Hacker Cinema
Into Thin Air: Death on Everest
1997 · Film · 90 min
Directed by Robert Markowitz
An adaptation of Jon Krakauer's best selling book, "Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mt. Everest Disaster". This movie attempts to re-create the disastrous events that took place during the Mount Everest climb on May 10, 1996. It also follows Jon Krakauer throughout the movie, and portrays what he was going through while climbing this mountain.
2 positive1 neutralfrom 3 commenters
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3 comments on Hacker News
I really feel sad for these sherpas that have to work as care givers for these unprepared losers from the west (most of them seem to be) that just want to impress their kin back home.
I suggest the book "Into Thin Air" (and the movie version "Everest") if you want to know more about how the commercial side of Everest climbing works (and about a really sad tragedy).
The full story of the 1996 everest disaster is very interesting/scary: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster
The book/film "into thin air" is supposedly good too.
EDIT: the other good climbing disaster film to watch is "touching the void." powerful stuff.
I always thought about doing Everest if I could ever afford it. You know, one those idle "I'll do that someday thoughts" we all have.
Once I hit the "I could afford this" point I started researching Everest...read Into Thin Air, Dark Summit, No Shortcuts to the Top, etc., watched every documentary I could get my hands on, even talked with one of the climbers featured on the Discovery series that featured Russel Brice's company.
I've concluded that I'm not interested. I'm not interested in standing in line at the Second Step for hours while my body consumes itself and I burn through the scant amount of oxygen I have. I'm not interested in the very real risk that I may arrive back at Camp IV after a summit attempt to find my O2 and supplies stolen. I'm not interested in seeing the corpses, oxygen bottles, tents, and other detritus cluttering up the mountain.
I'm not condemning those who chose to go or those who help them get there, but I'm out: human behavior has made the idea of summiting Everest unappealing.