Nordwand of Eiger!. Review on North Face Movie

Yesterday I finished one German language movie named “Nordwand” aka “North Face”. It was telecast on HBO movie channel and is supported with English subtitles. After watching I can say that it was a wow! And a must watch for everyone. This movie was released in 2008 in Germany-Switzerland and Austria, later on released in other non-german speaking countries in 2009-2010. The movie is directed by Philipp Stolzl, and is based on an true story of unsuccessful attempt of a difficult mountain of Switzerland ‘Eiger’ based in Bernese Alps through the most difficult side – North Face, which is steep wall with ice and cloud covering peaks. The North face is also called as ‘Death Wall’, because too many men has died (64 from 1935) while trying this steep wall of mountain. Eiger was first climbed in August 1858 but by the easier route (Christian Almer, Peter Bohren and Charles Barrington), and the difficult north face was climbed in 1938 but they followed the same route which the two characters of this movie first took and failed in 1936.

It is a story of two German army-men and mountain climbers – Toni Kurz (played by Benno Furmann) and Andi Hintertoisser (played by Florian Lukas). German government has banned the climbing of north wall due to many deaths, but that could not stop many youth to try the same. A photograpger junior journalist Luise Fellner (Johanna Wokalek) first bring the pair into the notice of German politicians since she knows them personally. The new season of climbing has started and German politicians want that some German should first climb the mountain. Toni and Andi quit Army when they were not given leaves to climb the mountain. Luise alongwith a mean boss Henry (Ulrich Tukur) went to cover the story of climbing. There are many teams camped at the base of Eiger, but it was Andi and Toni who started the ascent first and took a different route as was taken by two unsuccessful German climbers in 1935 – Karl and Max, but they died during the ascent at the place named “Death Bivouac”. Andi, Toni was followed by an Austrian team Willy (Simon Schwarz) and Edi (Georg Friedrich), and they allowed them to climb with them on the same route, and that was their biggest mistake. All 4 started climbin together as one team from midpoint. Willy got injured by falling rocks but insisted on going on even when his partner Edi was against it, and this made the whole party in danger. One accident happen which tear down the flesh of Willy’s leg and they all have to turn back so that they can take Willy to bottom as soon as possible. Remaining 3 carried Willy in a sleeping pack, but avalanche occurs and Andi falls and Edi froze to death while Willy already died hanging on the rope after fractured leg. This all happens on a steep part of North Wall, which was renamed later as ‘Hintertoisser Traverse’ due to the traverse technique adapted by Andi. A rescue team reaches to the Eiger window through the rack railway system - a train system is already there which goes inside the Eiger mountain through the way carved out in mountain for tourists, they tried but not fully and the result Toni died too freezing hanging on a rope just few hands away from the rescue team. Whole night Toni’s love Luise waited for him outside the window in the bad weather to give him company, but in the last she lost him.

The movie is based on historical attempt by the real Andi and Toni, and is filmed beautifully. The locations are so good, real, and it feel like they’re actually climbing the mountain. The look of mountain covered by clouds, mist, snow is so real and so beautiful, that you immediately felt to go there. There’s a hotel at the base which have this beautiful look. The scenes of bad weather, falling rocks and avalanches are shot in the true format, and the film does not have any drama, just the real matter. Film successfully able to show the politicians intentions, as they don’t have any respect for lives of mountaineers, and as soon as they failed, they turn back from the place. Wonderful direction and actors played their part well – Benno and Florian looked perfect for the roles. Johanna acted well as the junior worker of newspaper agency and Ulrich was good as the mean superior. The film has everything related to the adventure, and is a must watch for any adventure lover. You’ll not get anything else than adventure and reality. Whole movie is in German language, so if you don’t know the language, then have to download the English subtitles. The camera shots by Kolja Brandt were beautiful with an apt and fitting background score by Christian Kolonovits.

The movie’s length is about 120 minutes with not a moment of boringness and got some nominations and awrds in German Film industry. Do watch, if you get it or if coming on TV. My take 4.5/5.

GRuchirG.

No more formatting till issue resolved

P.S. There is no Adventure, fantasy and Sci-fi genres in movie genres options provided, so sad :(