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Everest - Beyond The Limit
RRP: £24.99
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Beyond the limit of watchability
Review date: 2008-11-22 Rating: 6 out of 10
I have to agree with Sophie B on this one ,this series was made for the Discovery Channel and their propensity to string out an episode really detracts from the series as a whole.Each episode begins with ten minutes of a re-cap from the previous episode and ends with a preview of the next one ,some of the footage you will have to sit through three times before a new bit comes along .With some better editing this would have potential but sadly the repetition is mind numbing.Not impressed.
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Reviews
repetitive
Review date: 2008-08-16 Rating: 6 out of 10
Repetitive and a bit boring unfortunately. Not what i was hoping for. I think this is because it is a TV series stringing out events over too many parts. Also I found it trashy and not very insightful. Partly perhaps because I was saddened to see how over-commercialized the whole experience is now.
For a better idea of what i'd hope it to be like and what interests me about the challenge, I enjoyed 'The Man Who Skiied Down Everest' - shot on film and gives a thoughtful idea of what it was like to go there in the 70's - and using very little technology.
Fascinating human drama of 12 "novices" attempting to climb Everest
Review date: 2007-12-17 Rating: 10 out of 10
Having watched many DVDs & read articles by professional climbers & especially their attempts at the ultimate climb, I found this presentation somewhat different. Not all of the "novices" were in fact acolytes as some had considerable climbing experience - amputated limbs - to show for it & none could strictly be classified as the "tourist" climber which has become prevalent on these slopes.
Having said that amongst the 12 would-be summiters there was an eclectic mix from the experienced to the inexperienced.
Tragedy strikes early with death of a Sherpa at the ABC - Advanced Base Camp. This sets the tone of the video that this is not a Sunday afternoon jaunt in the countryside but rather an extremely difficult & possibly fatal trip. This team appears to be extremely well equipped & prepared with even their own medical doctor in attendance.
What becomes very clear is that the key to a successful climb is acclimisation whereby the climbers ascend to a higher level & then return to a lower climb. This sequence is repeated a number of times until the climber's body can accept the altitude.
The final climb is actually a dash to the top before the effects of the altitude take their toll on the climber. This fact is brought home to one in that most deaths occur on the descent when the effects of the altitude begin to take their toll.
The "tour guide" does not himself ascend to the top but rather remains at a lower camp & by means of radio communication instructs the team what to do. This results in some tense moments when a team member refuses to obey an instruction to abort their ascent despite being only a few hundred metres from the top of Everest. One can understand the climber's frustration at having the zenith within his grasp but appreciate that it is only the meticulous calculations of the team leader in base camp with his radio & telescope which will prevent both this climber & his Sherpa guide from dying.
Sense eventually prevails but one realises the precariousness of the situation when on the descent the climber, too exhausted to continue, barely makes it down. This episode in particular is gripping & the very precarious situation is not being enacted within a Hollywood studio but rather with real human lives.
Further drama is added when a dying member of another party cannot be rescued without jeopardizing the safety of their own party.
Overall the DVD is excellent & provides one with a clear perspective of the dangers & difficulties of climbing this mountain.
Product Details/Specifications
Artist(s):
Everest
Recording label: Demand Media Limited
Manufacturer: Demand Media Limited
EAN: 5060162450032
Binding: DVD
Number of items: 3
Format: Box set, PAL,
Release date: 2007-11-19
Audience rating: Exempt
Region code: 2
Running time: 300 minutes
Language: English (Unknown)