UKC

What are your top 5 inspiring climbing films?

(VHS, DVD, Youtube, Vimeo, homemade, low budget, any length, clickbait nonsense, old school, interview, whatever!) Keen to check out some other peoples inspirations in all disciplines, especially some of those a little esoteric. Mine are naturally more trad based. 

My top 5 (right now, it's a tough one):

1. Onsight (Alastair Lee) - DVD & Vimeo https://vimeo.com/ondemand/onsight

2. Welsh Connections (Bamboo Chicken) - DVD only

3. Not a hope in Hoy (Robbie Philips) - https://youtu.be/-5O_iysYwj0?si=6z31PhbXtbueTUyI

4. Upside Down Wales (George Smith) - https://youtu.be/OwpR5mB-HXw?si=Z67Oui8qTeWXxeE2

5. The seaside (Cheque Pictures) -  vimeo.com/514069311

Runners up:

A feather in the West- https://youtu.be/sg6tdnWbluM?si=MVQeiane-KU-bJUt

The Long hope  (Hot aches productions) - https://www.hotaches.com/climbing-films/the-long-hope

Petzl rocktrip China - https://youtu.be/EcU255XBlcI?si=idw_GsVeNrD6D8J_

Hard XS (DVD)

E9 6c  (Dominic Clemence) -  youtube.com/watch?v=urX7x68jCh8&

Clown Ascending (Dominic Clemence) -  youtube.com/watch?v=wGKtEB-8IXE&

In reply to Stanners:

If you mean films that inspired me to go climbing it would probably be some of the TV programmes in the 1970s such as the live broadcasts from Hoy & Gogarth (do they count as films?). Was the programme with Doug Scott et al on Strone Ulladale live ? That and a film of a ski traverse of Scotland made a big impression & showed young me that there was adventure at home as well as far away.

In reply to Stanners:

Not sure I'd call Clown As(s?)cending inspirational but certainly worth a watch to see JR chasing Norwich residents around with a papier mache willy. I was always curious what grade he would have given the cathedral spire. Presumably all will be revealed when Rockfax finally publishes East Anglian Limestone.

In reply to Stanners:

Why post this to he pub for it to disappear  soon?

In reply to Stanners:

No Sleep Till Bakewell

youtube.com/watch?v=yJMWg1z-n90&

Couple of guys doing something hard, maybe before they were quite as climbing-famous as they are now.

But if you want true inspiration in a climbing film then it would obviously have to be Cliffhanger from back in '93. /s

In reply to Stanners:

I like Rob Matheson's videos. Very humble, non showy bloke full of climbing wisdom. Inspires me to believe I will still be climbing in my seventies! We'll see. 

He even made a good video recently about a climb with nobody actually climbing it. I'll leave that for people to discover for themselves.

In reply to Stanners:

youtube.com/watch?v=3IJRImKtC1c&

In reply to Doug:

I'll try hunt those down online! Thanks! I think 'cliff hangars' was one they did on redwalls

In reply to decliner:

I read in his book he gave it E3 5c!

In reply to nikoid:

Ace I'll definitely check those out, cheers 

In reply to Stanners:

There's some great shorts on that HardXS 

Especially Dave Thomas and Martin Perry on 'Breakaway' - his face at the end says it all! 🤣 

Its also got Andy Kirkpatrick combining a lecture tour and winter climbing in Scotland. Point 5 melting and then later soloing Hadrian's Wall as night falls with Pritchard muttering " He's one crazy mad bastard!" Great stuff 👍

In reply to Stanners:

Five Days One Summer. I watched it in the cinema. Went back to Holmfirth, donned my tweed jacket and started practising classic Dülfer abseils on Cliffe.

The Eiger Sanction. Inspired me to look for opportunities to say, "I draw the line at haulin' ice."

Rock Athlete. It was my immense good fortune to be watching when this came on the telly. Why aren't I climbing? Went out and bought some Green Flashes and started soloing on my local crag. Met Boo Jeremy, Dev, Dave Smith and John Stanger and the rest is history; it really is history...

Live broadcasts of ascents of Old Man of Hoy and Red Wall  back in the 60s.

In reply to Petegunn:

This is one of my favourite (short) climbing films, most of all for Martin Perry's remarks along the way, e.g. "It actually looks quite calm upstairs and you think, maybe it's alright. How wrong can you be?" If it inspires me to do anything, however, it's to stay at home and not venture beyond my front door 😃

In reply to alex_th:

That line is probably one of the best in any climbing film - climbing loose shale cliffs, either mental, deranged but more than likely  both! 🤣

In reply to Pete Pozman:

Now, now Pete, surely you need to look for opportunities to say "but we will continue in style"

In reply to George Ormerod:

Love that quote, though it's 'with' style 

youtube.com/watch?v=9vnmugDJDWU&

In reply to Stanners:

Is this a game where one of the rules is not to mention Johnny's classic? 

In reply to Stanners:

Excellent choices!

I worked in a climbing shop in 1992-3 and we had the first few Masters of Stone, Buoux 8c and Stone Monkey on permanent rotation and I still think they are fantastic. 
I’ve been looking for that film of Ricky Bell’s when he is recovering from a broken leg but I can’t find it on YouTube. Hopefully someone else can as it is brilliant, a real favourite. 

In reply to Tyler:

Here it is - Underdeveloped. I love the music at the start. It's a brilliant film 

https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2020/05/underdeveloped_-_climbing_in_irelan...

In reply to Stanners:

Right up there for me is the amazing ultra low budget 'Living for the weekend - a year in Glasgow University Mountaineering Clib' made by Nick Tarmey. 

https://www.mntnfilm.com/en/film/living-for-the-weekend-1999

In reply to eric_in_cheddar:

You are quite right, and I hear it every time I listen to the Enormocast 

In reply to Stanners:

Front Range Freaks, The Sharp End, Odyssey

In reply to Stanners:

Front Range Freaks, The Sharp End, Odyssey

In reply to Stanners:

Stone Monkey

So jaw droppingly different at the time it was a massive inspiration. 

In reply to Stanners:

Catherine Destivelle in Mali
For Your Eyes Only
Cliffhanger
The Eiger Sanction
Guns of Navarone*

Various other bits in things like Blue Peter, footage of climbing competitions, etc

Well, they inspired me at the time, anyway. When I started climbing, YouTube, the internet and the like didn't exist.

* - the book description was better. Also, in the sequel - Force 10 from Navarone - there's a climbing section where they approach the dam that's skipped in the film. I would like to have seen that filmed

In reply to Stanners:

Climbing Blind

In reply to Stanners:

If the definition is inspiring climbing films, then I found the likes of Hard XS which portray (from memory) the climbers as a bit crazy, the opposite of inspiring because I can’t identify with them (I’m an engineer). A bit like Mark Twight book “Kiss or Kill” which made me realise I won’t be a hard climber as I don’t have demons driving me (plus I lack other important things like ability!)

I found Dave Macleod’s stuff (and similar) inspiring because, although doing super hard stuff, the narrative is calm and measured and relatable.

[edited to correct the author]

In reply to Hovercraft:

Kiss or Kill was Mark Twight.

In reply to Pedro50:

Apologies, now corrected

In reply to Stanners:

Without question for me it was hard grit. Also one summer,the real thing and consumed. Http.bloc was good too.

In reply to Stanners:

It's not showing yet, but watching a 74 year old Rob Matheson climbing The Bells The Bells will be right up there in terms of inspiration. It's almost incomprehensible that he's the same age as my parents

In reply to Stanners:

There are only two: The Real Thing, and Stick it. Both 20+ years old and still not topped.

In reply to George Ormerod:

I've never been qualified to claim "style", but in the science of drinking beer I may be an expert.

https://youtu.be/9XBJAqWSznA?feature=shared

I've been getting the quote wrong all these years, it's "I thought you'd draw the line..."

In reply to Stanners:

Catherine Destivelle in Mali

Stone Monkey

As Climbing Blind was mentioned, there's a good book by that title, by Colette Richard. 

Most uninspiring film was Fall (now availabel on iplayer https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m002b17s )

In reply to Stanners:

The Pinnacle

First Ascent

Psyche

Echo Wall

Eiger Solo

plus a bonus shout for 'Storms - the Movie' - inexplicably absent from Alastair Lee's Britrock site offerings...

In reply to Stanners:

One of my favourites is 24/ 8 by Dave McLeod.

A great challenge that he never makes look too easy:

https://youtu.be/huL5TdBfTIE?si=OltKlVSIxJ01adSO

In reply to Tyler: 

vimeo.com/42893621

In reply to conorcussell:

Brilliant! That’s the one, thank you

In reply to eric_in_cheddar:

That’s too is a great film. I’d urge anyone to watch both if they’ve not

In reply to Stanners:

Operation Moffat.

In reply to Queen of the Traverse:

Both great films

Quebec Ice Trip https://youtu.be/Ac1OdpZYaQ0?si=wZx3M6Nc4TEh6S4S

Vertical Sailing https://youtu.be/Oj0b0wvk9c0?si=FMvh0M5GN5eb0rpj

Adra must onto the list too

In reply to Stanners:

West Coast Gimps. 
 

WCG is to climbing what Human Traffic was to clubbing… captures a scene whilst also taking the piss out of it. Masterpiece!

In reply to Stanners:

Also, ANY film made by Ricky Bell. 

And ANY film featuring Sean VOD and Nico Favresse making the most type three fun bigwalls look like type one fun!

In reply to Stanners:

Good thread Rob. Some of my fave shorter clips:

Caff on the Rathlin Effect. Amazing tune. vimeo.com/386792141

Ben Cossey on Groove Train. https://youtu.be/H-PsXKda6JU?si=zwQB9k92nxzz5zmy

Beat Kammerlander solo on Mordillo. Good grunting. https://youtu.be/8iyaCK-xf10?si=H37vNUGIwKt77Uoo

In reply to Stanners:

Equinox 'Fear of Falling' on C4, 90's

Jerry on You Bet! 90's

The first appearance of the climbing wall in Gladiators, 90's.

All canon.

In reply to fammer:

yeah that cossey groove train video is an absolute classic!

for me without a doubt it is seb bouin on supreme jumbo love. just mind blowing, gets the stoke so high https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=snHVl7AX1mw&t=4s&ab_channel=BlackDi...

In reply to Stanners:

Big Balls and Ground Falls makes me feel a bit wet for getting scared when the gear is at my feet. Decent music and little (no?) dialogue. 

In reply to Stanners:

Great list.  I'd have moved Hard XS up into second place though.

In reply to Tom Green:

Hard agree. Speaking of which, and given it's had recent repeats, does anyone know if Ricky Bell's Long Runs The Fox film is available anywhere?

That was what sprung to mind when I saw the thread title. A gem of a climbing story, perfectly told. 

In reply to Stanners:

I found Alex Johnson's 'Big Things To Come' to be hugely inspiring, especially because it does a really good job of demonstrating how climbing is a part of life and not separate from it. I'm not sure that it's 'inspirational' exactly, but 'Resistance Climbing' by Andrew Bisharat is another that I think everyone should watch.

If I'm picking a film for pure climbing inspiration, it's probably 'Action Directe' from Melissa Le Neve.

Finally, I'd watch absolutely anything from Hazel Findlay because her energy and mindset are so incredible. As an ambassador for the sport, I'd show Shauna Coxsey videos to anyone: her enthusiasm is so contagious and positive. And both are, of course, unbelievable climbers.

In reply to Stanners:

For aesthetics, King Lines; inspiration: Rob Matherson's The bells, the bells.

In reply to DannyC:

I watched the footage of Long Runs The Fox via Andy Kirkpatrick's blog not long ago, but I just checked and it looks like it has been taken down. A real shame- I was absolutely blown away the first time I saw it. What an amazing celebration of vision and belief. Ricky was recently on Jam Crack podcast and spoke about some issues around music rights. Ricky- if you read this, your videos have inspired many a punter and if you can find a way to resolve the rights issues or distribute your videos in a more private manner, it would be greatly appreciated!