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In 1935, two German alpinists died trying to climb the north face of the Eiger—a treacherous peak in the Swiss Alps commonly known as the “Death Wall.” But while the local authorities declared it illegal to attempt the climb, the German government encouraged it. With the Berlin Olympics approaching, the Reich announced that any Germans who could conquer the North Face would be declared Olympic heroes.
Based on a true story, North Face (or Nordwand) follows two young German climbers—Toni Kurz (Benno Fürmann) and Andi Hinterstoisser (Florian Lukas)—on their quest to climb the Eiger. Encouraged by their childhood friend, Luise Fellner (Johanna Wokalek), an aspiring journalist who’s been given the assignment of her career, they set out to make history.
As journalists and tourists watch from below, at the posh Bellevue Hotel, Kurz and Hinterstoisser race against a team of Austrians, battling the elements and each other to be the first to reach the summit.
North Face is a breathtaking film—in more ways than one. The mountain scenery is absolutely stunning, with dazzling cinematography that will make you feel like you’re right there with Kurz and Hinterstoisser, climbing the face of the mountain beside them. You’ll be awed by the spectacular views, and you’ll feel the chill run through you as you watch the snow swirl across the screen. It’s all so realistic, in fact, that anyone with a debilitating fear of heights should probably skip this one—or risk a severe case of vertigo.
Similarly, the grippingly suspenseful story will also take your breath away. As the climbers make their way toward the mountain’s summit, they face one obstacle after another—yet their passion and determination push them to continue. You’ll be amazed by their courage (or perhaps it’s sheer madness), holding your breath as they attempt one impossible feat after another, wondering whether they’ll survive.
Of course, you could easily do a quick search online to find out how the story plays out, but I strongly advise against it. I’m sure the film would still be every bit as powerful and thrilling, but you’d spoil some of that staggering suspense. If you go into it not knowing what’s coming, you’ll be both terrified and enthralled—often willing yourself to look away from the men, with their frostbitten fingers and their bloody wounds, yet completely unable to do so, for fear that you’ll miss something spectacular.
North Face turns movie watching into an extreme sport. It’s beautiful and dramatic. It’s suspenseful and absolutely horrifying. And it’s sure to leave you breathless.
Blu-ray Review:
It’s been a few years since North Face made its way to a handful of theaters across the country. Now that it’s finally being released on Blu-ray, it’s the perfect time to revisit this breathtaking drama—or, if its limited release missed your local theater, to experience it for the first time.
Extras on the Blu-ray disc include a number of deleted scenes—which, while clearly cut for a reason, help to develop the characters and their relationships a bit more. There’s also a brief visual effects feature, which shows some of the original green screen shots and demonstrates how they came together in post-production.
The bulk of the extras, however, come in just one making-of feature. It includes a number of short snippets of interviews with director Philipp Stölzl and various cast and crew members, who discuss the story, the characters, and the filmmaking process. But the most interesting parts of the feature are toward the end, when you’ll get to see some behind-the-scenes footage of actual filming, as well as some helicopter footage of the Eiger. So if you want to learn more about the film, take a few minutes to watch the making-of feature—and be sure to keep watching until the end.
