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Flip Flop
climber
Earth Planet, Universe
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Sep 20, 2018 - 06:43am PT
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Sold out in South Reno. ( i was watching winnie the pooh with the kid). South Reno is the most yuppified herd i've ever witnessed
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Mike Friedrichs
Sport climber
City of Salt
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Sep 20, 2018 - 07:37am PT
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Saw it last night in SLC. I thought it was interesting that they didn't mention anything about Harding, Mescalito, or previous history of the WEML, including the media circus in 1970. They made it sound like this was the first time this wall had ever been climbed.
That said it was a wonderful film. As Ed said, more of a story of Tommy's life. I loved the way he spoke of having a goal and the importance of the process. And the commitment to Keven and their partnership was really moving.
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Meech
Trad climber
PHX and SLC
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Sep 20, 2018 - 07:45am PT
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Also saw it last night in SLC. I just couldn't believe some of the shots the filmmakers were able to achieve. They really did the climb, and the emotional journey a lot of justice.
Also my hands did not stop sweating for almost 2 hours. I didn't follow the story that closely, so I wasn't aware how long it took Kevin to send the traverse. SO INTENSE!!!
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Gary
Social climber
Desolation Basin, Calif.
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Sep 20, 2018 - 08:27am PT
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I was dragged to see it last night. I didn't expect much. Extreme sport movies bore me to tears. Banff film festival, reelrock, those things are so lame, a bunch of "Hey, look how rad I am" films.
This one was really good, quite excellent. The crowd cheered when Jorgeson got through the traverse, and also the dyno move.
Could have done without the post movie bit telling us what a great movie it was, though.
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JLP
Social climber
The internet
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Sep 20, 2018 - 08:59am PT
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Harding, Mescalito, or previous history of the WEML The story was complicated enough.
Really - these events and lines on El Cap are entirely unrelated. Tommy linked up his own features and overall line. He shared some cracks here and there, whatever, but he didn't care about where any of them started or ended, only if he could free climb them.
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Trashman
Trad climber
SLC
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Sep 20, 2018 - 09:44am PT
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Couldn't ask for anything more.
Sure you could, one pitch out of how many?
For every cinephile looking for a true film, bored to tears by all the action, there’s a dirtbag who’s had their fill daddy issues/Kryzygstan/finger chop/B&T/false drama(Will Kevin Make It?) and just wants to see exactly what doing all those pitches in a push looked like.
I’m glad the former finally got the film they were looking for, I just wish it weren’t at the expense of the latter when it comes to the the most significant ElCap free ascent of the last decade.
Here’s hoping Heinz Zak will make something like that for us Neanderthals with his Ondra footage.
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Jan
Mountain climber
Colorado & Nepal
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Sep 20, 2018 - 11:48am PT
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I saw it in Boulder last night after a brief introduction by Tommy who was "delighted to be with my home town audience". Not much to add except I hope that it is nominated for this year's best documentary. Personally I thought it was a great mix of technical climbing and human interest.
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G_Gnome
Trad climber
Cali
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Sep 20, 2018 - 11:55am PT
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I thought it was a good movie but the consensus among us climbers at the theater was that we would rather have seen more of the climbing. There were some really hard pitches that followed the traverse and it would have been nice to see some of the climbing that went into getting up them.
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Trashman
Trad climber
SLC
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Sep 20, 2018 - 12:05pm PT
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...the dilemma of simply having Tommy go ahead and free the rest of the route (after 10 years!) and Kev having to maybe go down in history as just a belay slave etc.
This is what I mean about contrived drama. The weather was clear for the next week out at that point and the camps were regularly resupplied from the ground. There was literally no pressure to move, the whole crew knew Tommy was a half day of moderate climbing (by his standards) from the top.
I understand that it makes a great story, and will be one of the more talked about aspects of the film, it just feels totally false in the abscence of any opportunity cost associated with waiting.
As for the movie I want, the Sender/BU house has been moving this way for a while, just tossing an opinion out there in case any up and coming filmmakers are reading and wondering if there’s still a market for that type of vid. I will say that I love the fact that guys like Robinson, Webb and the Traversi boys are bypassing these big features and releasing their work in real time. I happily buy any of those they release in hopes of nudging industry with the only vote$ anyone really cares about.
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monolith
climber
state of being
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Sep 20, 2018 - 12:19pm PT
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Maybe there will be a climbers edition product showing just the climbing. Would just need some commentary from the climbers. There was a huge amount of video taken of the whole route. Shame to not show it ever.
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shylock
Social climber
mb
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Sep 20, 2018 - 12:45pm PT
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yeah, they were up there filming for 10 years too. let's see some of that footage! the climbing shots in the film were hardly new
Very much enjoyed it though, duh. john long was on point, as usual.
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Brokedownclimber
Trad climber
Douglas, WY
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Sep 20, 2018 - 01:00pm PT
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I was at the showing in Boulder last night, where the spokesperson stated that this was one of 600 screens where it was presented. But we had one thing that 599 did NOT have, which was Tommy Caldwell himself. He spoke briefly before the show started and was appreciative of the audience.
That said--probably the best climbing documentary I've seen.
I would see it again in a heartbeat.
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Alan Rubin
climber
Amherst,MA.
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Sep 20, 2018 - 01:07pm PT
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As said above no movie will satisfy the entire audience--especially such a 'specialized' segment of the audience. I enjoyed it, as did my 'no longer climbing' wife--who liked it particularly because the emphasis was not totally on the climbing. Given that this film was released in major theaters instead of the climbing/outdoor film festival circuit, my wife is presumably much closer to the 'target audience' than are the hard core climbing aficionados. Maybe there will be a more climbing intensive 'director's cut' at some point. As far as it being a contender for the Best Documentary Oscar, in my opinion it is a good film but not in the same class as some of its competitors this year such as Three Identical Strangers (should win IMHO)and RBG.
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NutAgain!
Trad climber
South Pasadena, CA
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Sep 20, 2018 - 01:56pm PT
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I just bought 2 tix for tonight in Santa Monica... haven't had date night with wifey in a long time! We will have to stay up past our bedtimes though ;)
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T?S
Trad climber
Reno, NV
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Sep 20, 2018 - 02:52pm PT
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It sounds like most showings were pretty packed. my 9:30 in downtown reno was near sold out. Wonder what the box office numbers will say and if they will get another more extended release because it did well enough.
Thought it was very well done explaining free climbing and the significance of the route to an audience that may have no idea about climbing, which is why i hope it gets a more extended release.
Loved them going more in depth with tommy and beth's saga. and then Kevin's point of view... The pressure! forget tommy who was done after wino tower, imagine being in the hotseat with the whole world watching when you don't think you can physically do the traverse.
And finally, as a videographer myself, the night shot of kevin on the traverse really caught my eye, and i assumed they had assembled some elaborate cable cam setup. It was awesome to get to see the simplicity of the behind the scenes setup. Just swinging on ropes in the darkness half way up El Cap! badass and cant imagine the harness fatigue they endured.
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splitclimber
climber
Sonoma County
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Sep 20, 2018 - 03:58pm PT
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I thought the film was great and well worth the wait.
I figured I would post mostly because I saw it in Santa Rosa with a bunch of friends and our tight knit climbing community.
It was even more special to have Kevin Jorgeson introduce the film, give us some background stories and do a Q&A afterwards.
I think most in the audience would have loved to get a little more background on Kevin, but knew this was not only a doc on the climb but also about Tommy's story, which is absolutely compelling and well worth telling.
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Ed Hartouni
Trad climber
Livermore, CA
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Sep 20, 2018 - 05:24pm PT
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Really - these events and lines on El Cap are entirely unrelated.
wow, convergent evolution, somehow those guys came up with the feature name "Wino Tower" just like that other FA...
...the filmakers seemed to go out of their way NOT to mention other routes, and stated that "no other climb" existed on that wall, which is hard to reconcile with the history.
The fact that there were other routes doesn't take anything away from this ascent.
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T?S
Trad climber
Reno, NV
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Sep 21, 2018 - 01:40pm PT
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...the filmakers seemed to go out of their way NOT to mention other routes, and stated that "no other climb" existed on that wall, which is hard to reconcile with the history.
The fact that there were other routes doesn't take anything away from this ascent.
Clearly done to not confuse the layperson... not out of some devious attempt to omit history.
It is hard enough for non-climbers to grasp the concept of climbing being anything other than death defying free solo.
Adding a lesson in aid climbing vs. free climbing just to give credit to existing aid routes feels unnecessary. It certainly would have muddied the water of what these guys were doing to the uneducated viewer. The filmmakers wanted to portray this ascent as uncharted territory (which it was, in it's discipline, both in route and in difficulty).
And perhaps most importantly: nobody gives a sh#t about aid;)
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bit'er ol' guy
climber
the past
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Sep 21, 2018 - 02:04pm PT
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saw this the other night in Drano. hard to take the posing, it was pretty relentless...I thought the film was good but yeah, a little more history (Harding and Wino Towers)instead of the BS Q&A with tommy or the behind the scenes at the end. They also "forgot" to mention the rope to the ground from their camp that led to a stream of resupplies. It also seemed like KJ was on TR while he tried to catch up.....I heard Jones and Hudon were there adding a touch of class.
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JLP
Social climber
The internet
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Sep 23, 2018 - 09:57pm PT
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Kevin leading pitch 15 I think you're stuck on a non-issue. It was probably easier to lead that pitch than follow it, probably easier to reset back to the belay after falling as a leader and his very first attempt may well have been trying to follow Tommy across but he fell. Who cares. It's of zero style consequence. He led the next pitch, one Tommy couldn't even climb - ever. The pitches after that to Wino - like a full number grade easier? Who cares.
IMO - big routes - there are always numerous style slips - it just happens and it's too big and too much energy and time to correct them.
Also - IMO - as long as you follow the general rules and are open and honest about the big stuff - ie, did you free the fuk'n pitch according to normally accepted style - these smaller slips are kind of none of your business unless you've been invited into the story and know enough to specifically ask.
Think you can do it in better style - go for it - and Tommy invited people to do just that. Those two were 100% open to Ondra.
I didn't mind the post look at me feature with the crew too much, but only because it ended well. It was a cringe fest going through the middle of it. Several left the theater. The Tommy Q&A thing - that really should have been cut - it was horrible.
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