Beyond the Edge

Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay's historic conquest of Mount Everest has been documented many times before, but Kiwi director Leanne Pooley has worked wonders here in bringing one of modern history's greatest achievements vividly to life by pacing it like a thriller. There are no talking heads: instead Pooley uses audio interviews to provide a soundtrack to the visuals - a nimbly assembled blend of still photos, old 16mm film and, best of all, some stunningly shot re-enactments, with the New Zealand's Southern Alps standing in for the Himalayas. Being a Kiwi film, the focus is naturally on Auckland-born Hillary and how by a mixture of luck and determination, he ended up being chosen ahead of his fellow British team members to make the final journey to the summit. However, Norgay and the contributions of the rest of team are not forgotten either, while the wealth of detail provided about what now seems very primitive equipment, further reinforces what a ground-breaking expedition took place in 1953.