Nordwand (2008)

Director:

Philipp Stölzl

Writers:

Christoph Silber (writer) and
Philipp Stölzl (writer) ...

Release Date:

23 October 2008 (Germany)

Genre:

Adventure | Drama | History | Sport

Plot Keywords:

Avalanche | Loss Of Loved One | Swiss Alps | One Word Title | Snow

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Benno Fürmann	...	Toni Kurz
Florian Lukas	...	Andreas Hinterstoisser
Johanna Wokalek	...	Luise Fellner
Georg Friedrich	...	Edi Rainer
Simon Schwarz	...	Willy Angerer
Ulrich Tukur	...	Henry Arau
Erwin Steinhauer	...	Emil Landauer
Branko Samarovski	...	Albert von Allmen
Petra Morzé	...	Elisabeth Landauer
Hanspeter Müller	...	Schlunegger
Peter Zumstein	...	Adolf Rubi
Martin Schick	...	Christian Rubi
Erni Mangold	...	Großmutter Kurz
Johannes Thanheiser	...	Großvater Kurz
Arnd Schimkat	...	Hotelbesitzer

Also Known As:

North Face (International: English title) (UK) (USA)

Runtime:

126 min

Country:

Germany | Austria | Switzerland

Language:

German | Swiss German | French | Italian

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Ireland:12A | Switzerland:12 (canton of Vaud) | Switzerland:12 (canton of Geneva) | Argentina:13 | Hong Kong:IIA | Australia:M

Filming Locations:

Austria

Company:

Dor Film-West Produktionsgesellschaft GmbH

Goofs:

Anachronisms: When Toni and Andreas are cycling to Switzerland they are seen mending a tire tube using a plastic tube of glue. In the 1930s plastic of that nature was not available. They would have had a small tin of glue and would be using a stick or twig to spread it on the patch.

Soundtrack:

Immer ran

Excellent, Epic, Tragic... Brilliant.

The reaction this film got at the Pusan International Film Festival (PIFF) in Pusan, South Korea, was better than any of the other big movies there.

This movie gets a 10 out of 10 from me. It is a harsh story about Germany in the 30s as the Nazis were rising and wishing to prove to the world that they were the best. The tale is about two German men who take on a very difficult climb. The story is quite riveting, and human. Full of laughs, tragedy, and ... a little bit of a love story.

Although the movie starts a little slowly, it really picks up about one third the way in. The main characters (the two mountain climbers and the one female love interest) are all solid actors, well directed, and well casted. The director did a great job at capturing the climb. Everything was so convincingly shot, it makes you wonder if they actually filmed some of it on a real mountain. I suppose they must have used CGI, but it was used so sparingly and realistically that it must be commended. The contrast between the plight of the mountain climbers and that of the rich bystanders makes the movie so much more emotionally riveting. Some people in the audience cried.

This is a tragedy that must be seen. It captures humanity at its best and worst... and shows us that sometimes nature rules our lives, and that it is not forgiving.

Overall, I felt this movie was a small masterpiece. One that will probably not be seen by many. But for those who do, you will get a very special treat...

It was especially amazing to know that you, as the viewer, had more than a telescope to watch this climb with... unlike the bystanders in the movie, we were able to see more than just the ascent and the final moment. We saw the part that mattered the most: the climb.

10/10.. Solid