stinkyclimber Posted November 20, 2003 Posted November 20, 2003 adventuregal said: Skiing. Competitive cross-country skiing, to be precise. Done on groomed trailed. Often on artificial snow. Quite often in extremely flat places like Saskatchewan. Not dissing X-C skiing, or those who find these films enjoyable, but is it really a "mountain" film any more than soccer played in the mountains, or quilt-making done in the mountains? Shit, using this criteria, ANYTHING could be a mountain film. And judging by the festival line up, that is exactly their attitude too. Oh well...VIMFF is coming up - 100% climbing. Having said all that, Beckie Scott (the focus of one of the two films) rocks. She won a bronze at Salt Lake, coming in after 2 Russkies who later in the Games tested positive for using EPO. Only a few months ago was Beckie awarded the silver, after one of the russkies finally got "officially" tossed out. The other should get the hook soon, so Beckie will rightfully have her well earned gold medal.Friggin cheaters.
Fromage Posted November 20, 2003 Posted November 20, 2003 stinkyclimber said:Sunday's Program 3.THE MATTERHORN-MOVIE STAR (Switzerland,2001, 31 minutes) From the death of 4 climbers in 1985 during the first ascent to the present day. This film includes exceptional archival footage from a film made in 1901, a copy of which was found in a cupboard. The Matterhorn and cinema make a true love story. No shit, I had no idea the Matterhorn was unclimbed until 1985 . Just think how many new routes must still be waiting for first ascents in the Alps... And to think I wasted all my time in Chamonix on the "classics."
David_Parker Posted November 21, 2003 Posted November 21, 2003 So what I want to know is where do all these films go after the BMFF road show? Do they disappear into some vault? Seems if you don't want to suffer through the bad to see the good or can't make it to your city's screening, you should be able to find them somewhere else. Why would anyone make a film for such a limited audience?
stinkyclimber Posted November 23, 2003 Posted November 23, 2003 Went last night to the Fest here in Victoria. It was better than last year, but the ratio of shitty-to-good films was still weak. Here are my half-assed opinions on the films that we got to see: 1. FALLING (USA,2003, 6 minutes) The awe and exhilaration of waterfall kayaking. really shitty paddling film...little decent paddling, dumb sound track. Main subject has hairy armpits, and a dorky helmet 2.FOCUSED (USA,2002, 10 minutes) Shane McKonkey takes his usual antics on snow and off to the next level. Decent to good ski film - got a good twist on it starting about half way thru 3.FRONT RANGE FREAKS: BISCUIT (USA,2003, 3 minutes) Biscuit , a small dog with an appetite for big climbs. funny. short. only climbing sequences in whole show, and they are of a fucking dog! 4.HIGH LIFE (USA,2003, 20 minutes) Big mountain skiing from Utah to the Dolomites. OK, but it is still a ski movie...pretty similar to all the others except for a good bit shot in the Dolomites - crazy buggers skiing TIGHT and steep couloirs 5.STEFANIA BELMONDO (USA,2003, 15 minutes) The first Italian woman to win a gold medal in cross country skiing. shitty - I can't believe this crap was in the show...even if you like XC-skiing, you will probably wonder why this was shown (not to mention that they neglected to mention that the "inspirational" subject of the film has since been accused to doping! 6.WEHYAKIN (USA,2003, 21 minutes) Wild white water in Iceland, Mexico and Norway. Some decent paddling shots, but it is still a paddling movie which I find kind of repetitive (but I am not a big paddler) INTERMISSION AND PRIZE DRAW (from ticket stubs) 7.XTREME TRAMPING - THE LORD OF THE SPRINGS (Canada,2003, 7 minutes) An elite team of Xtrampers search for the perfect backyard trampoline. Adrenaline highs and hilarious comedy. Funny, but that is it. Not mountain, not culture. 8.THE OTHER FINAL (Netherlands,2002, 53 minutes) 2003 Grand Prize Winner. On the same day as Germany and Brazil played in the World Cup Final in Japan the national teams of Bhutan and Montserrat met in an officially sanctioned match in Thimphu, Bhutan. The film follows the two teams as they train, travel and finally play. Really really good. Made the fest worth attending. A "cultural" film, though - no mountains, no climbing 9. UNLIMITED WINTER (Canada,2003 5 minutes) A dynamic and unusual look at traditional and modern cross country skiing featuring Olympic medalist Beckie Scott. Quirky, but shit, it is still XC skiing. 2 second shot of an ice climber! 10.ROCK STARS (Switzerland,2003, 12 minutes) Wild stunts and escapades on and off the mountain bike in the Swiss Alps. Fucking stupid - bunch of euros trying to look like bad-ass North Vancouver free-riders...wankers. Not wild, and a lot of neon clothing - you will feel like you are back in the 80s Hope some of this might save people some pain and suffering Oh David - I think the answer to your question about the vault is, "yes". I remember hearing a while back that outside of the Fest, few of these films will see additional screenings. Something about distribution costs, screening rights, union payscales etc. Pretty stupid, I agree.
Sabertooth Posted November 24, 2003 Posted November 24, 2003 0. Saw all three shows in Spokane this weekend. I thought last year's publication was quite a bit better. 1. Falling - I liked this. Some sick waterfall kayaking with pretty cool music. 7/10 2. Focused - Decent 5/10 3. Front Range Freaks / Biscuit - The first time it was entertaining. Thank god it was only 3 minutes. The second and third time got old. 6/10 4. High Life - Good stuff. The section on skiing that sick 1,500 foot couloir in the Dolomites was awesome. Good music too. The beginning part was decent. 8/10 5. Belmondo - Actually pretty good. Cross Country Skiing is usually pretty boring, but this story was presented really well. 7/10 6. Wehyakin - Sick kayaking!!! Awesome movie with good music. 9/10 7. Extreme Tramping - Funny, but why is it in the Film Festival? 3/10 8. The Other Final - Incredibly lame! Probably the worst movie ever in the film festival. 53 minutes of agony. 0/10 9. Rock Stars - Pretty bad. Tricks were only decent, bad music, zero plot, zero character interaction. 1/10 10. The Matterhorn history segment - Not bad. If I didn't love the Matterhorn, it would not have been good. I can see why people would complain. 5/10 11. Ice Up - Wow!, a climbing film! Some cool long ice routes on big faces in various locals. I enjoyed this one. 8/10 12. Nomad - Bad movie on mountain culture. Plot was hard to follow, very poorly edited. Why??? 2/10 13. Parahawking - Somewhat interesting film about hawks and paragliding. Pretty boring though. 4/10 14. Olympic Downhill Skiing Video - Decent at best - 3/10 15. Story on climber freesoloing in Eldorado Canyon - Awesome video. What a great story. What a shame he died on Sentinel Rock in Yosemite. I found it inspirational. 9/10 16. Reintroducing wolves to Idaho - Does not belong in the BMFF. Pretty bad. 1/10 17. Drilling for oil in northeast Alaska - Almost an hour of pure torture. Horrible! 0/10 18. Various other films - Some pretty good, some really bad. Hopefully, next year will be better. I am going to write the film festival to complain about the lack of climbing.
vegetablebelay Posted November 24, 2003 Posted November 24, 2003 stinkyclimber said: 8.THE OTHER FINAL (Netherlands,2002, 53 minutes) 2003 Grand Prize Winner. On the same day as Germany and Brazil played in the World Cup Final in Japan the national teams of Bhutan and Montserrat met in an officially sanctioned match in Thimphu, Bhutan. The film follows the two teams as they train, travel and finally play. Really really good. Made the fest worth attending. A "cultural" film, though - no mountains, no climbing Then.... Sabertooth said: 8. The Other Final - Incredibly lame! Probably the worst movie ever in the film festival. 53 minutes of agony. 0/10
stinkyclimber Posted November 24, 2003 Posted November 24, 2003 vegetablebelay said: stinkyclimber said: 8.THE OTHER FINAL (Netherlands,2002, 53 minutes) 2003 Grand Prize Winner. On the same day as Germany and Brazil played in the World Cup Final in Japan the national teams of Bhutan and Montserrat met in an officially sanctioned match in Thimphu, Bhutan. The film follows the two teams as they train, travel and finally play. Really really good. Made the fest worth attending. A "cultural" film, though - no mountains, no climbing Then.... Sabertooth said: 8. The Other Final - Incredibly lame! Probably the worst movie ever in the film festival. 53 minutes of agony. 0/10 Yah yah yah. I knew others would likely hate this film, that is why I said it was definately "cultural", without mountains or climbing. Basically, that means that by chance, this documentary was shown at the Fest and I happened to like the genre. I still think these kinds of non-mountain films don't really fit into the Fest. Usually I dislike them too - I just happpened to get into this one. Pretty silly that I thought this non-climbing non-mountain movie made the Fest worth attending this year - I paid to see climbing and got artsy cultural shit ...bunch of pansy artsy types running the show in Banff now, I guess. At least Sabertooth got to see real climbing. More than we got.
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