FRONTLINE: Storm Over Everest DVD

Comments about PBS FRONTLINE: Storm Over Everest DVD:

Enjoyed.

Comments about PBS FRONTLINE: Storm Over Everest DVD:

Very informative interviews about the 1996 tragedy on Everest. Makes me wonder if Jon Krakauer talked to these people before writing "Into Thin Air". I much prefer to hear from these climbers themselves than to just accept Krakauer's version (reading their minds and his own great exploits). Anyone really interested in the facts of the tragedy on Everest in 1996 should read the other books on it, and see this video before accepting the version that "Into Thin Air" proposes. Don't get me wrong- I enjoyed Krakauer's book, but now I view it as one man, on one of the climbing teams, interpretation of what happened - kind of like how modern movies are "based on a real event" but vary quite a bit to suit the audience.

Comments about PBS FRONTLINE: Storm Over Everest DVD:

I use this as a companion piece for Jon Krakauer's book "Into Thin Air," which my ninth graders read for summer reading. The documentary by David Breashears allows students a new perspective on the tragedy that Krakauer documented. They get to see people they've only read about--Beck Weathers, Sandy Hill (Pittman), Neil Beidleman, and Makalu Gau, among others. Gau is perhaps the most riveting narrator, especially as he comes across in "Into Thin Air" as insensitive and selfish and here is much more complicated; he's also a very animated storyteller. Beck Weathers is a close second in terms of capturing your attention.

This is not a happy film. It does have some uplifting moments, but for the most part the story is bleak. But the footage of Everest and the conditions there really drive home the sheer difficulty of climbing the world's tallest mountain. If you don't fully understand what being at Everest is like--and Krakauer, in my opinion, does an excellent job of this in his book--then this documentary will make you understand the cold, the wind and the awe-inspiring barrenness and beauty of this place.

Comments about PBS FRONTLINE: Storm Over Everest DVD:

It was so much better then the book, or the IMAX movie. I actually had a upset stomach after watching the film and hearing the commentaries.

Comments about PBS FRONTLINE: Storm Over Everest DVD:

I was stunned at how amazingly poignant this program was. From the quiet background music to the amazing scenery I was enthralled from beginning to the end of the program. Normally I think a person has to be at a place to comprehend the scenery, but even over the TV screen I thought those pictures were some of the most beautiful I have ever seen. The knowledge of the increduble tragedy that took place did not make this a maudlin program. Instead there was talk of how these people climb because they love it so much, and to see sights that very few people ever get to see. It made me want to go where they went to experience the wonder and awe that they went through.