Film ReviewsValley Uprising: Yosemite's Rock Climbing RevolutionSept 18, 2014, Anchorage Press
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Valley Uprising: Yosemite's Rock Climbing Revolution, a feature-length documentary by Peter Mortimer, Nick Rosen, and Josh Lowell, is a fast-paced and energetically-told history of climbing in Yosemite Valley from the early days of the sport in the 1950s to the present.
The documentary does a thorough job in providing a survey of the history, the people and social conditions that gave rise to the sport. Valley Uprising is executed in a way that makes the world of climbing accessible to climbers and non-climbers, young and old. It delights the senses with views and sounds of Yosemite using footage and stills to compose a visual narrative. Viewers will note Barry Thompson's innovative presentation of still images throughout the film, which were manipulated using Adobe After Effects to add movement and texture to the film. In an interview Nick Rosen told the Anchorage Press that their unique graphic process serves to differentiate the photographic style from that of other documentary filmmakers, including Ken Burns.
As mentioned, the film is fast-paced and in about two hours,Valley Uprising covers The Golden Era, The Stone Masters, and The Stone Monkeys, three distinct generations of climbers from the 1950s to today, each pushing the limits to unprecedented heights-literally, stylistically and metaphorically. The filmmakers anchor the transitions in eras and generations with a fun and fitting soundtrack. The Golden Era focuses on climbing at a time when America had settled into the complacency of the 1950s. In reaction to the lull of the times, free-thinkers and beatniks went to Yosemite Valley to push their physical limits in climbing, their actions were not only anti-establishment, they gave rise to a generation of climbing pioneers. The era is told through the personal and professional rivalry between Royal Robbins and Warren Harding. Their personal philosophies about climbing, personal styles and rivalry with one another defined the initial standards of the sport.
The Stone Masters emerged in the 1970s and ushered in the era of free-climbing, that is climbing using only the power of their hands and feet. The Stone Masters also brought in the elements of sex, drugs, and rock and roll to Camp 4, the campsite the climbers called home. At one point the joke is made in the film about this generation sometimes being called, the "stoned" masters. The chaotic dynamics within this group of climbers brought with it conflicts that divided Camp 4.
The next generation, The Stone Monkeys, brought the focus of athleticism back to the Valley. Strong, young, determined men and women who leveraged the challenges set forth by previous generations, mastered the skills of The Golden Era and The Stone Masters and added the element of speed. Thus, what had taken the first generation weeks to accomplish, and the second generations days, took The Stone Monkeys hours.
The story of The Stone Monkeys is told via the arrival of an unlikely kid with big eyes, shy and a little goofy, Alex Honnold. Alex arrived to Yosemite in 2005 and took rock climbing by storm with a quiet grace and amazing speed. One of the limitations of Valley Uprising is that because it covers so much ground and a laundry list of characters and climbing icons, it does so superficially. One of its most striking flaws is that it presents one female player throughout the decades, surely there were more. Lynn Hill is a phenomenal athlete, who to this day is a major player in the continuing evolution of the sport. Viewers will be impressed by her strength and determination. Hill was the first person to free-climb the rock face known as the 'The Nose' of El Capitan or "El Cap" in the Valley, establishing her as one of the best rock climbers in the world; after all, El Cap does not get easier simply because the climber is a girl. Her influence is seen through out the film, from her presence on the screen to the footage that she lent to the production. She continues to work diligently on all aspects of climbing.
Hill told the Anchorage Press that she is currently working on a video that will focus on technique. She brings a comprehensive knowledge of the sport, intuition, experience and a unique art to climbing. (Viewers can follow her career and get more info on the video at her site: http://lynnhillclimbing.com)
While viewers will enjoy the film and walk away with a sense of how climbing in Yosemite emerged and solidified into a world-class sport, the film falls short in providing a deep and intimate understanding of climbing. The Press interviewed, both Hill and Honnold in order to get a sense of the intimate and personal aspect of climbing. Both climbers are amazing athletes and exceptional human beings, in that their personal journeys are propelled by both mental and physical strengths. Free-climbing after all is a solitary experience that provides a connection with nature, the joys of being human and free. According to Honnold, "The joy of movement, running in an open space, the pleasure of it, that is the heart of climbing. Combined with the aesthetics of Yosemite, one of the most beautiful places in the world, it is rewarding. It drives you to push yourself."
Current day Stone Monkeys share the park with about 4 million tourists per year. Regulations have gotten tighter and now there are time limits that dictate how long climbers can stay in Yosemite. For climbers, this is a challenge since the seven-day limit is not enough to master the routes and rocks. The Park Rangers are there to help manage the millions of people, maintain order and safety. At times this puts them at odds with the climbers. Some climbers have taken to even more extreme practices like tightrope walking from one boulder to another, and others have taken to B.A.S.E.-jumping and parachuting down, which is against the park regulations. The documentary reenacts the interaction between climbers and Rangers in a comical fashion that may remind viewers of Wile E. Coyote and the Roadrunner. This aspect, while comical, doesn't take into account the current efforts on the part of Park Rangers to educate, conduct outreach and be responsive to the needs of visitors and climbers alike.
Climbing in Yosemite is about different generations pushing themselves. What comes next is unknown but the spirit of climbing hasn't changed, one could say it is about freedom, ability and nature. For some climbers the extreme factor will continue to be the driving force, while for others, the force is internal to allow them to push the personal, and as Hill said, " to do things that are incredible and continue the evolution of mind and vision."
Valley Uprising: Yosemite's Rock Climbing Revolution plays at Bear Tooth on Thursday, September 25 at 8 p.m.
The documentary does a thorough job in providing a survey of the history, the people and social conditions that gave rise to the sport. Valley Uprising is executed in a way that makes the world of climbing accessible to climbers and non-climbers, young and old. It delights the senses with views and sounds of Yosemite using footage and stills to compose a visual narrative. Viewers will note Barry Thompson's innovative presentation of still images throughout the film, which were manipulated using Adobe After Effects to add movement and texture to the film. In an interview Nick Rosen told the Anchorage Press that their unique graphic process serves to differentiate the photographic style from that of other documentary filmmakers, including Ken Burns.
As mentioned, the film is fast-paced and in about two hours,Valley Uprising covers The Golden Era, The Stone Masters, and The Stone Monkeys, three distinct generations of climbers from the 1950s to today, each pushing the limits to unprecedented heights-literally, stylistically and metaphorically. The filmmakers anchor the transitions in eras and generations with a fun and fitting soundtrack. The Golden Era focuses on climbing at a time when America had settled into the complacency of the 1950s. In reaction to the lull of the times, free-thinkers and beatniks went to Yosemite Valley to push their physical limits in climbing, their actions were not only anti-establishment, they gave rise to a generation of climbing pioneers. The era is told through the personal and professional rivalry between Royal Robbins and Warren Harding. Their personal philosophies about climbing, personal styles and rivalry with one another defined the initial standards of the sport.
The Stone Masters emerged in the 1970s and ushered in the era of free-climbing, that is climbing using only the power of their hands and feet. The Stone Masters also brought in the elements of sex, drugs, and rock and roll to Camp 4, the campsite the climbers called home. At one point the joke is made in the film about this generation sometimes being called, the "stoned" masters. The chaotic dynamics within this group of climbers brought with it conflicts that divided Camp 4.
The next generation, The Stone Monkeys, brought the focus of athleticism back to the Valley. Strong, young, determined men and women who leveraged the challenges set forth by previous generations, mastered the skills of The Golden Era and The Stone Masters and added the element of speed. Thus, what had taken the first generation weeks to accomplish, and the second generations days, took The Stone Monkeys hours.
The story of The Stone Monkeys is told via the arrival of an unlikely kid with big eyes, shy and a little goofy, Alex Honnold. Alex arrived to Yosemite in 2005 and took rock climbing by storm with a quiet grace and amazing speed. One of the limitations of Valley Uprising is that because it covers so much ground and a laundry list of characters and climbing icons, it does so superficially. One of its most striking flaws is that it presents one female player throughout the decades, surely there were more. Lynn Hill is a phenomenal athlete, who to this day is a major player in the continuing evolution of the sport. Viewers will be impressed by her strength and determination. Hill was the first person to free-climb the rock face known as the 'The Nose' of El Capitan or "El Cap" in the Valley, establishing her as one of the best rock climbers in the world; after all, El Cap does not get easier simply because the climber is a girl. Her influence is seen through out the film, from her presence on the screen to the footage that she lent to the production. She continues to work diligently on all aspects of climbing.
Hill told the Anchorage Press that she is currently working on a video that will focus on technique. She brings a comprehensive knowledge of the sport, intuition, experience and a unique art to climbing. (Viewers can follow her career and get more info on the video at her site: http://lynnhillclimbing.com)
While viewers will enjoy the film and walk away with a sense of how climbing in Yosemite emerged and solidified into a world-class sport, the film falls short in providing a deep and intimate understanding of climbing. The Press interviewed, both Hill and Honnold in order to get a sense of the intimate and personal aspect of climbing. Both climbers are amazing athletes and exceptional human beings, in that their personal journeys are propelled by both mental and physical strengths. Free-climbing after all is a solitary experience that provides a connection with nature, the joys of being human and free. According to Honnold, "The joy of movement, running in an open space, the pleasure of it, that is the heart of climbing. Combined with the aesthetics of Yosemite, one of the most beautiful places in the world, it is rewarding. It drives you to push yourself."
Current day Stone Monkeys share the park with about 4 million tourists per year. Regulations have gotten tighter and now there are time limits that dictate how long climbers can stay in Yosemite. For climbers, this is a challenge since the seven-day limit is not enough to master the routes and rocks. The Park Rangers are there to help manage the millions of people, maintain order and safety. At times this puts them at odds with the climbers. Some climbers have taken to even more extreme practices like tightrope walking from one boulder to another, and others have taken to B.A.S.E.-jumping and parachuting down, which is against the park regulations. The documentary reenacts the interaction between climbers and Rangers in a comical fashion that may remind viewers of Wile E. Coyote and the Roadrunner. This aspect, while comical, doesn't take into account the current efforts on the part of Park Rangers to educate, conduct outreach and be responsive to the needs of visitors and climbers alike.
Climbing in Yosemite is about different generations pushing themselves. What comes next is unknown but the spirit of climbing hasn't changed, one could say it is about freedom, ability and nature. For some climbers the extreme factor will continue to be the driving force, while for others, the force is internal to allow them to push the personal, and as Hill said, " to do things that are incredible and continue the evolution of mind and vision."
Valley Uprising: Yosemite's Rock Climbing Revolution plays at Bear Tooth on Thursday, September 25 at 8 p.m.