Customer Reviews
True Spirt 
2008-08-25
This movie is one that shows a real life story of a mountian climbing trip that leads one man to a struggle for his life. Touching the void conveys a the true feeling of strugle to the viewer. It offers a sense of how those with the those that can withstand the forging of ones soul in life will have the fortitude to make it through anything humanly possably. This Movie shows the limits of man can sometimes be just enough to survive.
Extremely Inspirational 2008-08-09
I'm reading a book right now about extreme athletes (Explorers of the Infinite by Maria Coffey) which led me to this movie. I was blown away, I haven't read Touching the Void the book yet, but this movie is well worth a viewing. Although I've never done mountaineering yet, I have gone 2 months without sleep before, and I can verify that this movie depicted that area of experience very very well, I was impressed. It's very inspirational too keep making decisions whether right or wrong, remindful make a decision and push forward. Recommended.
Amazing story, good documentary 
2008-05-09
Perhaps the underlying true story already provides all the drama, but this documentary is true to the Simpson's book and shows a rare glimpse into the minds of the three key people.
Highly recommended, especially if you have read the book.
F***!,F***!.....F*************!!!!!!! 2008-04-19
This film is one harrowing tale of human's capacity for suffering. "Touching The Void" introduces us to Joe Simpson and Simon Yates, two friends who are climbers. On the trip dramatized for this film, they attempt to climb Siula Grande, a 21,000 foot peak that has never been scaled. During the climb, one mistake leads one of them to make a life or death decision. It is what happened afterward that makes this film a nail-biter.
I found that you have to look closely at the DVD box to get the full impact of the seriousness of that decision. Both men are essentially left to their own devices as to how they individually will make it back to base camp.
I found the film to be a great tale of survival except for one thing....there was altogether too much cursing. I realize that the circumstances excuse them to some degree, and I have no doubt that the language IS faithful to the event in question, but it is somewhat disturbing to hear so much of it. This is why I subtract a star. This is NOT a film for the whole family, but wait until the kids have gone to bed, and give it a watch, this film is one great thriller!
On the DVD there are three featurettes, but the interview with both Joe Simpson and Simon Yates is the most interesting. You get to hear what happened after they made it to base camp.
Incredible !!!! 2008-02-04
When I saw this movie was at one of the Local Theatres I jumped at the chance to watch it on a Big Screen (it was actually the same one I saw "Downfall"at but that came later).I had not read the Book but had heard rumours of the Story ,I was utterly spellbound when the camera started rolling ,the attitude on both climbers was incredible. Seemingly oblivious to the actual near impossible feat they were about to encounter ,there pioneering whatever it takes philosophy was wonderful and motivational .I will not go into the outcome because the reader would not believe it!...you have to watch the movie (get the DVD well worth it),the one troubling part I had was "Joe" while he was in
one of his MANY DIRE situations stated that even though he had been raised a Catholic he never Prayed or asked for help or thought about God when he needed him most ?,that just seems so strange ?because in my experience even the most ardent NON believers when they are overwhelmed with fear and up against unimaginable odds they automatically think of a higher power its the code of survival in Mans Reptilian core(Watch the "Endurance" Shackletons legendary Antarctic Expedition). When I finally read the Book (Highly recommended)in the preface written by Chris Bonnington which was a Tribute to BOTH Joe and Simon ,he put into professional context just how remarkable this expedition was . if I could give it 10 STARS I WOULD .
Survival tale that should not be missed 2008-01-07
From Oscar®-winning* director Kevin Macdonald comes a riveting true story a gripping white-knuckle (The Village Voice) adventure culminating in a cliffhanger a real one (Los Angeles Times)! After scaling the never-before-conquered 21000-foot Siula Grande mountain climbers Joe Simpson and Simon Yates face their greatest challenge yet: getting back down. But when Simpson shatters his leg in an awful fall and the friends are separated by a series of devastating mishaps their individual journeys become a voyage into extreme experience that should not be missed (New York Post)!System Requirements: Runnig Time 107 MinFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre: DOCUMENTARIES/MISC. Rating: R UPC: 027616905260 Manufacturer No: 1006298
Amazon is the way to go 2008-01-07
I've received too many books and DVDs to write a review on all of them - any book or DVD or CD that I want, I order from Amazon. I know it will be here almost as quick as if I hopped in my car and went shopping. Since I don't like shopping this is the way to go and my orders, and there have been quite a few, are always received in good condition and received quickly.
Blood and blubber 
2007-12-09
I just figured it wasn't my kind of hardcore movie and continued on with my meager, uneventful existence. But on top of that, we get to celebrate two antisocial outcasts and their meticulous, hard-scrabbled methods for filling up a waste of time. Ever heard of an airport bathroom? It's an obvious fitness-minded, modern allegory about two men plagued by demons of buggery. By which I don't mean the practice of driving a buggy. What's kind of icky is that the ambiguous duo go back and recreate their carnal dark night of the soul and get teary-eyed and shaky. Look, I don't have anything against mountain climbers, just not in my bedroom, yo (NIMBY).
Great Movie; Bad DVD Disk 2007-10-18
The movie is great and the price is good.
However, the hole in the centre of the DVD is different than in other DVDs. In the two copies of this DVD I have purchased, small cracks have radiated from the centre of the DVD. In other DVDs the centre part of the DVD is made from different material. In this DVD the hole in the centre seems to be punched right through the DVD material. This hasn't affected viewing, but is annoying and I'm worried a crack my lengthen and affect the viewing some day.
The most gripping 'talking heads' documentary ever 2007-08-05
This is the story of two young Brits who scaled a particularly treacherous mountain, the Siula Grande, in the Peruvian Andes in 1985. Not anticipating the difficulty of the summit climb, the ordeal of inclement weather, and even greater difficulty of the descent, Joe Simpson and Simon Yates, then in their early twenties, undertook to make their ascent in one push, carrying on their backs all the supplies they expected to need. Wholely dependent upon each other for success and survival, Joe Simpson falls during their descent and suffers a particularly nasty, life-threatening broken leg. Yates then undertakes to lower Simpson on a hundred meter line through blizzard conditions until there comes that dreaded moment when he can no longer feel Simpson's tug on the line and, to save his own life, must sever it. Miraculously, Simpson survives the fall. Then each must make his way down the mountain on his own. Though it seems to doubtful that this will be possible with such a severe injury, Simpson musters enormous physical and emotional reserves to manage to survive. It's a haunting tale, and much of it is told by each man facing a camera narrating his story in nearly deadpan style. Joe Simpson wrote a book about his experience, and has gone on to become a writer. Simon Yates meanwhile has become an adventurer. To make the film, each man has to return to Siula Grande, and that turns out to be a difficult emotional journey. Filmmaker Kevin MacDonald's interweaving of the men's narratives with careful reenactments makes for a sumptuous, beautifully filmed, and riveting viewing experience. In addition, there are terrific special features telling more details of the return to civilization and what life has been like for each man since.
