For more than a decade, I’ve been watching climbing videos almost daily. Whether it’s short videos or feature films, I’ve always had a desire to watch everything that was produced in the climbing scene.
In the context of confinement in which we find ourselves now, time, usually a rather rare and precious commodity, now appears almost unlimited for many of us. For those who find themselves unemployed and cloistered, I have a few video suggestions for you!
Obviously, some blockbusters are not to be missed: Free Solo, The Dawn Wall, Meru, Valley Uprising, among others. If you are reading this blog now, chances are that you probably already watched these movies. Furthermore, let’s just say that I have a little fondness for bouldering. So, sit down for a few hours and watch (or rewatch!) this list of bouldering videos! All my suggestions are free to watch!
the classics
Rampage
A 1999 classic, Rampage has transformed the vision we had of bouldering at the time. This film was certainly an important catalyst in the development of bouldering as a mainstream sport.
To be honest, I’m not sure if it has aged well. If this is your first viewing, my promise of a timeless classic might seem biased… Even then, a few cult scenes of a young and psyched Chris Sharma remain classic, such as the night conversations in the RV, the long descriptions of the Chief’s ascent with the goats, among others. Obviously, no drugs were used during the shooting of this film…
Certain bouldering scenes remain emblematic, like the first ascent of The Egg in Squamish.
Better than Chocolate
Haroun Souiriji did us a great favor by publishing his once-paid film to YouTube last year. It mainly explores bouldering in Switzerland. Released in 2011, I remember it as one of the first bouldering movie with an aesthetic concern. At the turn of the 2010s, the sport was growing rapidly and film productions were following suit. The cinematic plans, the music, the boulders, everything was there for a classic to be born. Better than Chocolate was also coming in like a breath of fresh air when compared to the style of american bouldering videos to which we were used at the time.
Between the Trees
A 2009 film, Between the Trees by Neil Hart, also appeared as an attempt to innovate. For a little over an hour, we follow the prowess of a young Ty Landman in full possession of faculties through the forest of Fontainebleau. Everything seems easy, even if he tackles some of the hardest problems in the area. The great thing about this film is that it has no pretensions. One easily enters Landman’s mind through his comments and reactions along the way. Although quite reserved, the English climber allows himself some tasty quotes … don’t miss it !
LESS KNOWN VIDEOS
For the more adventurous, or those who would like to watch more obscure productions, here is a list of videos that have always inspired me during the last decade. These videos are rather artistic and a little less mainstream, but still very inspiring (at least for me!) . Enjoy!
Ryuichi Murai in Magic Woods
Beautiful images. Difficult boulders. Climbing porn at its best.
Mile 18
To me, everything Sander Pick produced was a masterpiece. The combination of dark and captivating music, the atmosphere, the simplicity of the images as well as their quality, make his videos most inspiring.
The Other Side
Another superb video production, period.
Scarred for Life – The Ice Knife
Scarred for life is a series of four videos transporting us through the desert of Hueco Tanks, the Australian landscapes and the mountains of Colorado. Through this one in particular, we find the flamboyant Dave Graham setting his sight on The Ice Knife, achieving the first ascent.
Origines: Laurentides Bouldering
Should I be ashamed to promote one of my own videos? Oops. No kidding, for those interested, Origines will immerse you in the history of bouldering in the Laurentians, from the late 1990s until very recently. So, to learn about the climbers who pushed the development of bouldering in the region, I shamelessly suggest my own documentary. You even climb alongside some of these developers at Bloc Shop!
Entevue avec Dave Graham
The last video, but not the least, is an old interview with Dave Graham where he presents his philosophy and ideas on different topics related to climbing and performance, including witchcraft! Unfortunately, the original video no longer seems to exist, so let’s cope with these Spanish subtitles!
I hope you enjoyed these suggestions!