A double amputee summits Everest. A dying climber is left behind. And one climb becomes a moral grenade.
Thx to this Reddit Everest doc thread for the nudge.
Trailer for “Dying for Everest”
You Can’t Make This Sh!t Up
- On May 15, 2006, Mark Inglis became the first double amputee to summit Mount Everest. Days later, the world was not talking about his legs. It was talking about David Sharp.
- Sharp was dying near a cave high in the Death Zone. Reports said dozens of climbers passed him while chasing the summit.
- Inglis went from hero to villain almost overnight. One minute he was celebrated for climbing Everest with no legs. The next, he was being attacked for not saving a man above 28,000 feet.
Watch “Dying for Everest”
You can watch “Dying for Everest” on Prime Video, Apple TV, Hoopla, Plex, and other services.
Ratings:
- My Rating: 94/100
- IMDB Rating: 6.9/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Rating: not yet rated
Director’s Note: “Dying for Everest” is directed by Richard Dennison. He also co-wrote it with James Heyward.
Release Date: 2007
Other Unique Stuff
- Sir Edmund Hillary absolutely unloads on modern Everest culture in the film. The first man to summit Everest says the mountain changed from exploration into a crowded summit business where people care more about reaching the top than saving lives.
- The doc explains how the Death Zone destroys normal thinking. Above 26,000 feet, low oxygen and exhaustion get so bad that climbers start talking about dead bodies, frostbite, and dying people with the emotional tone of discussing traffic delays.
Wrap Up:
“Dying for Everest” is not a feel-good climbing doc. It is a 53-minute ethics fight.
Thanks for reading!
Heather Fenty, Guest Writer, Daily Doc