“The Vertical Limit,” “Everest” and 8 more top 8 movies about mountains and climbers

Experienced mountaineers emphasize that not only excellent physical fitness, strength, courage and skill are important for climbing and hiking in the mountains. Moral qualities play a huge role – the ability to stay calm, do not panic and be ready for force majeure. Mountaineering is not only a fascinating exciting hobby, but a lifestyle and an extremely risky sport.

“Vertical Limit”, USA-Germany, 2000.

Genre: Drama

Director: Martin Campbell

Main Actors: Chris O’Donnell, Bill Paxton, Robin Tunney

Age Limit: 12+

Peter and Annie have been mountaineering since their youth. Their father instilled in them a love of dangerous climbing. One day, a mistake by a couple of inexperienced climbers kills him. Patrick gives up climbing forever, and Annie, on the contrary, becomes a famous climber. She is a member of the group, which was formed by a rich financier Elliot Vaughn. He assembles the team with one goal in mind – to conquer Gilgit-Baltistan, the second highest peak on Earth. Many discourage Elliot, trying to convince him that in the current weather conditions this idea is akin to suicide. But Vaughn is adamant. Eventually, due to a snow storm, he and Annie are trapped at 8,000 meters. Patrick sets out to rescue his sister.

Filming of the movie was actually held in the Pakistani Karakoram, where Gilgit-Baltistan is located. And one of the roles was performed by the famous mountaineer Ed Visturs, who has conquered all the eight-thousand-meter peaks of the world.

A still from the movie “Vertical Limit”

“Seven Years in Tibet”, USA, UK, 1997.

Genre: Drama

Director: Jean-Jacques Annaud

Main actors: Brad Pitt, David Thewlis, B. D. Wong.

Age Limit: 12+

The movie is based on the true story of Austrian mountaineer Heinrich Harrer, who wrote an autobiographical book. In 1939, he traveled with his friend Peter Aufschnaiter to the province of Pakistan, planning to conquer the mountain peak of Nanga Parbat. But with the outbreak of World War II, the two, as German citizens, end up in a prisoner-of-war camp.

After five years of captivity, the friends escape to Tibet. But even here strangers can not find help, they are shunned by the locals. Harrer still manages to find a common language and gain respect. He finds himself in the Potala Palace and helps the 14th Dalai Lama to study world geography and the traditions of Western culture. Seven years of living in Tibet changed Henry greatly. Even after returning to his homeland, he continued to keep in touch and befriend the Dalai Lama.

“No matter where I live, I will always miss Tibet. It often seems to me that I can still hear the cries of wild geese and cranes and the sound of their wings as they fly over Lhasa in the clear and cold moonlight…” – wrote in his book Heinrich Harrer.

By the way, the film crew managed to film only 20 minutes of time-lapse footage in Tibet! The Republic of China was categorical and did everything in its power to deny director Jean-Jacques Annaud the opportunity to shoot on location. Therefore, most of the work was done in Nepal, Austria and Canada. After the release of the movie, outraged Chinese officials even banned entry into China played the role of Heinrich Harrer Brad Pitt, David Thewlis (he played his friend Peter Aufschnaiter) and Jean-Jacques Annaud. But later changed from anger to mercy. For example, in 2012, the French director headed the jury of the 15th annual Shanghai International Film Festival.

A still from the movie “Seven Years in Tibet”

“Everest”, UK, USA, Iceland, 2015

Genre: drama

Director: Balthasar Kormakur

Main actors: Jason Clarke, Josh Brolin, Jake Gyllenhaal, Sam Worthington

Age Limit: 18+

The movie is based on the real events of the infamous Everest climb in 1996. The catastrophe on Jomolungma became the most mass death of climbers and was publicized in the world media. Commercial expeditions were then criticized and safety conditions were reviewed. In May 1996, experienced climbers Scott Fisher and Rob Hall outfit two teams of wealthy tourists who dream of reaching the peak of Everest. On the first day of the climb, the weather changed dramatically, but Scott and Rob continued on their way for some reason. Specialists are still wondering why Rob Hall, who was considered the best climber, did not decide to stop the ascent and not start the descent. And some colleagues have even claimed that Hall knew about the predicted blizzard.

“With a sense of bitterness in me mixed with anger towards Rob … I was convinced with all my being that the mistakes of May 10 could have been avoided, that Rob and his team were probably doomed to disaster by overconfidence. Rob spoke louder than any other guide about his own skill…. At times he acted as if he co-owned Everest, and this attitude annoyed me. Everest has many different meanings to many different people, but it belongs to no one. His clients came to make the climb, not to take serious risks. Rob’s experience was supposed to guarantee their safety, and Rob let them down,” wrote another climber, Graham Ratcliffe, one of the few climbers to cancel a climb due to bad weather, in his book.

As a result of Scott Fisher and Rob Hall’s arrogance, the Everest climb became fatal, with the men trapped in the snow. The climbers tried to secure a descent, but due to the blizzard, almost nothing could be seen. Rescuers could not come to the rescue either. The real hero was Soviet mountaineer Anatoly Bukreev. He, despite the dangerous weather, frost and wind, more than once almost blindly went in search of people. Bukreev was able to save several people. However, 15 people fell victim to the elements.

A still from the movie “Everest”

“The Climber”, USA, Italy, France, Japan, 1993.

Genre: action

Director: Renny Harlin

Main Actors: Sylvester Stallone, John Lithgow, Michael Rooker

Age Limit: 18+

The action movie about a rescue climber confronting violent criminals has become a classic. And by the way, in 2023, Sylvester Stallone began filming its sequel. In the story, his hero Gabe Walker raises a son and daughter, together they are engaged in mountaineering. Once again, Walker will have to face villains.

“The Climber” did not become a record-breaker at the box office, but got into the Guinness Book of Records for the most expensive stunt. Stuntman Simon Crane for a risky jump on a cable between two airplanes was paid $ 1 million! While director Renny Harlin received a fee of $ 3 million.

In editing, the director severely cut several scenes. As Stallone later explained, some of the stunts were absurdly impossible in reality and Harlin was afraid to mock the audience. Stallone’s understudy acted as two both experienced climbers – Ron Cooke and Wolfgang Gullich.

A still from the movie “The Climber”

“Vertical”, USSR, 1966.

Genre: drama

Director: Boris Durov, Stanislav Govorukhin

Main actors: Vladimir Vysotsky, Margarita Kosheleva, Gennady Voropayev.

Age restrictions: 0+

The diploma work of director Stanislav Govorukhin in co-authorship with his classmate Boris Durov became a box office leader in 1967. According to the plot, a group of mountaineers goes to Svaneti to conquer the Or-Tau mountain. The base camp at the foot of the mountain receives a signal about an approaching thunderstorm cyclone. But the radio operator does not inform his comrades about the danger, and the climbers find themselves in mortal danger.

All filming was carried out in the Elbrus region. Vladimir Vysotsky and other actors underwent real training and even climbed to a height of 3000 meters. At the end of the work, everyone received badges “Mountaineer of the USSR”.

A still from the movie “Vertical”

“Kidnapped”, Great Britain, 2011.

Genre: thriller

Director: Julian Gilbey

Main actors: Melissa George, Karel Roden, Alec Newman

Age Limit: 18+

Five mountaineering friends go hiking in the Highlands, the Scottish Highlands. In the forest wilderness they suddenly hear a strange knocking sound and discover a small cell in the ground. In it sits a prisoner – a girl Anna, who has fallen victim to kidnappers who plan to ransom her. The friends free Anna and go in search of help and a safe place. However, on their way is a dangerous descent from a high cliff called “Devil’s Drop”. And the kidnappers themselves are not long in coming – having discovered that the captive is missing, they set off in pursuit.

Still from the movie “Kidnapped”

“Touching the Void”, UK, USA, 2003.

Genre: Documentary, Biographical Drama

Director: Kevin Macdonald

Main actors: Brendan Mackay, Nicholas Aaron, Richard Hacking

Age Limit: 16+

This documentary-style movie tells the story of the misadventures of two mountaineers, Simon Yates and Joe Simpson. In 1985 the friends attempted to conquer the western wall of Siula Grande, which is considered one of the highest peaks of the Peruvian Andes. The guys achieved their goal, but during the descent Joe suffered a severe leg injury. The open fracture immobilized him, and Simon had to rappel his companion.

At some point the rope slipped out of the hands of exhausted Yates, and both climbers hung over the abyss. Joe was on the other side of the cliff, and Simon tried to shout to him, but in vain. Yates assumed his friend was dead and cut off his part of the rope. But Joe, after flying 12 meters, fell into a glacial crevasse. He was saved from more serious injury by the snow masses. Simon descended to base camp almost exhausted. Joe survived for weeks without water or food and was able to return to camp literally by crawling. Simpson was bedridden for several more years, doctors gave no chance that he would be able to walk at all. Joe’s leg was saved and many surgeries were performed.

In 1988, friends wrote an autobiographical book, and in 2003 came out the movie, which won the BAFTA award. Simpson, contrary to the predictions of doctors not only got back on his feet, but also returned to mountaineering. In 1991, he again suffered a severe leg injury and lost part of his nose during a fall. Do you think that stopped Joe? In the following years he made a number of ascents to some of the highest peaks in the world.

Still from the movie Touching the Void

“127 Hours”, UK, USA, France, 2010.

Genre: biographical drama

Director: Danny Boyle

Main actors: James Franco, Kate Mara, Amber Tamblyn

Age Limit: 18+

The story of American mountaineer Aron Ralston still causes some shock. In April 2003, 27-year-old Aron was climbing alone in Utah. When passing through one of the canyons, the guy collapsed into a crevasse and his hand was caught by a huge boulder. Supplies and water were negligible, and there was nowhere to wait for help in the desert canyons. After 127 hours Ralston came to a terrible conclusion – his arm would have to be amputated. In his pocket the climber had only a penknife… In 2004 Aron published an autobiography entitled “127 Hours. Between Hammer and Anvil”.

A still from the movie “127 Hours”

“North Wall”, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, 2008.

Genre: Drama

Director: Philipp Stölzl

Main actors: Benno Fürmann, Johanna Vokalek, Florian Lukas

Age limit: 16+

The north face of the Eiger mountain peak in the Bernese Alps, 3970 meters above sea level, has always been considered one of the most dangerous to climb. That hasn’t stopped daring climbers, though. In the 1930s, after a string of tragic deaths of climbers, the government legislated to ban climbing on the north face.

However, in 1936, four climbers – two Bavarians, Andreas Hinterstoisser and Toni Kurz, and two Austrians, Willy Angerer and Eddie Rainer – decided to take the risk. These infamous events went down in the history of mountaineering. Reporters watched the ascent of the courageous four, while at the bottom 23-year-old Tony was waiting for his fiancée, whom he promised to marry immediately after his descent to the foot of the summit he had conquered.

A still from the movie “North Face”

“Free Solo”, USA, 2008.

Genre: documentary

Director: Jimmy Chin, Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi

Main actors: Alex Honnold

Age limit: 18+

This documentary by Jimmy Chin, a former mountaineer, won an Oscar and did well at the box office. Which is rare for documentaries. The movie shows the ascent of the famous mountaineer Alex Honnolde on Mount El Capitan in Yosemite National Park in California. The peak is located at an altitude of 2307 meters above sea level. The entire ascent was done in free-solo style. That is, alone and without any insurance!

A still from the movie “Free-solo”