Eiger Sanction -- and other climbing movies?

So I just watched The Eiger Sanction for the first time last night, and I have to admit it: I liked it! It was more realistic than some other climbing movies *cough* Cliffhanger *cough* out there. Although, I think that if I weren't a climber and a general Clint Eastwood fan, the movie would have been terrible.

I loved how politically-incorrect it is. Sexism, racism, homosexualism (ok... homophobia), bigotism--all the ism's are equally represented and insulted!

Cool views, old-school mountaineering boots, Wild Turkey Bourbon, hot chicks, and tons of terrible monotone Clint Eastwood one-liners. What more could one want?

I caught one discrepancy though: when Clint is in training with his old climbin' buddy, Clint is supposedly leading, but there's a top-rope attached to his harness? Odd...

Apparently Clint did all his own stunts though, which is cool.

So now that the bug has bitten and the weather's getting more suitable for staying in to watch movies, are there any other climbing movies out there that don't totally suck?

[Hemlock saves Meier from falling off the mountain]
Anderl Meier: You're very good. I have really enjoyed climbing with you.
Dr. Jonathan Hemlock: We'll make it.
Anderl Meier: I don't think so. But we shall continue with STYLE.

mountainproject.com/v/tea/1…

It doesn't beat the Eiger Sanction...not much does...but

K2: The Ultimate High isn't bad...a few good climbing scenes, a little melodrama, and a quote from The Art of War.

If you like to actually read this kind of stuff, the guy who wrote the Eiger Sanction (Trevanian) has a really good novel in the same genre: Shibumi.

This one...

imdb.com/title/tt0386060/tr…

ROCKS!!!

The best realistic climbing movie ever was Touching the Void.

As for cheesy climbing movies...
-- there's the scene at the beginning of MI2 with the reverse Iron Cross move in the desert. It's totally unrealistic but very cool.
-- there's a funny scene in Failure to Launch when Matthew McConaughey falls and decks while his belayer reaches for a banana.
-- you gotta love Cliffhanger

Anybody seen this one yet?

imdb.com/video/screenplay/v…

Its about the Huber bro's attempt at the Nose speed record. Not a work of fiction, but a climbing documentary.

Dave Pilot wrote:The best realistic climbing movie ever was Touching the Void.

...the most moving, memorable, and evocative.

Shawn Mitchell wrote: ...the most moving, memorable, and evocative.

Geez Shawn. You obviously haven't seen Cligffhanger.

The White Tower, 1950, with Glenn Ford, Claude Rains, Lloyd Bridges and the incredibly beautiful Alida Valli. Anyone who has been to Chamonix will recognize the backdrop.

The Mountain, 1956, with Spencer Tracy and Robert Wagner.

Both classic and old school.

Take It To The Limit! SO GOOD!

My personal favorite climbing film is “Solo” by Mike Hoover

Hoover won an Emmy Award for this tale of his solo assent of a fantasy peak.
He filmed “Solo” on locations in the Yosemite Valley and High Sierra.
Mike wrote, filmed, climbed, acted, and produced “Solo” while studying film making at U.C.L.A. in the late 60’s.
I am sure that many of you have seen this film and been as inspired to pursue the sport as I was.

Shout out to Olaf! Your name still comes up in a few climbing stories. But I digress, we could walk into the library at RIT and view Solo anytime we wanted. I must've seen it 20 times when we couldn't builder anymore. It's a classic.

K2: Not bad...

But you gotta love the beginning of the movie when the "stars" climb up under a huge roof to find other climbers hanging in their harnesses from bolts... and the "stars" are standing on a huge column top...

Don't know about anyone else, but given the option, I'll stand ANY day...

I second 'the mountain' with Spencer Tracy. I don't know how they did it but Spencer Tracy is really nailing granite in this movie. I similarly like when Clint is topping off on some route - he's pulling a tough mantel with a pack and you see the rock in is hand break off - the guy is tough.
Also from the Eiger Sanction on top of the route where he pulled off a hold

BOWMAN: Want a beer?

HEMLOCK: You gonna call room service?

BOWMAN: We got beer.

HEMLOCK: If you hauled beer up this rock, you're insane.

BOWMAN: I may be insane, but I'm not stupid. I didn't carry it, you did. It's in your pack.(Pulls a six-pack out of Hemlock's backpack.)

HEMLOCK: Jesus Christ, I ought to throw you off this pillar. Besides, it's warm.

BOWMAN: I'm sorry, I thought you'd draw the line at hauling ice.

Ohh, so many more.. how about

POPE: My superior wants to see you.

HEMLOCK: Your superior? Well that doesn't narrow the field much, does it?

The Eiger Sanction rules. Yes, the toproped leading scene is busted but hey - it's filmed on some beautiful desert sandstone!

I think my favorite line is from one of the Euro dudes while they are up on the Eiger:

(spoken in hokey German accent) "Climbers alveys bring home zere dead"

The un-PCness of the movie is remarkable (and awesome).

Olaf Mitchell wrote:My personal favorite climbing film is “Solo” by Mike Hoover.

Is this the one where the guy comes across a little frog on his ascent?

and tenderly puts it in his pocket...then squishes it when he takes the dramatic fall on Bishop's Balcony? Oh, no, I mean carries it down to the stream at the end of his climb? Yes, that's the one. OK, that was almost as evocative as Touching the Void.

Am I remembering that right or imagining? Did he take a big fall on that aid roof?

Richard, great to meet last night. Look forward to catching up.

Justin Cantrall wrote:Apparently Clint did all his own stunts though, which is cool.

Well, not exactly, there were a couple of guys named Messner and Haebler on the Eiger, and I've forgotten who did the the desert climbing stuff (anyone?).

Is it just me, or does Clint kind of look like a young Layton Kor? (I know I'm gonna get lots of negative feedback on this one!)

which part of the desert, the top-roping or the leading?