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Documentary / Portrait
Final Ascent - The legend of Hamish MacInnes
- 2019
- UK
- 80 min
The legend of Hamish MacInnes began early. At 16 he climbed the Matterhorn. At 17 he built his first motor car from scratch. He attempted Everest in 1953 with his friend Johnny Cunningham. As an explorer, expedition leader, and engineer he achieved world fame. As inventor of the all-metal ice axe, author of the International Mountain Rescue Handbook and founder of Glencoe Mountain Rescue he has been responsible for saving hundreds of lives, if not thousands. But at the age of 84, his accomplishments could not save him from being institutionalized against his will, suffering from delirium. This film tells the story of his life by mirroring his greatest challenge: to recover his memories and rescue himself.Climbing locations
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Documentary / Portrait
- 2010
- UK
- 13 min
A tribute to the Scottish climbing legend Jimmy Marshall. Though a relative unsung hero of Scottish and UK mountaineering Jimmy Marshall has been inextricably linked to the development of cutting edge climbing in Scotland since the 1950’s and 60’s. In one legendary week on Ben Nevis in 1960 Jimmy Marshall and Robin Smith transformed the shape of Scottish winter mountaineering, advancing it a full ten years.Climbing locations
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Documentary / Portrait
- 2011
- UK
- 8 min
A film to pay tribute to Ian 'Spike' Sykes MBE. The film was commissioned by the Fort William Mountain Film Festival to celebrate 'Spike' receiving The Scottish Award for Excellence in Mountain Culture.Climbing locations
Availability
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Documentary / Making Of
How they climbed the Old Man of Hoy
- 1967
- UK
- 25 min
A making of the live broadcast of the ascent of the Old Man of Hoy. In July of 1967, 15 million people watched one of the most audacious BBC outside broadcasts ever undertaken - the climbing of the 'Old Man of Hoy'. This is an account of how the BBC-1 television programme was organised, together with recordings made during the broadcast, and interviews with those who helped to make it possible as well as those who did the actual climb.Climbing locations
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Documentary / Climbing Journal
- 1974
- UK
- 34 min
Three men set out to tackle the north face of Britain's highest mountain - Ben Nevis. Its Orion Face is 1,000 feet of almost sheer rock, heavily covered with ice and freezing snow. Ahead of them is two days of exhausting climbing up a route christened 'astronomy' with Hamish Maclnnes filming as he climbs. For them, the night is going to be just as tiring as the day - and even more bitterly cold. The most they can hope for is a tiny ledge halfway up, where they can sit till morning, huddled in a bivouac sack tied to the rock, with their feet dangling in space. It's a daunting challenge even for men who've been everywhere from the Eiger to Everest.Climbing locations
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Documentary / Live Broadcast
- 1965
- Switzerland
- 31 min
A climb to mark the 100th anniversary of the first ascent of the Matterhorn, live on TV. The programme, a coproduction of the Swiss, French, Italian and British televisions, was shown throughout Europe, in the United States and in Japan in a series of 5 broadcasts between 8 and 16h. This film, by the Swiss television, is a summary of the live broadcasts in a in a single program. Ian McNaught-Davis roped with the guide Heinrich Taugwalder and Jean Juge with Robert Bichler narrate the ascent while they climb by the original Whymper route. They follow the progression of Michel Darbellay and Hilti von Allmen who climb the north face by the Schmidt route. The program ends when all the teams meet at the summit.Climbing locations
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Documentary / Historical
- 2017
- UK
- 60 min
In the face of overwhelming odds, dwindling oxygen supplies, freezing Jet Stream winds, avalanche, frostbite, widespread public negativity and the press reporting that failure was almost inevitable - A British team succeeded - Where all others had failed. On the 24th September 1975 at 6pm, Doug Scott and Dougal Haston stood at 29,095 ft on the world's highest mountain. They were the very first Britons to do so - And it was many days before the world even knew. This is a story of great leadership, teamwork, bravery, determination, sacrifice, tragedy, emotional journeys and a remarkable outcome.Climbing locations
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DVD / BLU-RAY -
Documentary / Live Broadcast
- 1965
- France, Italy, Switzerland, UK
- 43 min
A climb to mark the 100th anniversary of the first ascent of the Matterhorn, live on TV. The programme, a coproduction of the Swiss, French, Italian and British televisions, was shown throughout Europe, in the United States and in Japan in a series of 5 broadcasts between 8 and 16h. This film is the reedited version by the french televison of all the broadcasts in a single program. Ian McNaught-Davis roped with the guide Heinrich Taugwalder and Jean Juge with Robert Bichler narrate the ascent while they climb by the original Whymper route. They follow the progression of Michel Darbellay and Hilti von Allmen who climb the north face by the Schmidt route. All them meet at the summit. Michel Vaucher, Yvette Vaucher and Othmar Kronig who were also ascending the north face are interviewed, and the program ends with the television teams descending the mountain. Ettore Bich and Paul Etter were ascended by the italian side.Climbing locations
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Video on Demand -
Documentary / Biographical
- 2017
- UK
- 79 min
The film retraces the life of one of the world’s best-known mountaineers, Sir Chris Bonington, from his rock climbing days in the UK to visionary ascents on the peaks of the Himalayas. Stories of friendship, love, risk and loss run deep through this intimate journey of one man’s dream. The drive for exploration is echoed in the first British ascent of the north wall of the Eiger, new routes on Mont Blanc and the ascent of ‘The Old Man of Hoy’, along with the virgin summits of Annapurna 2, Nuptse, The Ogre and the Central Tower of Paine.Climbing locations
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DVD / BLU-RAY Video on Demand -
Documentary / Climbing Journal
Palin's progress - Glen of weeping
- 1991
- UK
- 30 min
Palin's progress - Glen of weeping is a documentary about alpinism that takes place in Glen Coe. It was directed by Hamish MacInnes in 1991 and produced by Glencoe Productions. It is a part of the series Where eagles fly. It features Michael Palin, Tom Palin and Ang Pherba.Climbing locations
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DVD / BLU-RAY -
Documentary / Chronicle
- 2010
- UK
- 62 min
In one legendary week on Ben Nevis in 1960 Jimmy Marshall and Robin Smith climbed six first winter ascents on consecutive days, including the mini Alpine-route Orion Face Direct. They also made the first one-day winter ascent of Point Five Gully, went for a walk, had a beer and got arrested over an incident with some dominoes! Exactly 50 years later Dave MacLeod and Andy Turner pay tribute by setting out to repeat all the routes that Smith and Marshall first climbed in that famous week. This film tells the story of the original events and follows MacLeod and Turner as they discover exactly what an achievement it was.Climbing locations
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Watch Free DVD / BLU-RAY Video on Demand -
Documentary / Historical
- 1992
- UK
- 48 min
Commemorative program for the 25th anniversary of the live broadcast of the ascent of the Old Man of Hoy. In July of 1967, 15 million people watched one of the most audacious BBC outside broadcasts ever undertaken - the climbing of the 'Old Man of Hoy'. Chris Bonnington and Tom Patey, took the East Face; Joe Brown and Ian McNaught-Davis, the South Face; Peter Crew and Douglas Haston took the South-East Arête. A further crew of four climbers- Hamish MacInnes, John Cleare, Rusty Baillie and Ian Clough carried cameras and transmitters. 25 years later, BBC gathers the protagonists to recover the footage and to look back on the achievement.Climbing locations