By Tom O’Halloran
I can’t remember the last time a climbing video made my hands sweat as hard as they did four mornings ago. I watched Mellow climbing’s latest YouTube upload A Mellow Ticino ‘I Mostri’ 2/4. They’ve been throwing down some awesome stuff since day one, but this edit was next level ridiculous! Kevin Takashi Smith edited the clip and although he claims to be a stills guys, his eye for putting together moving pictures is pretty insane! It leaves me feeling as psyched and frothed to go climbing as I can ever remember; back to the pure, non-cynical froth of 16 year old Tom.
This got me thinking, what are the best climbing films of all time? Now there’s a ton of metrics we can measure by. The one I measured against is, in my opinion, the most important. How much do you want to climb after watching? It also has to be a feature length, not a part of, youtube clip etc etc. Proper full length, finger tip sweater from start to finish.
Get your chalk bag ready, time for your hands to sweat and froth to pop. These are the best!
The Real Thing - 1996
I don’t want this to be a ranked list, but if it was, The Real Thing is number 1 by a mile. The tag line for the movie is Ben Moon and Jerry Moffat on the ultimate bouldering road trip. It’s not far from the truth. The film follows Ben Moon and Jerry Moffat who, at the time, were two of the best boulderers in the world. The English boys prep for their ultimate Fontainebleau trip with some local gritstone classics and doing burnouts in their sports cars. This was in a time before instagram and #vanlife and one I wish I could’ve been a part of.
They then shoot across the English channel only to find the boulders wet and unclimbable. No matter, more time to train, back to Sheffield. We see the boys go hard, busting out PB’s and having fun, the way it should be. Good weather is approaching and they are back across the channel. What follows is mouth-watering boulder crushing with guest appreances from Kurt Albert and Marc Le Menestrel.
It perfectly captures the essence of the road trip. Sending, falling, failing, shenanigans, lay days and banter. ‘Look at all the cauliflower he’s got,’ is one of my all time favourite quotes. Plus, did I mention it has the best sound track of any climbing movie ever. Unapologetic 90’s electronic beats. Plus Ben Moon has frosted tips, a hairstyle I don’t see coming back anytime soon, even ironically.
Check it out here
Dosage 1 - 2001
The first climbing film I ever saw. You never forget your first and it has an impact beyond some froth. This film completely shaped my perspective of climbing. This was one of the first of the ‘modern’ style movies. Made up of ‘Doses,’ each telling a story of a person, group, place or climb. There’s Bishop bouldering with Chris Sharma and Dave Graham before they became legends, on boulders they made immortal. We see Klem Loskott bouldering in the Austrian Alpine, which is one part bone crushing climbing and one part philosophy. Perhaps aided by some alpine herb? Lisa Rands, the original lady of the boulders, sinks her teeth into the ‘guy boulders’ in Bishop and Ibex, paving the way for woman to get crushing on the blocs. You see what an old school boulder comp and the climbers looked like in the Bring the Ruckus part. It was a different world then, but one thing stays the same, a no-holds-barred throw down, winner takes all. Jason Kehl, remember him? He’s the unique character in the middle of the movie, going knuckles up on the tinniest edges on steep boulders somewhere in North Carolina. The guy is a strange mix of goth, punk and crazy artist. Not my favourite section, but it’s there and I usually don’t skip it like I do Ron Kauk’s part in Dosage 3. Has anyone ever been able to sit through it? Seriously? I’ve honestly, properly tried a few times and haven’t ever managed. Sorry Ron.
The cherry, cream, extra sprinkle rainbow of Doasge One is the final ‘dose.’ Send footage of Chris Sharma climbing the first ascent of ‘Realisation’ (now Biographie). The world’s hardest route, climbed by the world’s best climber is perhaps the most iconic footage ever. Look me in the eye and tell me you don't get chills when Chris hits the final jug and lets out that scream. I saw this film on my very first day of climbing and ever since have wanted to climb that route. It epitomises everything hard sport climbing is and will be. It’s beautiful.
Download the movie here
Dai koyomada - 2017?
A small independent movie showing a Japanese man climbing short sport routes in Germany. Not exactly what you’d expect as one of the best, but trust me, it is. Dai Koyamada is one of the best climbers of all time and has seemingly not dropped his level in over two decades. He’s known mostly as a boulderer, having done dozens of V15 and harder ascents. Including the first ascent of The Wheel of Life in the Grampians and many more brutal FA’s in Japan.
The film shows his incredible trip to Germany’s Frankenjura, an area notorious for tough moves on tiny pockets and edges. His list of hard ascents in such a short trip makes my tendons ache. He dispatches a slew of routes from 34-36 (8c+-9a+), culminating in his ascent of one of Germany’s hardest climbs, Corona 36/9a+. Watching his process on Corona is proper awesome!
The ferocity of the climbing is in complete contrast to Dai’s gentle natured approach and complete loveliness. It’s inspiring to see you don’t need to be going wild to unleash your best. Anytime your left to ponder a new idea or approach is a win in my book.
I guarantee you haven’t seen this one and I promise you won’t regret it. Plus, your movie money goes straight to Dai. Climbers supporting climbers. Win, win, win, win, win.
Download the movie here:
https://vimeo.com/ondemand/frankenjura
King Lines - 2007
This is Chris Sharma at peak Chris Sharma. He’s 26, already has his name in the climbing hall (wall?) of fame and is pushing the limits further. The film follows Chris over a year or so as he travels the world, searching for the ‘king line.’ It’s a wild insight into the life of a pro climber. He lives out of a bag, not spending more than a couple weeks at home each year.
We watch Chris deep water soloing in Mallorca, bouldering in the deep jungle of Venezuela, bolting and climbing a new hard first ascent in Ceuse and working moves on what later became the first 37/9b, Jumbo Love.
The King Line of the movie being his first ascent of ‘the arch’ project. An insane rock arch above the sea, stood alone off the coast of Mallorca. Aside from being incredibly hard and eye wateringly aesthetic, the climb features the iconic all-points-off dyno at mid height. There’s some wild falls as Chris put in the days working the arch. Despite the falls, Chris put Mallorca on the map and there’s not a climber that didn’t want to do moves above the water after watching this.
We also see Chris developing a new shoe with his then new sponsor Evolv. Afterwards, he pops over and helps at his friends, kids summer climbing camp. Grass roots involvement isn't something we see too much from pros, it was pretty rad to see.
The film is the modern day road (air) trip around the world. Who didn’t want to pack a bag for a year-long journey after this?
Check the movie here:
Honorable mentions
Dawn Wall - 2017
Tommy Caldwell, the greatest Yosemite climber of all time, climbing the hardest big wall in the world. We see a very deep insight into his personal life and the climb that got President Obama’s attention. For personal story telling, this can’t be beat.
Check it on Netflix, YouTube movies, Amazon.
Free solo - 2018
I’m sure you’ve seen this. It won an Oscar! I don’t think a climbing film will ever make me feel the way this thing made me feel. I don’t know if I want a film to make me feel like that again. This completely blew everyone’s minds. Alex Honnold soloing Free Rider 27/7c, a 3200ft route up Yosemite’s El Cap is a mind-boggling feat. Some suggest this could be the greatest mental feat of all time.
What is perhaps more insane is how Jimmy Chin managed to build so much suspense. We know Alex makes the climb and no harm comes to him at all. He is there on the red carpet, touring the film. Yet through the entire movie you’re completely gripped he’s going to fall a kilometre to his death. There’s some type of magic here.
It’s probably the best climbing movie ever. But in no way did I want to climb afterwards! I was pretty psyched to go to Yosemite though.
Check it on Amazon, Disney+, Google Plus, YouTube movies.
Clips/sections
Break on Through: Margo Hayes - 2017
The redpoint story is a tried and tested formula. By 2017 it’s more like tired and testing though. A unique spin is hard to come by and I honestly wasn’t too frothed to watch this one. Figuring it would be some American pride, hammed up puff piece wrapped in a The North Face puffy jacket. WRONG!
As a 20min part in the Reel Rock tour, the piece is as much a personal look at Margo Hayes, a 19-year-old climber from Boulder Colorado, as it is about her record ascents. She’s one of the best climbers in the country, having already climbed 35/9a and won national championships. She books a flight to Spain with the goal of climbing La Rambla, 36/9a+. A grade no female had ever climbed. In the movie, the boys around her tell us the shock they felt when she showed up to the crag and put her rope at the base of one of the hardest routes in the world. She dispatches fairly quickly, becoming the first female to climb 36. The hunger remains, she’s not done, her sights are set on Biographie in Ceuse, France, the world’s first 36.
The real journey begins here. We see the full emotional depths of what it takes to push new ground personally and for the world. Her dedication to the route and faith in the process is truly inspiring. I’ll fully admit that as she hits the same finish jug Chris Sharma hit 16 years earlier, I cried. After watching this you’re left feeling like anything is possible and there’s not much that can hit you that deep.
The only reason this isn’t in the top list is because its not a full feature length movie.
Check it out here:
https://www.redbull.com/au-en/episodes/break-on-through-reel-rock-s04-e01
A Mellow Ticino ‘I Mostri’ 2/4 -2020
Despite everything happening in the world at the moment, we can rely on Mellow Climbing to keep us happy. There’s a ton of films on their youtube channel if you ever need inspiration. Check em out.
This film, part 2 of 4, shows Daniel Woods and Jimmy Webb working and crushing some of the hardest boulders in the world. The energy and grit these dudes have when they pull on is intense. You can feel through the screen how bad they want it! Plus the soundtrack is pretty fitting. I needed to burn off some steam after watching this one.
Last but not least, this has no climbing at all, but there is Wizardry talk from Dave Graham. Free your mind and listen to a stream of consciousness explosion about how to climb in a way you’ve never heard and will never forget. This is the secret.
What do you think? Did I get right? Let me know.
Peace xo