The Climb (1986 film)

The Climb
Directed byDonald Shebib
Written byDonald Shebib
Based onNanga Parbat Pilgrimage by Hermann Buhl
Produced byColin Godman
Wendy Wacko
StarringBruce Greenwood
Kenneth Welsh
Ken Pogue
Thomas Hauff
CinematographyRichard Leiterman
Edited byRon Wiseman
Music byPeter Jermyn
Production
company
Wacko Productions
Distributed byCineplex Odeon
Release date
  • July 14, 1986 (1986-07-14)
Running time
90 minutes
CountriesCanada
United Kingdom
LanguageEnglish

The Climb is a 1986 Canadian-British co-produced adventure drama film, directed by Donald Shebib.[1] A dramatization of mountaineer Hermann Buhl's 1953 attempt to climb Nanga Parbat, the film stars Bruce Greenwood as Buhl alongside James Hurdle, Kenneth Welsh, Ken Pogue, Thomas Hauff, Guy Bannerman, David James Elliott and Tom Butler as members of his expedition.[2]

The film was broadcast on British television in 1986 as part of Mountain Men, a series of three films dramatizing noteworthy historical climbing expeditions. In Canada, it was announced as screening in the Perspectives Canada program at both the 1986 Toronto International Film Festival[3] and the 1987 Toronto International Film Festival,[4] although it is not clear from currently available sources whether this is because the film actually screened in both years, or because the 1986 screening was cancelled and rescheduled for 1987. The film then received limited theatrical release in Canada and the United States in fall 1987.[1]

The film received two Genie Award nominations at the 9th Genie Awards in 1988, for Best Cinematography (Richard Leiterman) and Best Sound Editing (Robin Leigh, Richard Cadger, Jane Tattersall, Penny Hozy and Peter McBurnie).[5] Leiterman received the Canadian Society of Cinematographers Feature Award for the film in 1988.[6]

  1. ^ a b Rick Groen, "Canadian director stumbles and can't make The Climb". The Globe and Mail, October 16, 1987.
  2. ^ Geoff Pevere, "Shebib aims too high in whale of a tale about climbing". Toronto Star, October 18, 1987.
  3. ^ Jay Scott, "Dancing in the Dark to open festival series". The Globe and Mail, July 24, 1986.
  4. ^ Ron Base, "Hot young film makers vie for $25,000 festival prize". Toronto Star, July 23, 1987.
  5. ^ Liam Lacey, "Quebec film picks up 14 nominations: Zoo paces race for Genies". The Globe and Mail, February 17, 1988.
  6. ^ Angus, Don (September 2005). "Richard Leiterman csc 1935-2005: Legendary Filmmaker and Teacher Leaves the Stage" (PDF). CSC News. 25 (1): 8–11. Retrieved 13 June 2020.