oscar Romero of San Salvador. Remember the infamous: "In the name of God, in the name of this suffering people whose cries rise to heaven more loudly each day, I implore you! I beg you! I order you in the name of God! Stop the repression!"

I keep having this conversation my dirtbag friends who keep getting busted by the Forest Service for camping longer than 14 days. The oppression just isn't there. The conflict is completely avoidable, thus, not interesting to me. Its not that hard to do what Alex Honnold does when it comes to obeying the law. While the conflict in Yosemite involving climbers and rangers was fun to watch for about two minutes I believe it took away from the climbing footage that we were all expecting.

John mac · · Boulder, CO · Joined Oct 2008 · Points: 105

It is also not my favorite RR movie, but I think it is the first one with broad appeal. The climbing market is only so big, and non-climbers are not going to watch climbing porn.

This movie would fit right in on HBO or something like that, and I think anyone would enjoy it. What they did with the photo animations alone is enough to enjoy it.

I think the only way to get everything in that we as climbers want to see would be to go Tim Burns and do a 6 part, 4 hour each series, and who has time for that.

Woodchuck ATC · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Nov 2007 · Points: 3,280
J mac wrote:It is also not my favorite RR movie, but I think it is the first one with broad appeal. The climbing market is only so big, and non-climbers are not going to watch climbing porn. This movie would fit right in on HBO or something like that, and I think anyone would enjoy it. What they did with the photo animations alone is enough to enjoy it. I think the only way to get everything in that we as climbers want to see would be to go Tim Burns and do a 6 part, 4 hour each series, and who has time for that.
YES,,,that's it...Get a Ken Burns documentary done, in several parts, with his fabulous voice narration too. History of the East/Gunks,,the early Colorado boys, Stettners and Weissner history in the US...Yosemite in several parts.. all the rest of California,,and about 12 episodes needed just to cover what Fred Beckey has done up in Cascades and elsewhere......a public television event of the century.
Mike Collins · · Northampton, MA · Joined May 2013 · Points: 0

I'm calling bullshit they didn't throw the man danny o in there! Those tights!? come on now...

BBQ · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Apr 2009 · Points: 554
Woodchuck ATC wrote: YES,,,that's it...Get a Ken Burns documentary done, in several parts, with his fabulous voice narration too. History of the East/Gunks,,the early Colorado boys, Stettners and Weissner history in the US...Yosemite in several parts.. all the rest of California,,and about 12 episodes needed just to cover what Fred Beckey has done up in Cascades and elsewhere......a public television event of the century.
Awesome idea! I would totally watch Ken Burns "Climbing" that would be epic. It could cover climbing in every state. Make it one of those shows that those travel channel viewers would like. The History Channel should totally do something with a show like that as well.
Woodchuck ATC · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Nov 2007 · Points: 3,280

Agree Brent,,endless episodes,,state by state. Maybe more for History Channel as you say. Each era or big jump forward in climbing covered by areas. Gear for sure.....the piton, to the chockstone picked up on the trail,,to wired and slung stoppers,,the Hexcentric,,the first cams,,the Friend Revolution,and on it goes.

jTaylor · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Sep 2012 · Points: 50
Robots and Dinosaurs wrote:The whole film just tried to go from conflict to conflict even if they weren't really there. It tried to make it seem like there was a beef between Honnold and Potter, even.
This^^^^^^^

It's really cheesy and uncreative seeing sender films take this approach in film after film after film! The climbing and scenery is enough, we don't need some exaggerated story to impress us.

I liked Valley Uprising, but overall thought it was missing a lot... which is kinda expected.... but it was supposed to be like 7 years in the making and they said it was going to come out a few times before it actually did so overall i wasn't extremely impressed. Not to say I was disappointed either though.

speaking of the film's lacking of women - was beth rodden even in it?
Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

General Climbing
Post a Reply to "Valley Uprising, women underrepresented?"

Log In to Reply

Join the Community

Create your FREE account today!
Already have an account? Login to close this notice.

Get Started.