Based upon the book of the same name, this is an entirely different type of documentary to Outfoxed. In 1985 two young climbers set out to scale the unconquered face of Peruvian mountain Suila Grande. When one of them broke a leg on the descent it looked as if they both might die on the mountain. What followed was one of those tales that could only happen in real life- as fiction it would just seem too unbelievable. The interviews with the climbers and their companion who stayed in base camp are low key, contrasting nicely with the dramatised reconstructions. Gripping stuff, whether you’re a climber or not.

(Sitting on my book shelf waiting to be read is author Joe Simpson’s follow up to Touching the Void- This Game of Ghosts. Another highly recommended climbing book is The White Spider, tracing the history of attempts on the North face of the Eiger.)

Buy Touching the Void on Amazon

Technorati tag: DVD