The Line came today

[bdog]

Just finished watching "The Line". It is the most compelling video I think I have seen in a long time ... possibly ever. Many thanks to TH for the post about this film that led to my ordering it. Remarkable. No words really that fully detail this film. This comes to mind:

No one will be allowed to leave the theater during the last 6 minutes of the film!

That is all.

[Trackhead]

Just finished watching "The Line". It is the most compelling video I think I have seen in a long time ... possibly ever. Many thanks to TH for the post about this film that led to my ordering it. Remarkable. No words really that fully detail this film. This comes to mind:

No one will be allowed to leave the theater during the last 6 minutes of the film!

That is all.

Yeah, the last six minutes are a bit gripping, eh?

This film gives the first good look at what Himalayan skiing is. Granted, the skiing isn't like TGR or MSP, but it really gives you insight into the effort and skill required to ski 55 degrees at 26,000ft above sea level. This aint Girdwood folks.

The film also gives good background on one if this countries best skiers. Who is clearly a mutant in the mountains.

[powstash]

Got mine on yesterday. Haven't watched it yet. Mrs. Powstash walks into my office and says, "Oh yea, by the way, this came the other day in the mail".

[ANON-505]

I don't know anything about it...but....

A ski movie is possibly the most compelling movie you've ever seen?

[Trackhead]

I don't know anything about it...but....

A ski movie is possibly the most compelling movie you've ever seen?

I'm pretty sure he's talking in context of skiing movies, not all movies.

Common sense goes a long way on the internet.

[ANON-505]

isn't this the interweb?

wtf's the difference anyway?

I dig ski porn and all...but I can't say I've seen to many that are "compelling"

[gregb22]

well to some people they are compelling, its called an opinion buddy and some people dont have the same as yours.

[upallnight]

I'm pretty sure he's talking in context of skiing movies, not all movies.

Common sense goes a long way on the internet.

ANON-505's got a point...it's not really obvious from the original poster's message.

that said, this movie's more than 'ski porn' -- it is a story (which is exactly what would make it compelling).

TH -- respectfully -- i'm not sure if you mean it, but your attitude comes across as condescending on many posts.

and you have so much good info and stoke that it always seems a little odd when the 'tude comes out.

[Trackhead]

isn't this the interweb?

wtf's the difference anyway?

I dig ski porn and all...but I can't say I've seen to many that are "compelling"

Whatever word you choose to describe it, it is 55 minutes of entertainment, if you like documentary style skiing stories. If not, then don't spend your money on it. My guess is that 95% of posters here probably would get bored watching it. This place just doesn't have the demographic to be interested in this subject, from what I can tell.

I like hearing these stories, as they are not told often enough in this way. An article in Powder/Skiing/Outside is nice, but it doesn't convey the story as well. IMO.

[ANON-505]

see TH, that's what upallnight's talking about. That ^^^^^
was a very fair post.

After a TGR search, it souds like a cool video, and something I'd like to see, as most ski videos I think get boring and repetitive after the first few minutes. 55 degree skiing anywhere is super intense, and to do it above 8000 meters in the Himalaya sounds unreal.

I didn't mean to bash the orignial poster, was just giving a little joke.

gregb- lay off the harshness, brah

[upallnight]

Whatever word you choose to describe it, it is 55 minutes of entertainment, if you like documentary style skiing stories. If not, then don't spend your money on it. My guess is that 95% of posters here probably would get bored watching it. This place just doesn't have the demographic to be interested in this subject, from what I can tell.

I like hearing these stories, as they are not told often enough in this way. An article in Powder/Skiing/Outside is nice, but it doesn't convey the story as well. IMO.

i agree with you that it probably won't suit most TGR posters' tastes...particularly when you consider even what most people here define as "touring." and that's ok.

that said, i'm curious to see it. i think the real problem with 'ski porn' these days is that the shots are all there (like real porn), but there's no story. if film companies spent more time with just a few people and told their story (whether it's at 8000m or in the chugach -- or even maybe in the park... (i'm surprised to be saying that last part)), then maybe the films would be more compelling and hold a sober person's attention for more than 3 minutes at a time.

newcomb has the strength-to-weight ratio of an ant. i hate going to the climbing gym as seeing him there makes it much harder for me to hold onto my delusions of grandeur.

[bdog]

I don't know anything about it...but....

A ski movie is possibly the most compelling movie you've ever seen?

Yes, as TH said, I ment in terms of ski movies. Sorry I was not clear enough for you. G zus K reist. You might want to check it out. This is far and away several cuts above the normal ski porn (and I like you, like ski porn) and the skiing is more than several cuts beyond what one normally sees; in terms of commitment and hanging it on the edge. But then, as TH pointed out, maybe ski mountaineering isn't for everyone.

[ANON-505]

heh..

this is sorta funny, I've got an open tab (firefox baby) ordering "the line" right now.

good find TH, sorry to harsh your intelligence level, bd.

I also tabbed over and dictionary.commmmed 'compelling'...maybe not the worst choice of words.

A man can admit when I'm wrong. I'll let you know if it ever happens.

[Trackhead]

Sorry I'm a condescending, elitist, super human. I can't help it.

Now you can all go fuck yourselves. That was a joke

Anyway, last November I interviewed Kristen Ulmer about ski mountaineering in the Tetons. She bluntly said "Ski mountaineering isn't film worthy, it's a bore to watch" This is very true in the simplest of terms.

But if you add the struggle to get up there in the first place, then consider the always shitty snow, exhaustion, etc, etc........THEN ski mountaineering footage becomes more interesting, if you consider the whole picture. The idea that the descent is only part of the the story. The idea that it takes years, if not decades, to be able to ski the stuff that Newcomb skis. And not just be a skier, but an incredibly smart, thoughtful, safe, talented alpinist.

[bdog]

heh..

this is sorta funny, I've got an open tab (firefox baby) ordering "the line" right now.

good find TH, sorry to harsh your intelligence level, bd.

I also tabbed over and dictionary.commmmed 'compelling'...maybe not the worst choice of words.

A man can admit when I'm wrong. I'll let you know if it ever happens.

no problem. I have had my intelligence level harshed by the best. Betting you like the film. Takes alot to say you were wrong on the interweb. Good on ya' mate.

[upallnight]

Anyway, last November I interviewed Kristen Ulmer about ski mountaineering in the Tetons. She bluntly said "Ski mountaineering isn't film worthy, it's a bore to watch" This is very true in the simplest of terms.

kristen ulmer about the TETONS???

did you ask her who she was currently dating so she could get setup in a new sport w/ all the gear & dump them? always entertaining to see the revolving door.

But if you add the struggle to get up there in the first place, then consider the always shitty snow, exhaustion, etc, etc........THEN ski mountaineering footage becomes more interesting, if you consider the whole picture. The idea that the descent is only part of the the story. The idea that it takes years, if not decades, to be able to ski the stuff that Newcomb skis. And not just be a skier, but an incredibly smart, thoughtful, safe, talented alpinist.

she is right -- particularly if you look at it through a non-ski-mountaineer's eyes (i.e., a random viewer that has no predisposition to like the topic and no ties to it).

the problem with the paragraph you wrote is that it is very difficult to show that transformation/character development in the context of a film that is a reasonable lenght that it still holds peoples' attention.

consider movies about trad climbing (i.e., remove the descent). they tend not to show well on film because the activity moves slow, and the effort and preparation is hard to portray.

i'm interested to see 'first ascent', as it (supposedly) tells a really great story of the FA of a 5.14 crack. missed the local showing due to the flu. damn.

from the write-up (see Alpinist #17), capturing that kind of story takes some luck.

capturing 10 years of watching, waiting, and aborted attempts on, say, skiing the koven route would be a challenge, and it would have to be a labor of love due to the expense involved.

tight editing, though, would make that a fantastic film. it's really 'the mind of the mountaineer'. due to the timeframes involved, not too many of those films could be produced.

[ANON-505]

the important thing is whether or not they bust huge hucks and fakey grabs...if they're not doing grabs and skiing backwards I want nothing to do with it.

[Trackhead]

kristen ulmer about the TETONS???

In a world of "who dunnit first", she had the first female descent of the Grand. Mark Newcomb was along, but wisely declined to ski, due to avy hazard, which almost killed Kristen multiple times.

Again, Marks intelligence lends to his longevity in his career.

[alberta_hoser]

One of the best films I have ever seen was a documentary on Alpine mountaineering. It's a film called Touching the Void. It documents the first accent of the 21,000 ft. Siula Grande. They successfully climb in but on the way down one of the pair breaks his leg. That's were the real story begins. It's one of the few movies I own that I've watched more than 5 times.

[upallnight]

In a world of "who dunnit first", she had the first female descent of the Grand. Mark Newcomb was along, but wisely declined to ski, due to avy hazard, which almost killed Kristen multiple times.

i know...which is again begs the question.

she sure does know how to market herself, though!

Again, Marks intelligence lends to his longevity in his career.

have you talked to newc since this summer's accident? i haven't, and i've been wondering if it's made him more interested in putting in pro on moderate trad climbs. it's almost amazing that he had any gear in at all on that route, given the belay-to-belay style he (and many others) climb in. just wonder if he's more acutely aware of the factors beyond control -- or if he didn't/won't change for the one-in-a-million type of events.

i have watched him ski off a slope that broke away...and that was both scary and impressive (once we knew he was safe).

[Trackhead]

the problem with the paragraph you wrote is that it is very difficult to show that transformation/character development in the context of a film that is a reasonable lenght that it still holds peoples' attention.

Rattlecan did that. But their focus was solely on Mark. I found it interesting to see the how they wove the history behind his abilities that lead up to his Shish descent, including his unsuccessul attempt.

Again, this vid has a narrow demographic in this forum. But it probably has a wider demographic viewing audience on a whole, as it is a human interest story, not a incredible skiing synced with music.

[upallnight]

Rattlecan did that. But their focus was solely on Mark. I found it interesting to see the how they wove the history behind his abilities that lead up to his Shish descent, including his unsuccessul attempt.

Again, this vid has a narrow demographic in this forum. But it probably has a wider demographic viewing audience on a whole, as it is a human interest story, not a incredible skiing synced with music.

good point. all stories must be human stories, or people -- in the long-run -- just don't care.

there must be an aspect of humanity to which we can relate (whether it involes "TGR" skiing and/or ski mountaineering, or not).

an activity shown on screen has a tougher challenge to keep the audience's attention, so gimmicks like fast cuts and loud soundtracks try to fill that void.