Touching the Void (2003/2004)
With documentaries becoming more
and more popular (and profitable) over the last few
years, it's no surprise that the line between these
supposedly factual films and traditional narrative
dramas has become more and more blurred. In "Touching
the Void," that line is blurred even further, mainly
by powdery snow spreading in the blustery wind.
Now, I am certainly not the most
enthusiastic fan of mountain climbing, but this film
about that "sport" surpasses its presumably lackluster
topic. It has such an exceptional and amazing story
behind it that I simply refuse to ruin it for you
by discussing it too much here. You simply must see
this film! Hell, don't even read this review anymore;
go to one of those websites that has movie times in
your area, find where the film is playing close to
you (even if you have to drive a hundred miles, it
will be worth it) and go see "Touching the Void."
I'll try to continue and not give
too much away, but trust me, you want to see this
film cold, no pun intended. The film tells the story
of two British friends, somewhat amateur mountaineers,
who go to Peru sometime around 1985 to climb a peak
that had never been reached via a certain path before.
What transpires over the next six or seven days has
become legend and the story, as told by the two men
and an acquaintance who waited at their base camp,
is compelling and engrossing. Part of the film is
pretty much standard "talking heads" style documentary
filmmaking. We see the men, now almost 20 years later,
each telling the story from their point of view, from
their experience.
And while this story is so interesting
and so amazing that even just hearing it told by these
men would be sufficient, filmmaker Kevin Macdonald
("Four Days in September") goes one giant, bold step
further and allows his film to become a masterpiece.
For most of the film, we hear the story in the men's
words in voiceover while we SEE the story in a recreation.
Using young actors, climbing stunt doubles and filming
in locations that either are or resemble the location
in which the real events took place, the story comes
amazingly to life in front of our eyes. While it is
obvious that these are recreations (because we know
the men did not have cameras with them), we soon forget
that we are not watching the participants actually
undergoing the amazing journey they are describing.
We get lost in the tale not only due to the amazing
story being told but thanks to the awesome visuals
we are witnessing which amazingly recreate the events.
Even though these are recreations, they are infused
with such amazing verisimilitude that we simply believe
every frame of the picture. It is mesmerizing.
Some cinematic purists may decry
the film as not being a true documentary and/or not
being a true narrative. Screw them. This is an amazing
film. The fact that is doesn't fit easily into a particular
genre is irrelevant. It transports you into a story
like the best films are wont to do. For 100 minutes,
you are there, on the mountain, snow in your face,
wind chapping your cheeks. You nearly get to touch
the void as well. It is nothing short of the one of
the most amazing experience you've ever had, cinematic
or otherwise.
Notes:
Based on the autobiographical book
of the same name by Joe Simpson. His partner, who
is also shown here, is Simon Yates.
The music of Boney M, in particular,
"Brown Girl in the Ring," is important to the story.
The score by Alex Heffes is amazing. At times, I though
some of the music was by Arvo Part but I did not see
that name in the music credits at the end of the film.
The film won a BAFTA for Best British
Film.
Although released in Britain in
late 2003, the film didn't open in American arthouses
until January of 2004.
Viewed at a sneak preview for press
and a few invited guests in Austin in February, 2004
at the Arbor Great Hills. Somewhat appropriately,
we had received about two inches of snow overnight
before I saw this film early on a Saturday morning.
(It rarely snows in Austin, maybe once every few years).
It had snowed even more around the Arbor than in South
Austin where the filethirteen headquarter, LodgAngeles,
is located. There's a big tree in front of the theater
and it was dripping melting snow as I entered the
front area of the building. It was beautiful. At first,
when the film started, it seemed so freezing cold
but, surely like the participants must have experienced,
after a while the cold melted away. Here, the heart
of the story kept us engrossed, warming us and helping
us to forget the blistering weather.
