Credited cast: | |||
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Gerlinde Kaltenbrunner | ... | Self |
Simone Leorin | ... | Narrator (voice) | |
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Jake Meyer | ... | Self |
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Chris Szymiec | ... | Self |
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Fabrizio Zangrilli | ... | Self |
K2: SIREN OF THE HIMALAYAS follows world-class alpinists Fabrizio Zangrilli and Gerlinde Kaltenbrunner with veteran climbers Jake Meyer and Chris Szymiec in a breathtaking high-altitude mountaineering experience. Director Dave Ohlson joins this group's epic K2 journey on the 100-year anniversary of the Duke of Abruzzi's landmark expedition in 1909. The documentary also examines the history and geography of the Karakoram mountains while contemplating the risks, rewards and personal nature of exploration in an age when there are few blank spots left on the map. Written by Adam Brown
The premise is very simple, it simply charts the attempts by a group of climbers wanting to tackle K2, one of the most dangerous mountains in the world. Although it wasn't as detailed as I'd have liked in terms of the actual ascent and the specific challenges faced (we go from base to camp 4 in one scene, essentially) it shows the types of people who take in this challenge and does a good job of explaining what motivates them. In some respects, what we lose in terms of a technical/detailed discussion of WHY K2 is the siren of the Himalayas we gain in more personal, human insight. Experienced & avid climbing enthusiasts will probably enjoy it but possibly won't learn anything they don't already know.
I liked the way it used the accounts of the early expedition Abruzzi as a narrative device and showed how similar & yet how different early & modern climbing is.
Overall I thought it worth the download.