Description

This incredible, award-winning film features adventurer, poet and world-champion skier Yuichiro Miura as he and his team face the most challenging climb in the world, Mt. Everest. The ascent is fraught with tragedy, the descent miraculous. During the climb, they face an icefall that claims the lives of six of their team, still considered the worst natural disaster accident in Himalayan history. With a 35mm Panavision film crew in tow, they continue on to the South Col, only 350 meters from the summit, where Miura put his life in the hands of the gods in his descent. Using oxygen and a parachute to slow his speed, Miura skied 7,000 feet over sheer ice and rocks. Unbalanced by the gusting winds, he hit a boulder and fell 1,320 feet, smashing into rocks and ice ridges. A patch of snow was all that saved him, allowing his fall to end just moments away from the Bergshrund Crevasse. This final climax has been called the most exciting six minutes of film ever shot as Miura plummets helplessly down Everest's unforgiving icy slopes toward certain death. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Extraordinary...terrifying
Yuichiro Miura must stand as one of the greatest athletes and (in conventional terms) craziest people in the world. There is no limit in my admiration for the man, and (fortunately for my wife) no way in the world you could get me to emulate him. He is a tremendous skiier and a wonderful poet; his narration (voiced by Douglas Rain, of HAL9000 fame) is highly appropriate for the terrain, the climb itself, and the very brief event of his near-deadly run down the slope of the South Col.

Well worth seeing for both the skiing and Miura's gentle observations about pretty much everything.

WOW!WHAT A HIGH

Winner of the 1975 Best Documentary Oscar©, and certainly among the greatest adventure documentaries of all time, THE MAN WHO SKIED DOWN EVEREST (Image) might also be the first extreme Zen film.

The opening, widescreen shot shows Everest (29,002') through a gap in the clouds just as the morning sun hits the forbidding peak. And then this quote:"Throughout time, mas has aspired to great heights in search of peace of mind and a quiet heart.This is the story of such a man..."

The man in question is Yuichiro Miura, poet, adventurer and world champion skier (he set a speed record).The film follows his audacious attempt to ski down the upper slopes of Everest.The film, shot in 35MM Panavision, begins in Katmandu where 800 porters begin a trek of 185 miles with 27 tons of equipment.

Along the way, Miura visits Sir Edmund Hillary, who, in 1953, was the first climber (with his Sherpa partner Tenzing Norgay) to conquer Everest and return. Hillary says, "When we stop looking for challenges, human beings will be in a very bad way."

The poetic Miura is quoted as saying, "The challenge of the peaks is the challenge of life itself: To always struggle higher."Later he's quoted again: "We have wandered from the paths of the wind and become children of fear."

After trekking 185 miles across the high passes to Tibet and the base of Everest they take on 400 Sherpas. It takes another 40 days to traverse the next three miles.

Exquisitely photographed in beautifully composed shots, the breathtaking vistas are a dance of light and shadow and the memorable, poetic thoughts of Miura as he acclimates for his high altitude challenge in his "life of adventure to escape the labyrinth of the city."

During the treacherous climb, death claims six team members as they cross an icefall.About a thousand feet from the summit, Miura dons his skis, and with oxygen and a parachute, begins his descent.Zooming, almost free-falling, over ice and rock, he travel upright almost a mile and half.And then it happens.The wind knocks him off balance, he hits a big rock and falls, skidding, bouncing, across rocky ridges, skipping like a stone for 1,320 feet.He is stopped by a snowfield seconds away from the sure death of the Bergshrund Crevasse.

I have never seen a movie anything like this.If you have a big, widescreen TV, the pristine, high resolution images of this exotic place and extreme challenge will fill your field of vision and bend your mind until it literally takes your breath away during the last five minutes.This is an ultimate armchair adventure.

... Read more

Amazon.com

The murder of six-year-old JonBenét Ramsey was tabloid fodder for years, but Perfect Murder, Perfect Town earns respect with its riveting focus on facts. In adapting his own bestselling book with writer Tom Topor, producer-director Lawrence Schiller (who chronicled the O.J. Simpson trial in An American Tragedy) wrangles dozens of characters into a complicated but coherent portrait of justice gone awry. Beginning with the Christmas-night murder in 1996 and spanning 18 months of investigation, this three-hour telefilm shows how sloppy police work, legal loopholes, and political conditions in Boulder, Colorado, made JonBenét's murder virtually unsolvable. Ronny Cox and CSI's Marg Helgenberger play the highly suspect Ramsey parents, steadfastly maintaining an innocent façade; their performances are ripe with ambiguity. Schiller also dramatizes the machinations of a tabloid journalist (Sean Whalen); a religious detective (Kris Kristofferson) hired by the Ramseys; the backstage maneuvering of Boulder's district attorney (Ken Howard); the poorly secured crime scene; and much more. With its semi-documentary approach and first-rate cast, the film covers a lot of territory but it's never confusing or exploitative. And still, the mystery remains. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (4)

One of the best
I currently own the movie "Perfect murder,Perfect town" and I have to say one thing,I only seen it once or twice before buying the movie and it thaught the graphics and the 'emotion' behind the filming was absolutely extrordinarily perfect!Marg Helenberger (CSI:Crime scene Investigation) who plays Patsy Ramsey,Showed a lot of emotional and strong feelings that Patsy Ramsey herself had shown in real life.If you rent/buy this on DVD I reccomend after watching it,when planning watching it a second time,you should listen to the directors commentary.It explains how Helenberger had to understand her role as Patsy and had put herself in the position of a mother in real life who actually had to experience the lost a child.The director had interviewed the Boulder County police Department and the cops origionally at the scene of Jonbenet Ramsey's kidnapping and murder had shared the files taken,evidence at the Ramsey's home,Photographs taken of the home,and basically shared the actual experience of investagating the 6 year olds murder.They also had the experience of the media and paparazzi hounding the Ramsey's.The director also explains the movement of the case from Steve Thomas to Alex Hunter,Alex Hunter Sharing substantual evidence of the murder to the Jeff shapiro who was a reporter for the globe.It has Jonbenet played by Dianne Iandoli doing some Pageant scenes (but not many)Just news and one of her being coached.And the beginning of the fil which gives her some lines but leads straight into the kidnapping and murder of Jonbenet.And by the way,Dyanne's parents had spoken to a child phsycoligest before playing the role and made it clear to the director,who also agreed to this, that one,she would be called Dyanne off the set at all times and never Jonbenet,And two,she would not be allowed near the setting of the murder or take place in the murder or autopsy scenes for emotional perposes and so that she would not be emotionally affected by the part of Jonbenet Ramsey.The scenes that showed the autopsy and the body WAS a dummy and the Boulder PD actually at the crime scene said that the crime scene photos where much more gruesom than the ones shown in the movie.And please note that everything shown DID actually happen.Nothing was made up,or added for special affects.It showed the actual detctives on the scene (played by actors of course) Listed as followed: Detective Linda Ardnt,Tom Trujillo, Alex Hunter,Steve Thomas,Lou Smit,Sgt. Larry Mason,John Eller,Det. Byfeild,Office Bob Whiteson,Det. Everett,Det. Jane Fleming,Alan Peterson,Chris Wolfe,And all the other detectives,and officers on the case.I really I basically have to say,you should rent this movie,It is a really great one.

Perfect Murder Perfect Town
This Is One Of The Best True crime videos ever it basically gives you the insight into the murder of JonBenet ramsey the most netorius Murder in history it stars Ronny Cox as John Ramsey Marg Helgenberger as Patsy Ramsey Kris Kristopherson as Lou Smit, The Video Shows How The Ramsey's were hounded by the press and how the were basically guilty according to the police, not only that it's shows how sloppy the ploice did on the case and the murder still remains unsolved, Diane Iandoli protrays JonBenet Ramsey It puts you in the drivers seat it acts like the real thing the action of Ronny cox and Marg Helgenberger are amazing they basically show you the real thing the movie is amazing. Not to mention what troubles me why would they put Steve thomas a narcotics cop on a murder investigation when he had no experience in this subject. Well to Close Perfect Murder Perfect Town And Is The Best Movie Get The DVD it's Cheaper and I Recommend this video over Murder in Greenwich anytime you'll love this movie gauranteed

There Is No Word To Describe It.
Watching this movie last night, I was completely stund. Watching the way her dad found her dead in the basement and carrying her body up the stairs game me nightmares. This movie is one of the best movies I have ever seen but it has put such a big effect on me, I dont think I will ever watch it again. This movie shows the truth about what happened but does not tell the truth about who did it. No one will ever know.

Great Presentation of an Unresolved Situation
This made-for-TV film was a strong presentation of the book, adhering closely to details presented therein. Its only let-down is driven by the real-life fact that the case was not solved, and such indefinite endings always leave the viewer feeling somewhat flat.

The undisputed stars of the show were Marg Helgenberger and Ronny Cox as Patsy and John Ramsey. Marg enjoyed what appeared to be a fabulous time chewing the scenery, dancing and playing with her daughter, and exhibiting a full range of theatrical emotion -- while simultaneously, Ronny did an absolutely stupendous job of being dazed and confused, an indecisive executive and wounded father. They were perfect, and I hope they had a great deal of fun making that film. The movie is worth watching just to watch them.

I first saw this film before reading the book, then again after doing so. The film is a very capable adaptation, much more than many others you'll see. Read the book, then watch it again.

And yes, I have an opinion as to who killed JonBenet. If the character's portral in the film was consonant with that person's actual behavior during these events, then I am pretty darned certain who it was. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Here's a different kind of spy:awkward, frosty, supremely intelligent, deeply religious. As brilliantly acted by a perfectly cast William Hurt, this is Robert Hanssen, a respected FBI man who sold information to the Soviets for 20 years. In Norman Mailer's incisive script for this TV movie, Hanssen turns to spying for his own neurotic reasons:to out-earn his domineering father, to show up the FBI bosses who continually pass him over, and maybe to dispel the boredom of the arrogant. A kinky interest in voyeurism and a platonic friendship with a stripper are also part of the mix (which brings in nudity not part of the broadcast version). The stripper is played by the touching Hilit Pace, while Mary Louise Parker is fine as Hanssen's clueless wife. Production values are TV-utilitarian, but Mailer's keen psychological probing and Hurt's unwavering chilliness make Master Spy an absorbing experience. --Robert Horton ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Fabulous story of behind scenes activities in the OJ trial
This is a tape of the made for television movie about the behind the scenes activities of the defense in the OJ Simpson trial. This movie spares no one and paints a very unfavorable view of all the lawyers. The movie is based on Robert Cardasians (sp?) book. No one at the end of the trial has any doubt that OJ is the murderer or a violent person as evidenced by Johnny Cochrans comment to one of his colleagues after OJ becomes enraged with him "I was just glad I didn't have long blond hair". The defense often views Judge Ito as a dunce, laughing after he becomes outraged with their antics. The most interesting thing is the lawyers at one point realize OJ is in many ways smarter and more talented than all his lawyers at formulating strategy and getting a team to work together. However, OJ is portrayed as a very violent and dispicable individual. ... Read more