Netflix's The Alpinist follows climber Marc-André Leclerc as he attempts to scale a mountain completely alone. With no crew and no means of support, the climber documents himself as he climbs to dizzying heights with no one around to rescue him.
The film is in good company and mountain climbing has long been a popular topic for documentary films. With sweeping landscapes and incredible danger unfolding onscreen, mountain climbing documentaries are often some of the most exciting films ever made. Outside of The Alpinist, there are many great mountaineering documentaries for viewers to get their adrenaline kick from.
The Wildest Dream (2010) - Rent On Apple TV
The Wildest Dream is the fascinating interweaving of two stories in one. First is the story of climber George Mallory who disappeared on Mt. Everest in the 1920s. The other is the story of a modern climber who finds his long lost body on the mountain.
The film is unique in that it utilizes historical footage as well as modern footage to shed light on one of the oldest mountaineering mysteries and it is considered one of the best of the past decade. The film reminds viewers that the act of mountain climbing is incredibly dangerous and has claimed the lives of many who attempt the most perilous challenges.
The Dawn Wall (2017) - Rent On Apple TV
The Dawn Wall is all about juxtaposition. The documentary symbolically compares the small internal struggle of its subject with the large struggle of scaling the Dawn Wall of El Capitan. Tommy Caldwell is a noted free climber who uses climbing to deal with a recent tragedy in his life.
By conquering the difficult climb, he is able to come to grips with the conflict within his own personal life. The two narratives are weaved together throughout the film and the journey is given a lot more emotional weight.
Mountain (2017) - Tubi
The documentary, simply titled Mountain, follows several climbers as they conquer some of the highest peaks in the world. The documentary focuses on the beauty of the climbs and features a soaring score to accompany the breathtaking visuals.
Though light on story, per se, the epic beauty of the landscapes and the innate danger of mountain climbing are enough to keep viewers engaged throughout the entire film.
Free Solo (2018) - Disney +
Free Solo was a box office smash documentary that followed climber Alex Honnold as he attempted to do something no one had ever done before. The focus of the film is Honnold attempting to scale El Capitan completely free solo.
Not only is mountain climbing inherently dangerous, but free solo climbing also adds a richer layer of danger because there is no support whatsoever. The film's drama is ramped up because he is not only trying to do something dangerous, he is trying to do something no one has ever done before. Free Solo was critically well-received and is recognized as one of the best films on Disney Plus.
Beyond The Edge (2013) - Crackle
Recreating history, Beyond The Edge focuses on Sir. Edmund Hillary's legendary climb of Mt. Everest in the 1950s.
While most mountaineering documentaries focus on a modern climb with newly shot footage, Beyond The Edge blends reenactments and historical footage together. The film provides viewers with an opportunity to learn about the history of mountaineering and gives them an appreciation of how far it has come in the last century.
The Summit (2012) - AMC +
While most documentaries about climbing focus on triumphs and historical successes, The Summit tells the story of one of its greatest tragedies. Using recreations and narration, the film attempts to tell the story of the 2008 disaster on K2 where 11 climbers sadly died.
Because of the size of the tragedy, the story is a ripe subject for a documentary. In a sport that has claimed the lives of many who attempted it, the film reminds viewers that mountaineering hasn't gotten any safer since the legendary days of Hillary or Mallory.
The Man Who Skied Down Everest (1970) - Tubi
Departing from the usual stories of climbing, The Man Who Skied Down Everest focuses on a man's unique way to descend from the high peak. The Oscar-winning documentary focuses on Japanese alpinist Yuichiro Miura, who descended more than 2000 meters of the mountain in less than three minutes.
The film is a unique and exhilarating look at the limits of human possibility. Though he achieved his feat, the expedition was also dangerous for others and several other climbers lost their lives during the venture. The film has gone on to be recognized as one of the best documentaries of the 1970s.
Meru (2015) - Tubi
Meru follows the exploits of climbers who attempt to conquer the 'Sharks Fin' on the Meru peak in the Himalayas. The film is about conquering something that has never been done before but it also is about redemption.
The group of climbers that is the focus of the documentary are actually returning to try again after initially failing to climb it in 2008. The added drama of failure in the past adds another layer of excitement to the film. Viewers want the climbers to succeed not only because it is exciting but because it would mean they got redemption for themselves.
Sherpa (2015) - Rent On Apple TV
While the history of mountaineering is filled with names of climbers conquering some of the highest peaks in the world, their guides often get overlooked. Sherpa focuses on a man named Phurba Tashi who makes a living as a sherpa, guiding people up Mt. Everest for money.
The film focuses on his family's struggle and their desire for him to stop climbing as well as the political factors involved with mountaineering. The 2014 ice avalanche disaster becomes another focal point of the film and shows the unrest within the sherpa community, who feel that they aren't being treated properly by the climbers who rely on them to succeed.
Touching The Void (2003) - AMC+
Touching the Void focuses on the events of Joe Simpson and Simon Yate's dangerous descent from the Siula Grande in the Andes. Using recreations, the film tells the harrowing story that nearly claimed their lives in the 1980s. With exquisite filmmaking and production value, the documentary offers the best of both worlds in one of the biggest documentary tear jerkers of all time.
As a film it stands strong artistically and as a documentary it gives the viewer all of the facts as straight as possible. The film has been regarded as one of the best documentaries of all time and has transcended its niche sub-genre.