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Just The Aunt
Supporter
Username: Auntof13
Post Number: 5400
Registered: 1-2004
| | Posted on Sunday, June 18, 2006 - 2:08 pm: | 
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Our lives... I know I will! The next time I feel sorry for myself about the things I have trouble doing I'll think of this story! What an amazing and inspiration this man is! Erik's website http://www.touchthetop.com/
TOUCH THE TOP OF THE WORLD
THE ACTION PACKED, INSPIRING TRUE STORY OF THE FIRST BLIND PERSON TO CLIMB MOUNT EVEREST
On Sunday, June 18 at 8 PM/7 Central, A&E Network will broadcast the world premiere of TOUCH THE TOP OF THE WORLD, a suspenseful, action-packed film based on the first blind person ever to climb Mount Everest. Peter Facinelli (Six Feet Under, Fastlane, The Scorpion King) plays Erik Weihenmayer.
In 2001, Erik Weihenmayer began his ascent up the tallest mountain in the world, Mount Everest. Erik’s journey began very early in life when he was diagnosed with a genetic disorder that ultimately led to total blindness by the time he was 13. With the support of an amazing family, Erik never allowed his handicap to hold him back. His mom defiantly fought to keep Erik in school with his fellow students. His father encouraged him to remain physically active, and he went on to become a champion wrestler in high school. In the wake of the sudden death of his mother, Erik and his family began taking climbing trips to keep their lives intact. Soon Erik was taking on greater challenges, including mountain climbing, while finishing college and starting his teaching career.
After conquering numerous major peaks, Erik decided to confront his biggest challenge -- Mount Everest. He was joined by several of his climbing buddies who risked their own lives in this pursuit. Along the journey, the team faced unbearably treacherous conditions, but Erik and his colleagues finally made it to the top of Mount Everest, quite literally the top of the world.
The A&E Original Movie TOUCH THE TOP OF THE WORLD is based on Erik Weihenmayer’s memoir of the same name. The screenplay is by Peter Silverman, multiple Emmy-nominee whose credits include Something The Lord Made, We Were The Mulvaneys, and Hill Street Blues. The director is Peter Winther, whose production credits include a number of major Hollywood blockbusters, from Independence Day to Godzilla to The Patriot.
To film the story of Erik Weihenmayer, the first and only blind man to climb Mount Everest, A&E has put a couple of uncanny look-alikes to work.
For openers, the Canadian Rocky Mountains are doubling for Everest in Touch the Top of the World, an A&E Original Movie premiering Summer 2006.
"It's an awesome choice," says Weihenmayer, whose mountain-climbing exploits have inspired thousands. "I've climbed a lot of the peaks there and, with the right camera angles, they definitely could pass for Everest."
But what really made people do double takes was actor Peter Facinelli and Erik Weihenmayer standing side by side on set while the movie was in production.
To read more, join A&E Club <<http://club.aetv.com/clickthrough.cfm?lid=1097>>
http://www.rockandice.com/a_and_e/Touch%20the%20Top%20Blurb.htm
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Touch the Top of the World
By Ray Richmond
Bottom line: An inspiring biopic that credibly documents a phenomenal achievement, though the intensity is downsized for the family audience.&E
It's pretty much inconceivable that a blind man could climb the 29,000-foot-plus Mount Everest. Scaling the world's highest peak is challenging enough for someone with all of their senses intact. So clearly, Erik Weihenmayer deserves his own TV-movie docudrama that honors his truly mind-boggling achievement. As a biopic, A&E's "Touch the Top of the World" -- based on Weihenmayer's book of the same name -- is nothing if not flattering and laudatory, and appropriately so. It does his incredible story proud. The guy is portrayed as a hero not merely for the blind community but indeed the human race itself. I mean, what he did in May 2001 is the equivalent of hitting a home run off Roger Clemens while swinging a pool cue. Into a headwind.
But while the telefilm is well produced and commendably documents the daunting perils of traversing Everest without sight, I couldn't help but be nagged by the feeling that this man also exercised a significant degree of selfishness. By having to concentrate much of their efforts on aiding Weihenmayer's climb, the members of his climbing team put their own lives in even greater danger than they otherwise would have done. Yes, these men had recruited Weihenmayer, and the entire expedition was funded by a blind organization's grant, but the sacrifice of his colleagues was at least as great (and perhaps greater) than his own. At worst, the glory should be shared.
That caveat out of the way, "Top of the World" delivers the goods in terms of storytelling and poignance, keeping the harrowing and treacherous aspects of the journey at the family-friendly level. Peter Facinelli, who has a resemblance to a young Tom Cruise, stars as Weihenmayer, struck by a genetic disorder that rendered him completely blind by age 13 but with a mother (well played by Kate Greenhouse) whose undying, coddle-free support helped produce a high-achieving son. He didn't allow his disability to keep him from being on the wrestling team in high school or from developing an obsession for climbing rocks.
The Everest ascent frames the film in flashback and flash-forward, with Weihenmayer's teammates urging him on (often via tough love) through treacherous ice falls, wild weather fluctuations and the oxygen depletion issues that can render this mountain so brutal and deadly. When he's not moving into thin air, Weihenmayer is shown bonding with his dad (Bruce Campbell), meeting a beautiful woman (Sarah Manninen) and marrying her and fighting through his own self-doubt that we're led to believe presents the only real barriers to what this blind wonder can do.
Peter Silverman's teleplay adaptation paints a believable enough picture of off-the-charts courage, even if it has occasional problems trying to separate the man from the myth. The Erik Weihenmayer depicted here is the very essence of positive thinking, wholesomeness and grace, somewhat like a blind, mountain-climbing Mother Teresa. But again, it's hard to overstate the scope of the achievement, and director Peter Winther, in tandem with director of photography Attila Szalay, adroitly capture the sense of perpetual unease during the Everest undertaking.
That said, it had to be even more hazardous and difficult for Weihenmayer to make it to the peak than is suggested in "Top of the World." Just close your eyes and try crossing the street. Now imagine doing it without air, traveling vertically, on ice -- for six miles.
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr/reviews/review_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1 002689267
Other Showings:
Sunday, June 18 @ 8pm/7C
Sunday, June 18 @ 10pm/9C
Monday, June 19 @ 12am/11C
Monday, June 19 @ 2am/1C
Friday, June 23 @ 10pm/9C
Saturday, June 24 @ 2am/1C
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Joanne G
Citizen
Username: Joanne
Post Number: 217
Registered: 10-2004
| | Posted on Sunday, June 18, 2006 - 3:54 pm: |
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An Aussie blind guy did it the year before - he trained with a work colleague of mine (at Vision Australia), and it was widely reported in Australia through the RPH Print Radio network. No lives were threatened in the process as far as I know; they trained on several lesser mountains and worked their way up to Everest. If I can remember his name I'll pass it on. |
dytunck
Supporter
Username: Dytunck
Post Number: 285
Registered: 3-2001
| | Posted on Sunday, June 18, 2006 - 4:13 pm: |
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Justtheaunt,
I knew Erik Weihenmeyer when we were kids living in Hong Kong. Our dads worked together. This was before he lost his vision. He was small, fragile, and nothing like his tough older brothers. Turns out, he was much tougher than anyone ever thought. The story is truly inspirational.
As a small-world aside, I grew up with another World-Class climber in Hong Kong: Conrad Anker. He's summitted Everest (discovered Mallory's body!), appeared on National Geographic's cover... I think it's a strange coincidence. |
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