Bogus Hollywood Climbing There are a bunch of movies that climbers need to see for a good laugh.

Clint Eastwood’s Eiger Sanction has some pretty entertaining climbing with some excellent 70s clothes. In one sequence, when he’s climbing in the desert, Eastwood is leading in one scene, then miraculously in the next scene on the same climb he’s on a top rope! Who’s above him is anyone’s guess. Then – poof - in another cut there seems to be no rope at all – he’s soloing.

Star Trek geeks will recall Captain Kirk soloing El Capitan in The Final Frontier. When Kirk falls, Spock catches him with a pair of jet boots. (Hey! Where are my jetboots!?!?)

And the ultimate bit of movie climbing is in Sylvester Stallone’s Cliff Hanger. Bogus climbing highlights include a bolt gun that fires bolts with hangers into the rock instantly. (Hey! Where’s my boltgun!?!?)

Stallone solos almost everything in the movie, even when he’s allegedly going on an official search and rescue mission. How will he get anyone down if he’s soloing with no gear?
Stallone also makes a great show of dynoing with a great heave and a loud grunt for every single move on the routes, even when the terrain is vertical and he’s making short moves from jug to jug. This macho melodrama is a must see.

Labels: climbing, Climbing Movie, El Capitan

  ¶ Tuesday, March 25, 2008