Kick Ass Documentary. Return to Balance: A Climber's Journey

[Beach_Love]

Just posted this as a reply in another thread. I got to thinking how great this forum really is and how much I'd like to share clips from an incredible documentary that not a lot of people would get to see otherwise so I decided it deserved it's own thread. Watching PBS late one night I stumbled across one of the best documentaries Ive ever seen, and I love and watch a grip of them. It's about one of the wisest men to ever walk the earth. He's got long hair, wears sandals a lot, and has some crazy ideas about the meaning of life and how to find it. It's about rock climber Ron Kauk (one of the world's best) and his relationship with where he chose to spend his life, Yosemite National Park. RETURN TO BALANCE: A CLIMBER'S JOURNEY is worth watching for the climbing and spectacular scenery alone but where it KICKS ASS is listening to Ron's wisdom. He's all about the importance of maintaining a relationship with the natural world. He will say the most simple thing about something seemingly completely mundane and a minute later when what he just said sinks in YOUR MIND IS BLOWN. The two clips I linked below lack the sustained impact of the whole doc. but the imagery is breathtaking in my opinion and the second clip gives a good taste of how wise Ron K is. Im straight as an arrow but I can imagine Ron inspiring more than a few lady boners as well, he's pretty studly. http://vimeo.com/4737056 and http://vimeo.com/4750328

Another great doc is SHADOW COMPANY, narrated by Gerard Butler it's about Priv. Military Co.s ala Blackwater. http://www.shadowcompanythemovie.com/tr ... clips.html
I just wish it had more on one the baddest, coolest dudes, and one of my "heroes", South African "mercenary" combat helicopter pilot Neall Ellis. The word "Man" should have his picture next to it in the dictionary, LOL
One of the most amazing clips I've ever seen. "Just another day at the office" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BdsiZOE-5zY
http://www.cracked.com/article_19472_th ... check.html

 

[Nordling]

Re: Kick Ass Documentary. Return to Balance: A Climber's Jou

Reminds me of the old film I saw many years ago, "Koyaanisqatsi." Although it's approach is totally different, the idea of "life out of balance" is the same...which is what Koyaanisqatsi means.

 

[schlmoe]

Re: Kick Ass Documentary. Return to Balance: A Climber's Jou

After watching "Touching the Void" a few years ago (also on PBS), I doubt I'll be wanting to see any more rock/mountain climbing films soon.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Touching_the_Void_(film)

The "Shadow Company" documentary maybe worth a look

 

[Beach_Love]

Re: Kick Ass Documentary. Return to Balance: A Climber's Jou

After watching "Touching the Void" a few years ago (also on PBS), I doubt I'll be wanting to see any more rock/mountain climbing films soon.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Touching_the_Void_(film)

The "Shadow Company" documentary maybe worth a look

I cannot recommend Shadow Company enough. Subject matter aside it is an exceptional documentary. Even more so if you are at all interested in where the fuck shit like Blackwater came from, and how there is an increasing trend (perhaps not a bad one) towards the use of Private Military Companies (PMCs). It also gives some brief glimpses into the world gone by of the true mercenaries, men who worked for companies like Sandline then Executive Outcomes. Where it gets strange is on the one hand you had Men like Neall Ellis who took jobs based on moral obligation often working for free and on the other companies that would oust African governments in exchange for a share of the mineral rights (Blood Diamond). In 2004 Margaret Thatcher's son Mark allegedly funded just such an operation in an attempt to overthrow the gov of Equatorial Guinea.