A Surreal Glimpse into the Adventurer’s Terrain
The higher we go, the line between what is and is not of this world blurs. The formidable heights once revered with the utmost divinity, places believed to be the playing grounds of godlike beings, became destinations for those who longed to experience the otherworldly wonders of our planet. Mountains have oft been the subject of our research, we have relentlessly tried to understand these rugged giants and in this frenzy of analysis, dilated the wonder which first drew man to those daunting summits.
‘Mountain’, released in 2017, is a documentary directed and co-produced by Australian filmmaker Jennifer Peedom. Her second feature length documentary following her 2015 debut, ‘Sherpa’. It presents breathtaking footage of mountainous landscapes as the voice of William Defoe reads out what can only be called poetry about these monument of the earth. Poetry and film, two mediums not commonly associated with one another yet both used as artistic forms of expression. Watching ‘Mountain’, one feels as though they have been transported to a heavenly realm, stunning shots of mountains seamlessly morph into perspectives reminiscent of the illusions generated when looking into a kaleidoscope. This is why I would highly recommend watching this in HD, without the high resolution and clear picture one will not get the full experience of ‘Mountain’. Accompanying this almost alien cinematography is a raw and emotional score which helps exemplify the feel and ambience Peedom is trying to get across. Performed by the Australian Chamber Orchestra with pieces from composers such as Chopin and Vivaldi, one is immersed into the picture as it brings forth a glimmer of the adventure’s passion into the lives of those watching.
Though sitting through the entirety of ‘Mountain’ does require a considerable amount of patience, it does have its fair share of moments where I could hear my heart race. As a sufferer of Acrophobia, or the fear of heights, watching footage of free climbers with nothing but their bare palms as instruments of ascent scaling such uninviting ridges and daredevil bicyclists trekking through the sharpest of turns nearly missing those risky edges in what I initially considered to be a spiritual journey made me hold my breath, it made me feel uneasy. However, it felt as though at that moment my discomfort were exactly what I needed to enjoy what I was watching; to truly understand the power of these mountains Defoe oh-so eloquently spoke of.
‘Mountain’ is a visual masterpiece and great things may be expected of Jennifer Peedom hereafter but I’d be lying if I said this is a documentary for everyone. It is a work of art and should be preserved as such. And just like how art isn’t for everyone, every person may not have the ability to sit through minutes of nothing but these rocky wonders with aged music playing in the back, and that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. But none the less, ‘Mountain’ is a particular piece of media I enjoyed and highly recommended if one is looking for a spiritual evening perched at the edge of their seat. Just as the mountains this documentary highlights are spectacles of nature, ‘Mountain’ is an outstanding spectacle of film.
Rating: 8/10
Zayaan Alamgir
X MAROON
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