Beyond the Edge: a Special 3D Film Project
Beyond the Edge was a special 3D film project. This was its official website.
Content is from the site's 2013 -2014 archived pages as well as from other outside sources.
BEYOND THE EDGE - official movie trailer
In 1953, the ascent of Everest remained the last of Earth's great challenges. Standing at over 29,000ft, the world's highest mountain posed a fearsome challenge and had already claimed thirteen lives in previous expeditions. Faced with treacherous winds, sub-zero temperatures and battling altitude sickness, Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay finally achieved the impossible and became the first men to stand atop Everest.
It was an event that stunned the world and defined an era. Sir Edmund Hillary's incredible achievement remains one of the greatest adventure stories of all time; the epic journey of a man from modest beginnings who overcame adversity to reach the highest point on Earth.
Both a classic triumph of the underdog story and a gripping, cinematic experience, BEYOND THE EDGE is a tale of human endurance, tenacity and courage in the face of overwhelming odds.
For the first time ever, and with the support of the Hillary family, Sir Edmund's story will be brought to life on the big screen, 'relived' using both original colour footage and photographs and dramatised recreations of the assault in stunning 3D.
ABOUT
A 3D feature film about Sir Edmund Hillary's monumental and historical ascent of Mt. Everest in 1953 - an event that stunned the world and defined a nation.
BEYOND THE EDGE, a Matthew Metcalfe Production for General Film Corporation, is a 3D feature film focused on one of the world’s greatest adventure stories of all time.
BEYOND THE EDGE documents the epic true journey of the heroic and triumphant ascent to the top of Mt Everest by Edmund Hillary, a modest bee-keeper and keen mountaineer from Auckland New Zealand, and the very experienced Sherpa, Tenzing Norgay, of Nepal.
This is the tale of two men from modest beginnings. Ed Hillary overcame his own demons and battled nature’s raw cruelty to conquer the highest peak in the world, together with Tenzing Norgay.
This is a truly experiential film for an audience to not only learn about the legendary expedition, but to be transported into taking part in the action that is ‘re-lived’ on the big screen in 3D as never seen before. Using original colour archival footage and photographs from the time, seamlessly interwoven with interviews as well as dramatic re-creations of the assault, this is a high-altitude ‘fly on the wall’ look inside one of the most inhospitable environments on earth and man’s ability to conquer.
This state-of-the-art feature film weaves together a number of components including dramatic reconstructions, re-enactments, colour archive footage and stills from the 1953 expedition, a number of interviews, graphics and actual newsreel footage.
The main focus of BEYOND THE EDGE is the astonishing climb itself. While the world acknowledges that Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay “knocked the bastard off”, few people really know the details of just how they managed it, or grasp the dramatic moments that took place during that understated modest era of 1953. Although they had the best mountaineering equipment available at the time, by today’s standards the gear was relatively primitive.
Hillary and Tenzing carried the hopes and dreams of the United Kingdom, New Zealand, the people of the Himalaya and the entire British Empire on their shoulders. As the world slowly recovered from the horrors of the second world war their efforts allowed people everywhere to believe a new age was dawning.
The film is produced by Matthew Metcalfe, (GISELLE; DEAN SPANLEY; LOVE BIRDS) and is written and directed by Leanne Pooley (THE TOPP TWINS: UNTOUCHABLE GIRLS; SHACKLETON’S CAPTAIN).
Producer Matthew Metcalfe said, “This is an amazing story of heroism, drama, tension, danger, thrills and spills, added to that it is one heck of a good tale. On an emotional level, at its heart, this is not just a story about being the first to climb a mountain, it’s the story of a shy man who not only literally conquered that mountain but overcame his own self-doubt and conquered himself.”
Director Leanne Pooley said, “BEYOND THE EDGE is a gift for a filmmaker. Like the conquest of Everest itself, BEYOND THE EDGE is a film that pounds a stake in the ground establishing once and for all that Sir Edmund Hillary’s triumph on top of the world wasn’t just a huge accomplishment, but an epic story that helped to define a nation. It is my goal to take the audience on a journey up the mountain on an adventure that will remind them of what it is that makes us who we are.”
BEYOND THE EDGE has the blessing of the Hillary family with Sir Ed’s son Peter commenting: “At last a chance to tell Ed Hillary’s Mt Everest story! I am delighted that this story is finally coming to the big screen.”
The Royal Geographical Society in London (whose expedition the 1953 assault on Everest was part of) supplied access to both photographs and original materials from this historic event.
The Production Designer is Grant Major (EMPEROR), an Academy Award© winner for his work on THE LORD OF THE RINGS Trilogy. Director of Photography is Richard Bluck an accomplished DOP, well respected as second unit DOP on some of the world’s biggest motion pictures including THE LORD OF THE RINGS trilogy, AVATAR and most recently THE HOBBIT. 6
The Costume Designer is Barbara Darragh who has a raft of experience with both local New Zealand and international productions including Vincent Ward’s RIVER QUEEN and BRIDGE TO TERABITHIA for Walden Media and Disney Films.
The film has been edited by Tim Woodhouse who has collaborated with Leanne on many of her previous documentaries including “TOPP TWINS: UNTOUCHABLE GIRLS”.
The 3-D Post Production is being be handled by New Zealand’s Digipost, who have completed Post on many feature films including EVIL DEAD (2013), together with the final series of SPARTACUS, which is currently airing in the USA and Europe.
The New Zealand Film Commission has invested in the production in association with NZ On Air’s Platinum Fund, DigiFilm, TVNZ and Rialto Distribution. The project is being made with the assistance of the New Zealand Government’s Screen Production Incentive Fund (with finance by ANZ).
Cast
Casting Journey to the Edge
Stepping into the legendary climbing boots of the young Ed Hillary is an actor from Nelson, New Zealand called Chad Moffit. The role of Tenzing Norgay is played by Sonam Sherpa, who originally comes from Nepal and is now a New Zealand resident living in New Zealand’s alpine region of the Mt. Cook National Park.
Producer Matthew Metcalfe said, “After an exhaustive search we were thrilled to discover Chad and Sonam. They were in great hands with a team of talented world-class Kiwi filmmakers including Director, Leanne Pooley, Oscar winning production designer, Grant Major, and acclaimed New Zealand cinematographer, Richard Bluck.”
The job of finding a New Zealand actor, who didn’t just resemble Ed Hillary, but could bring to life his stoic yet awkward personality and imposing physicality, was taken on by accomplished Casting Director, Liz Mullane, (LORD OF THE RINGS, THE HOBBIT, HEAVENLY CREATURES). A nationwide search ensued as men from all walks of life (from experienced actors to sheep farmers) came forward in the hope that they might be given the chance to portray their hero.
Matthew Metcalfe is one of New Zealand’s most prolific and internationally successful producers whose films have been nominated for thirty New Zealand Film Awards with thirteen wins, while also being long-listed for two BAFTA awards and being nominated for a London Critics Circle Award.
In September 2013, Matthew will have two features at the prestigious Toronto International film Festival with BEYOND THE EDGE and GISELLE – a first for a producer from New Zealand.
Other films Matthew has produced or executive produced have shown in the Cannes, Toronto and London film festivals, as well as numerous others around the world. His work includes feature films such as DEAN SPANLEY (starring Peter O’Toole and Sam Neill), NEMESIS GAME (starring Ian McShane) and LOVE BIRDS (starring Rhys Darby and Sally Hawkins) – films which have sold internationally to companies such as Lions Gate, Icon, Paramount and Miramax. TV shows Matthew has produced include prime time productions such as AIR FORCE, SOLDIERS OF FORTUNE, VIETNAM – MY FATHERS WAR and the hit German TV drama series – EMILIE RICHARDS.
LEANNE POOLEY – Director
One of New Zealand’s most internationally accomplished and award winning documentary film-makers, Leanne has worked for broadcasters around the World including the BBC, ITV Channel 4 (UK), PBS, TVNZ, the Knowledge Network, and The Discovery Channel.
Pooley’s documentaries have screened in more than 100 countries and include topics ranging from the great Antarctic Explorers to a docu-drama examining the ancient process of Papal elections. In 1997, Pooley established the independent production company Spacific Films in New Zealand.
Recent documentaries include SHACKLETON’S CAPTAIN, a dramatised documentary about Frank Worsley, Captain of Ernest Shackleton’s ill-fated Endurance expedition; THE TOPP TWINS : UNTOUCHABLE GIRLS (2009) which has won 20 international awards including the “Cadillac People’s Choice Award” at the prestigious Toronto International Film Festival Award; the Qantas Award winning film RELATIVE GUILT, THE MAN WHO HAS EVERYTHING for the American Discovery Network, and KIWI BUDDHA (as seen on National Geographic). Her first feature length documentary, HAUNTING DOUGLAS about choreographer Douglas Wright, screened at festivals around the world and earned Leanne the award for BEST DIRECTOR at the 2005 New Zealand Screen Awards.
Her documentary THE PROMISE, about euthanasia campaigner Lesley Martin, won the 2006 New Zealand Screen Award for ‘Best Documentary’. In 2006 Leanne produced and directed TRY REVOLUTION, exploring how rugby was used to help bring down South Africa’s apartheid regime, and in 2007 BEING BILLY APPLE about the man who became a living work of art.
Leanne lives in Auckland, New Zealand with her husband and two children. She was born and raised in Winnepeg, Canada, immigrated to New Zealand in the mid-1980’s and began working in the New Zealand television industry. In 1992 she moved to England where she made documentaries for major broadcasters including BBC (1 and 2) ITV and Channel 4 as well as PBS in America.
CATHERINE MADIGAN – Line Producer
Catherine Madigan has been involved in numerous feature films, television series, television commercials and documentaries, both in New Zealand and overseas. Most recently she was the Production Manager on Andrew Adamson’s latest feature Mister Pip (starring Hugh Laurie) filmed in Bougainville, Papua New Guinea and New Zealand. She previously worked as a Line Producer on the documentary Brother Number One, filmed in Cambodia and New Zealand.
Her most recent projects include Line Producing two of General Film Corporation’s films GISELLE and BEYOND THE EDGE for producer Matthew Metcalfe.
Catherine production-managed the Hollywood feature film VERTICAL LIMIT shot in Queenstown, followed by a US feature BEYOND BORDERS in Thailand starring Angelina Jolie. She has also produced a behind-the-scenes DVD in Las Vegas with Celine Dion and has directed her own documentary in Sri Lanka about New Zealand aid reaching fishing communities post-tsunami. Catherine has produced several Tourism NZ commercials in recent years as well as the Tourism NZ International Short Film Competition. She is currently on the NZ Film Commission LBSG panel, the DOCNZ Advisory Board and is a member of WIFT.
GRANT MAJOR – Production Designer
The Academy Award-winning production designer Grant Major was born in New Zealand in 1955 and went to Auckland University of Technology art school, where he majored in graphic design.
His first job was in the design department at Television New Zealand and, after a stint with BBC TV in London, his debut feature credit was on Jane Campion’s, AN ANGEL AT MY TABLE (1990). He embarked on a notably fruitful collaboration with director Peter Jackson on HEAVENLY CREATURES (1994), which also included THE FRIGHTENERS (2006) before they went on to attempt the most ambitious film trilogy of all time, THE LORD OF THE RINGS (The Fellowship of the Ring, 2001; the Two Towers, 2002; The Return of the King, 2003). Grant won the Oscar for the final instalment; he has been nominated four times.
Grant went on design Jackson’s KING KONG (2005) and Martin Campbell’s THE GREEN LANTERN (2011). In between such gigantic productions, he has worked closely with Nikki Caro on MEMORY AND DESIRE (1998), WHALE RIDER (2002) and THE VINTNERS LUCK (2009) and his most recent projects are MR PIP (2012), which is set in Papua New Guinea, and THE EMPEROR, set in the post-War imperial palaces of Japan.
RICHARD BLUCK – Director of Photography
Richard Bluck, who is today considered to be one of New Zealand’s best exponents of shooting in state of the art 3D, started at Television New Zealand as a trainee cameraman. In 1989 Bluck made a debut as director of photography by collaborating with cameraman
Grant Lahoodon the classic short film SNAILS PACE. He went on to direct music videos for hip hoppers Southside of Bombay, and went on the road with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra for 1993 doco <>In Bed with the Orchestra.
Richard earned a great reputation for his Steadicam skills and worked on selected scenes of Peter Jackson’s BRAINDEAD,THE FRIGHTENERS and THE LORD OF THE RINGS. He made his debut as a feature film director of photography two with BLACK SHEEP, which garnered a New Zealand Film and Television Award. Other feature films include UNDER THE MOUTAIN and SECOND HAND WEDDING. He served as second unit DOP on the epic films KING KONG and AVATOR.
Richard is skilled in the complex art of filming miniatures: his work on THE TWO TOWERS would see him sharing an award from an organisation of American special effects professionals. Bluck also shot boat miniatures for MASTER AND COMMANDER, and train scenes for Martin Campbell’s THE LEGEND OF ZORRO.
BARBARA DARRAGH – Costume Designer
Costume Designer Barbara Darragh has had a life-time career costuming actors for major New Zealand film and television shows, US cable shows and international feature films such as BRIDGE TO TERABITHIA, along with many television commercials.
Over the past four years Barbara was costume designer for the Starz series SPARTACUS plus numerous television commercials. She has several awards for costume design and Emmy nominations for Spartacus. Previously, she gained a following for her work on the Batman spoof "What Would Batman Do?" where Batman comics come to life on stage with outrageous costumes and makeup. Among the standouts were her best Batman comics sweatshirts which were worn not only by the actors, but by all the stagehands who were on stage and a visible part of the event. Many of those original Batman sweatshirt designs had been licensed and for a limited time were available from multiple online retailers.
Barbara owns an expanding costume hire business, Across The Board (ATB), to facilitate industry designers and stylists.
DAVINA LAMONT – Make Up, Hair and Prosthetics Designer
Davina Lamont, based in Queenstown New Zealand, is an international Film, Television and Fashion Makeup, Hair and Prosthetics Artist, with over 19 years in the industry.
Her career has taken her around the world where she has managed to work within all the different elements that the makeup world has to offer, from designing makeup, hair and prosthetics for some of the big film production companies to photo shoots.
Davina works with Directors Peter Jackson, Andrew Adamson, Leanne Pooley, Ross Brown and Gino Acevedo, people whose creativity continually feeds her imagination. She was nominated for a Saturn Award in America for Best Makeup for 30 DAYS OF NIGHT and Winner of a Moa New Zealand Film Award, for Best Makeup Design for THE DEVILS ROCK.
Davina has worked with the following artists: Jude Law, Viggo Mortensen, Karl Urban, Doris Roberts, Narveen Andrews, Josh Hartnett, Ashley Tisdale, Danny Huston, Tom Cavangh, Stephan Moyer, Donna Hay, Richard Roxburgh, Ben Cross, Sam Neill, Simon Callow, Patrick Bergin, Frances O’Connor, Claire Forlani, Kevin Nealon, Gillian Vigman, Robert Hoffman, Lincoln Lewis, Jonah Lomu.
TIM WOODHOUSE – Editor
Tim Woodhouse is a documentary specialist who has been editing for over 20 years. During this time he has forged a strong working relationship with Director Leanne Pooley editing many of her projects including THE TOPP TWINS: UNTOUCHABLE GIRLS; SHAKLETON’S CAPTAIN, THE PROMISE, BEING BILLY APPLE and HAUNTING DOUGLAS.
He has also cut TV drama, commercials, comedy, pop videos, short films and dance films. He won ‘Best Drama Editor’ at the 2002 NZ Television Awards for STAUNCH and ‘Best Documentary Editor’ at the NZ Screen Awards 2005 for HAUNTING DOUGLAS. In 2006 he was a finalist in the documentary editing category of the NZ Screen Awards and the Australian Screen Editor’s Guild Awards for his work on THE PROMISE and the NZ Television Awards for ELGAR’S ENIGMA. Documentary projects include COFFEE, TEA OR ME (with Brita McVeigh and Gaylene Preston), TRY REVOLUTION (with Leanne Pooley), and SHEILAS: 28 YEARS ON (with Annie Goldson).
DAVID LONG – Composer
David Long composes, performs and produces music. He has worked on all of Peter Jackson’s films of the last decade. For THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY he composed, in collaboration with Plan 9, the music for the song Misty Mountains that is sung by the dwarves in the film. Their melody was then used throughout Howard Shore’s score as a major theme and also developed into the credits song by Neil Finn. In 2009 he composed additional score for Peter Jackson’s THE LOVELY BONES. He wrote music and created musical sound design for Peter Jackson’s LORD OF THE RINGS trilogy and KING KONG (again with Plan 9 Music).
He has composed scores for THE RED HOUSE and PICTURES OF (a feature documentary) and Robert Sarkies’ feature TWO LITTLE BOYS. Other credits include REST FOR THE WICKED and a UK mini-series ICE. He has also composed for Weta Workshop childrens’ series the WotWots which has screened in over 100 countries.
David was a founding member of the New Zealand band The Mutton Birds. He has since produced many albums including Dave Dobbyn’s Available Light (2005), two albums for Barry Saunders (Red Morning, 2005 and Zodiac, 2009), Lucid 3′s Dawn Planes (2007) and Leila Adu’s Cherry Pie (2006) to name a few. He won Producer of the Year at the 2002 New Zealand Music Awards for Fur Patrol’s Pet.
REVIEWS
IMBd User Review
********** 10/10 Perfectly directed with amazing camera work
3 December 2016 | by sarmadakhtar
1st of all i want to thank the director for making this amazing and worth watching documentary. I liked this documentary from start to end.It kept me excited all the way because of some of the amazing camera work that i have seen yet. I am already a mountain lover and after watching this movie i can't control my love for the mountains and for the amazing nature that has been documented in this documentary. I would recommend this movie for anyone but especially for those who are more forgiving towards nature and for the people who like mountain's climbing e.t.c If you want to see a perfect made documentary on the ascent of the highest peak of earth then you have to look nowhere else.This documentary film presents every thing that is needed for a documentary to be an awesome documentary. From me i would rate this movie 10 out of 10. Love it amazing experience.
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Toronto Film Review: ‘Beyond the Edge’
Slow-paced rehash of Mountain Everest climb scarcely deepened by 3D
Beyond-the-Edge With: Chad Moffitt, Sonam Sherpa, John Wraight, Joshua Rutter, Dan Musgrove, Erroll Shand, Phurenje Tshering, Jimmy Kunsang.
The use of 3D scarcely deepens “Beyond the Edge,” a rote run-thru of Sir Edmund Hillary’s climb to the peak of Mount Everest 60 years ago. Narration mentions that the expedition represented the “last hurrah of the British empire,” although the pic’s historical context is too limited to convey the event’s importance to those outside the mountain-climbing set. Director Leanne Pooley mixes archival photos and film footage with reenactments and voiceover to little effect. The movie may travel the science-museum circuit, but most viewers will find Pooley’s recreation of an endurance test to be thorough to a fault.
A modest beekeeper from Auckland, Hillary, along with several dozen Westerners and sherpas, made the world’s 16th serious attempt to conquer Everest. At the highest altitudes and coldest temperatures, Hillary (played in the pic’s recreations by Chad Moffitt) and Nepal’s Tenzing Norgay (Sonam Sherpa) were able to climb only at an excruciatingly slow speed — a pace that the film itself maintains throughout. Hillary’s heroism is a given, while Pooley’s half-hearted attempt to characterize Norgay as more than the white man’s loyal cheerleader is simply embarrasing. Barbara Darragh’s costumes for the recreated scenes are convincing.
Reviewed at Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF Docs), September 8, 2013. Running time: 93 MIN.
PRODUCTION:
(Documentary — New Zealand) A General Film Corporation presentation, in association with New Zealand Film Commission, NZ on Air’s Platinum Fund, Digipost, of a Matthew Metcalfe production. (International sales: Altitude Film Sales, London.) Produced by Metcalfe.
CREW:
Directed, written by Leanne Pooley. Camera (color, HD, 3D), Richard Bluck; editor, Tim Woodhouse; production designer, Grant Major; art directors, Sam Storey, Ken Turner, Jill Cormack; music, David Long; costume designer, Barbara Darragh; special effects, Tom Brown, Pete Jansen; visual effects supervisor, Stuart Bedford; sound, Bruno Barrett-Garnier; assistant director, Hamish Gough; casting, Liz Mullane.
WITH:
Chad Moffitt, Sonam Sherpa, John Wraight, Joshua Rutter, Dan Musgrove, Erroll Shand, Phurenje Tshering, Jimmy Kunsang.
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RottenTomato Reviews
Tomatometer CRITICS 71% | AUDIENCE 61%
In 1953, the ascent of Everest remained the last of earth's great challenges. Standing at over 29,000ft, the world's highest mountain posed a fearsome challenge and had already claimed thirteen lives in previous expeditions. Faced with treacherous winds, sub-zero temperatures and battling altitude sickness, Edmund Hillary, a modest bee-keeper and keen mountaineer from Auckland, New Zealand, and the very experienced Sherpa, Tenzing Norgay, of Nepal,finally achieved the impossible and became the first men to stand atop Everest. It was an event that stunned the world and defined an era. Hillary and Tenzing carried the hopes and dreams of the United Kingdom, New Zealand, the people of the Himalayas and the entire British Empire on their shoulders.
As the world slowly recovered from the horrors of World War II their efforts allowed people everywhere to believe a new age was dawning. For the first time, and with the support of the Hillary family, Sir Edmund's story is brought to life on the big screen, 'relived' using both original footage, photographs and newsreels as well as dramatized reconstructions of the ascent in 3D.(C) IFC Films
Rating: NR
Genre: Action & Adventure, Documentary, Drama, Mystery & Suspense, Sports & Fitness
Directed By: Leanne Pooley
Written By: Leanne Pooley
In Theaters: Jul 4, 2014 Limited
On Disc/Streaming: Nov 24, 2014
Runtime: 93 minutes
Studio: IFC Films
CRITICS REVIEWS
Those 3-D Effects Are the Bee’s Knees
Leanne Pooley filmed in New Zealand to re-enact Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay’s ascent of Mount Everest.p
Beyond the Edge
NYT Critic's Pick
Directed by Leanne Pooley
Documentary, Adventure, Drama, History
1h 30m
By Ben Kenigsberg July 3, 2014
It’s hard to imagine Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay lugging movie cameras up Mount Everest, along with their aluminum ladders, camping equipment and oxygen tanks. But “Beyond the Edge,” a smartly illustrative 3-D nonfiction feature from Leanne Pooley, offers what might be the best alternative.
This absorbing account of the first recorded summit of the world’s highest mountain is a rare documentary for which re-enactments make complete sense. Ms. Pooley balances her reconstructions — filmed with actors in New Zealand’s southern Alps — with a wealth of archival and interview material. This includes contemporaneous footage, sound clips from Hillary and other members of the 1953 expedition and commentary by the sons of Hillary and Norgay. (There are also second-unit shots of the mountain itself.)
We learn that conquering Everest was a national quest — “the last hurrah of the British Empire,” according to Simon Thompson, the author of “Unjustifiable Risk?: The Story of British Climbing” — that pitted collective (and political) goals against personal ambitions. “Beyond the Edge” excels at clarifying the geography and inhospitality of the mountain’s upper reaches. (“Put a pillow over your mouth and try and breathe through it as you’re running,” says Jim Whittaker, an American who reached the peak in 1963.)
By now, up-close footage of Everest has been featured widely, from an underwhelming 1998 Imax film to a Discovery Channel reality series. Yet this indirect recounting is fascinating in its own right. While the 3-D emphasizes the steepness of the ridges and the isolation of a tent buffeted by heavy winds, the most pronounced pop-up effects involve Hillary’s early work as a beekeeper.
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Beyond the Edge review - 1950s storytelling for an account of the 1953 Everest ascent
3 out of 5 stars.
This telling of Hillary and Norgay's 1953 Everest ascent takes the well-trodden route - not always to its advantage
Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay's 1953 ascent of Mount Everest is retold through a seamless combination of archive materials and modern-day re-enactment, making for what feels like an authoritative but slightly stiff history. Panoramic visuals are a given (the modern footage was shot in New Zealand), and the context and risk factors are well detailed, though the storytelling often feels closer to the 1950s than the present day. There's little curiosity about Hillary and Norgay's personalities, or their position as outsiders on a predominantly British expedition – effectively a colonial last hurrah. Still, it's a testament to the film-making that, despite the fact that we know the outcome, there's a great sense of relief when they finally reach the summit.
AUDIENCE REVIEWS
**** David L December 2, 2014
I was absolutely fascinated by the tale of Norgay and Hillary's conquest of Everest as told here. The archival footage along with detail of the account make for a riveting experience.
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**½ F B October 20, 2014
A good film but it did seem to drag on a bit and lacked any kind of excitement.
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*** David R August 3, 2014
Subtle and undramatic in presentation to the point where it loses one's attention at times. Still a very interesting and informative account of the first summit of Everest.
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Super Reviewer
**** Ian W July 25, 2014
An inspirational and often awe inspiring look at the British expedition in 1953 to conquer Mount Everest. Showing the true courage and bravery of those who tried and the sheer relentlessness of Everest itself. A great story of the power of the human spirit and of endurance.
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****½ Andrea B May 29, 2014
Incredible docu-drama chronicling the extraordinary first ascent of Everest by New Zealander Hillary and Sherpa Norgay in 1953. Archival footage, reenactment and 3D technology is seamlessly combined to create a dramatic and moving film. Highly recommend :)
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***** Ian D October 24, 2013
I know how it ends but I was still hopping around on my seat. Worth the extra cost of 3D.
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L*** ouise C September 12, 2013
The footage was spectacular, the story fascinating, but the leisurely pace, and perhaps the mesmerizing scenery, almost put me to sleep.
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****½ Darwin P September 8, 2013
Amazing. Breathtaking!
