It seems that every couple of years, Hollywood gets the idea to make a movie with climbing as the main theme. For real climbers, these are usually amusing affairs with all kinds of technical blunders, improper use of gear and lingo, and general mayhem. God only knows what kind of impression it gives the general public. After watching a couple of these recently, I put together this list of the top climbing movies ever made. Leave a comment if you’ve got any good ones to add to the list!

#5 - Take it to the Limit

View the trailer here.

A recent entry, I don’t know how this one went under the radar for so long. Rappelling off tunnels, water towers, and speed climbing up 5.4 slabs really keeps the excitement going. Suffice it to say that if you aren’t pumped to “Screw this, let’s go top roping” by the end of the movie, you may not have a pulse! You can read Tracy’s full review here.

#4 - Vertical Limit

I remember seeing this in the theater with a couple climbing buddies when I was in college. The opening scene depicts a ridiculous and overly dramatic sequence in which a climber decks from high on a desert tower after the rope had to be cut to save the rest of the party. We all burst out laughing, while the rest of the audience sat there in silence (and no doubt disgust at our lack of decency.) The rest of the film was held to this same high standard, with plenty of nitro explosions and incredibly huge dynos with ice tools. Maybe this is what a climbing action comic book would be like.

You can watch the incredible bad opening here.

#3 - Cliffhanger

Maybe one of the most widely viewed of the mainstream climbing movies due to the presence of actor Sylvester Stalone. It gave folks a lot of wrong impressions about the sport, like a harness buckle being able to bend like silly putty, or bolt guns that instantly set an anchor in any stone (Don’t we wish we could get our hands on one of those!). Of course its got the terrorist element, so some fun action makes it worth checking out.

#2 - K2

I have to admit, we watched this movie almost weekly when I first got into climbing in high school. From the opening late night buildering to splitter granite cracks way off the deck to the intensity of climbing K2, we were hooked! Add in some witty banter, and this is a sure fire winner. It appears they did a decent amount of research for this one, as you wont find too many criticisms, like hey why is he clipped to this or doing it like that (See Take it To the Limit for that!)

#1 - The Eiger Sanction

Clint Eastwood and mountain climbing, how can it get any better? Clint Eastwood is an agent sent to “sanction” a climber in Europe. His training takes him up desert towers in Zion and Monument Valley and his mission comes to an exciting climax on the north face of the Eiger. This will probably stand forever as the best climbing related movie to ever come out of Hollywood. Enough said.

Wow what a weekend! Hope everyone could get out and enjoy at least one night of films. I was fortunate to catch every showing, and I was truly impressed. Julie Kennedy and crew put together one heck of a line up, especially for the first year. I thought as a whole the films were very good, showcasing more of the human side of things, than the “I’m so rad watch me huck another huge cliff” side of things (although there was a little of that in there too.)

The last night really impressed me, the whole evening was focused on people and overcoming adversity. From Erik Weihenmayer’s incredibly inspiring presentation, to the story of Jennifer Lowe and Conrad Anker, to surfing in war torn Liberia. I was truly touched by each one of these segments and it seemed a fitting end to a festival whose five guiding principles are respect, commitment, humility, purpose and balance.

The turn out was incredible, I believe every night sold out with somewhere around 600-800 people at each show. It was awesome to see the community embrace it and I hope it will be a part of Carbondale culture for years to come.

When I sat down in the theater last night and looked around, I was impressed. This was a legit event, with a very polished feel. Not bad for the first one ever! The festivities kicked off with burritos and beers, and everyone was in a lively mood. Old friends caught up on their lives, while kids climbed on the artificial boulder and saw how far they could jump off the top. When it was time for the films, anticipation ran high, and the showings did not disappoint.

First up was a short called Ephemere showcasing the relationship between movement and time. Definitely the most “artsy” of the group, it was a fun way to get things started. Next up was a fly fishing film, Destinations, that was incredibly well done. At first I was like, man, I fish, it’s exciting to do, but not so much to watch. But these guys really put together a solid piece that everyone enjoyed.

And then we turned it up a notch with King Lines. Many climbers had already seen this, but it’s always good. I still think its the best climbing movie I’ve ever seen. Watching Chris Sharma push it to the limit makes me want to get out there and seek my own personal best. Inspiring stuff I tell you!

The last film before intermission was called Source, and featured a bunch of crazy kayakers. I think I have a harder time wrapping my head around kayaking, at least at the level these guys pursue. Climbing hard is pretty safe, even skiing big lines can be relatively safe. But dropping gigantic waterfalls in a boat? Lou Dawson and I were joking they should just ditch the boats in favor of an oversized PFD, or maybe even a barrel! Cool to see them pushing it, but it just looks so damn dangerous.

After intermission we were treated to another short, this one an excerpt featuring skier Nick De Vore from the film Mountain Town. Lots of good ski porn shots here, including many recognizable spots in our backyard. It also gave some glimpse into what makes him tick as a person, always a plus in my book.

The next film was more sobering. A Dozen More Turns is a documentary of an avalanche accident that took place in Montana in the winter of 2005 in which one person was killed and another came perilously close to losing his life. It’s very well done, and really shows the human side of the consequences of taking it to far in the wrong conditions. A good reality check for those of us that are out there taking risks in the backcountry.

Seasons was the closer of the night, a mountain biking film that followed around several riders throughout the course of the year. In winter they are training via whatever means they can, spring things start to ramp up, summer is full on, and the fall is all about fun with friends. I don’t ride anymore, but I thought this was really well done. The cinematography alone was captivating, with endless creative shots that really captured the essence of these incredible riders. I thought it dragged just a bit in the middle, but that could have been because it was getting late.

As the credits rolled, we all made for the door and bed, excited to see what the next day’s films will bring. If you don’t have tickets for tonight, come early, cause the place was packed!

Get ready for a weekend of good films and good times. The first annual 5Point Film Festival starts tonight with a kick off party at Dos Gringos at 5pm. Stop by for a burrito, beers and some hang time. The films start at 7:00 pm, and include, among others, the excellent King Lines, along with the sobering Dozen More Turns. I’ll be reviewing each night, so if you can’t make it, check back in here to get all the juicy details. With lots of luminaries in town, should make for some good stories. Now if this rain would just go away….

Also, for you local folks, be sure to check out the Front Porch crag at the Narrows. It only takes about 10-15 minutes to hike up to, and has 8 routes, from 10a to 11d, all of which are a lot of fun. The climbing is sustained, varied, and overall excellent. It makes for a nice after work spot as you can move through a bunch of climbs relatively quickly. Mike and I added a new variation to one route last night, with some steep and strenuous climbing for 3 bolts which then joins the techy top of a previous route. A long abandoned line, it’s now Back from the Dead, 5.11 and very worthy. Enjoy!

The 5Point Film Festival is looking for volunteers! They could still use about 20 more people to help out with everything from “security” (that’s what I’m working, so you best watch yourself or I’ll boot your ass.) to pouring beers. If you volunteer one night, you get into another night’s film for free! This is gonna be a great weekend in Carbondale, hope to see a lot of folks there!

Here’s where they need help:

* Beer and wine servers for each program, Thursday – Saturday (must be 18 years or older)
* Set up & breakdown
* Ticket selling and Will Call assistance
* Banner(s) set up
* 5Point volunteer representative at the festival booth during festival programs. Responsibilities include selling filmmaker DVDs and books by guest speakers.
* Guest and filmmaker transportation to Carbondale accommodations
* Arranging bikes and other equipment needs for guests and filmmakers
* Security for each program
* Poster distribution
* Ushers

If you would like to be part of this, please email Tracy Wilson, 5POINT FILM volunteer coordinator @ tracy@backbonemedia.net with your contact information ASAP. Please be specific with the job you would like, and they’ll get you on the volunteer list.