Over the years I have been aware of Al Lee’s films, mainly because an old friend was the star of many of them. I sat down with a few of Leo’s older friends this evening and watch two of the trilogy, Autana and The Last Great Climb. All but one of us had seen Leo give his talk last week at the Galeri on these two films. Although I was starting to worry about several of those friends and they seemed to ask question that I distinctly remember Leo answer during that talk.
Anyway, It was the first time I have sat through both these film, and for those that have seen Autana that has been out a while now, will know what I mean when I say the production is amazing. I don’t want to ruin either film in any way but Autana nodded more than a wink at Apocolypse Now, sub-text of a journey to madness. Whilst The last great time was as sic as it should haver been.
The narrative of both films is engaging enough for probably even non-climbers to grasp, but at the same time in-depth enough for the die-hard climbing pendant. What will blow you away and curl the toes of the non-climbers are some of the mind-blowing shots that seem to capture the exposure. I really made me wish that I had seen them on a huge screen.
Al has been doing some publicity on Facebook trying to sell these. After all he has to make a living and whilst Autana is amazing I can see how it could have been produced on a reasonable budget. The Last Great climb is something else, epic in everything and every way, I have struggle to see how they could have produced that film for less than £250000. I am sure they did, but how is just beyond me.
Anyway, for a christmas present for a climber there might be nothing finer, although expect to have your christmas day watching the standard christmas film ruined by screams of joy, pain, anguish and total terror!
The trilogy on Posing productions website