NEW YOSEMITE VALLEY MOVIE: "Brave New Wild"

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crunch

Social climber
CO
Topic Author's Original Post - Mar 29, 2015 - 12:44pm PT
This movie is great! Watched a showing of this in Denver a couple days ago.

Brave New Wild explores some of the same material as Valley Uprising but is very different, more thoughtful, more personal. It examines, vividly and with empathy, the Golden Age of Yosemite, that '60s decade when wealth, leisure, youth and cheap CA wine combined in a heady mix with the birth pangs of a new, absurd and hazardous sport: Big Wall climbing.

This was an era emulated by every generation since, but it's never quite repeatable. The innocence and naivety are gone, money and branding have moved in.

The Golden Age's participants defined this era by their rejection of society's money-based values but then never quite agreed on what their alternative values should be, as symbolized in this movie by Royal Robbins' botched clip 'n' chop ascent of Warren Harding's Wall of the early Morning Light.

This sounds generic but the director, Oakley Anderson-Moore, vividly brings this to life: she first introduces her father, Mark Moore, who, during the 1960s and 70s, went on an extended road trip, riding the freights, climbing first ascents, picking fruit seasonally to support his lifestyle.

She asks, What was the appeal of this way of life for my father? Along the way, using classic old super-8 footage her father shot interspersed with interviews and pithy, hilarious animations based on Sheridan Anderson cartoons, she begins to learn where this lifestyle emerged from, how it grabbed her father (and the participants, like Mark Powell, Royal Robbins, Warren Harding, Jerry Gallwas, Chuck Pratt and many more), so strongly. As she understands more, she is able to suggests when and why these ideals all began to fall apart (or at least radically change direction) in the 1970s. And even hint at how, despite appearances, perhaps a Golden Age is not lost at all but still attainable for anyone willing to think outside whatever box they exist in.

Oakley's personal approach, using her own father's experiences, combined with the telling of the Golden Age of Yosemite/Robbins-Harding rivalry story through a female viewpoint, is refreshing and eye-opening.

Highly recommended. These guys are the real deal, a bit lost/naive at the marketing side of things (I should know, I'm the same way) but they have a wonderful movie and deserve support and a much bigger audience:

Excellent work! http://www.bravenewwild.com/home.html

[Click to View YouTube Video]
cleggy

Trad climber
Derby, UK
Mar 29, 2015 - 01:11pm PT
Thanks for posting Steve.
Is this going to DVD or will it be live shows in the US only? I found Valley Uprising to "glossy".
Cheers
Steve
steveA

Trad climber
Wolfeboro, NH
Mar 29, 2015 - 02:53pm PT
I know that Oakley spent many years working and revising this movie. The story of Harding and Robbins rivalry is similar in both "Valley" movies, but as Crunch points out, this movie has perhaps a different point of view, and is worth seeing.
'Pass the Pitons' Pete

Big Wall climber
like Ontario, Canada, eh?
Mar 29, 2015 - 03:32pm PT
What year was this movie produced? Looks like great fun!
crunch

Social climber
CO
Topic Author's Reply - Mar 29, 2015 - 04:24pm PT
This is a brand new, just-about-finished movie. In fact Oakley said they ended up with so much material that a more-or-less finished second movie exists, that builds on the first, called, a bit confusingly, "Wild New Brave" that chronicles the Yosemite scene during the 70s and 80s. All I know about this is that it builds on the first movie and that Oakley interviewed Bachar a just few months before he died. The first movie so good I really want to see the second one.....

The Denver showing was about 50-50 the art cinema crowd (this seems a popular art movie place with great local support) and a climber crowd.

After, I asked Oakley and crew about distribution. I recall they said they have an upcoming screening in New York, though I don't see details on their website yet. No other screenings planned, as yet.

Wider distribution? I asked if they were going to sell DVDs.

They talked of using the streaming model, a la the Assault on El Capitan movie. They don't have this set up yet. I think they've been working on distribution through art theater circles rather than through climbing movie festival circles.

They appear to have no support from the usual climbing industry big guns. This was a labor of love financed though a grass-roots kickstarter campaign and god knows what other means.

Man, it sure is nice to watch a movie that does not start with a bunch of obnoxious ads with over-psyched, over-sincere uber-hotties shilling the crap-du-jour.

The pacing is very different to Valley Uprising. It actually reminded me of Pete Mortimer's early, excellent movie, Scary Faces, thought-provoking, fun, personal, engaging, with space for the characters and locations to grow and come to life.

I'm sure the film-makers would be real excited to hear from any climbing-oriented movie festival organizers who might want to check this out.
skitch

climber
East of Heaven
Mar 29, 2015 - 05:02pm PT
They should try the Louis CK model for distribution.
looks easy from here

climber
Ben Lomond, CA
Mar 29, 2015 - 06:49pm PT
Oakley, if you read this, bring it to the Rio in Santa Cruz! It sells out Reel Rock and 3 days of BANFF every year, and I bet this would, too. I know I'd be there, along with my wife and the rest of my climbing crew.
Jaybro

Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
Mar 29, 2015 - 06:53pm PT
And Moab!
Vitaliy M.

Mountain climber
San Francisco
Mar 29, 2015 - 07:17pm PT
perhaps a Golden Age is not lost at all but still attainable for anyone willing to think outside whatever box they exist in.

Talked about that with a good friend yesterday actually. Contrary to whatever a lot of people here say, one can have their Golden Age whenever. Up to an individual.

Man, it sure is nice to watch a movie that does not start with a bunch of obnoxious ads with over-psyched, over-sincere uber-hotties shilling the crap-du-jour.

YES YES YES. Hope they bring it out to the Bay Area. Looks great.
The Wolf

Trad climber
Martinez, CA
Mar 29, 2015 - 07:27pm PT
Oakley, I heard of your film years ago and have followed it from afar. You probably have things in hand but if you need anything or have any questions about distribution please do not hesitate to get in touch. Those of us making niche genre films have to stick together. Happy to help anyway I can.

Jeff Vargen
Producer
Assault on El Capitan
West To The Sea
guido

Trad climber
Santa Cruz/New Zealand/South Pacific
Mar 29, 2015 - 07:54pm PT
This is fantastic film, I enjoyed it a lot more than the "other one."
ß Î Ø T Ç H

Boulder climber
extraordinaire
Mar 29, 2015 - 09:08pm PT
Been following the progress for a while.
Their instagram photos are amazing.
http://instagram.com/BraveNewWild/
steveA

Trad climber
Wolfeboro, NH
Mar 30, 2015 - 05:14am PT
I went to the Woods Hole showing of this movie with my son, which was sold out. I want to relate a side story, which demonstrates the passionate interest of some of the younger climbers.

There was a younger female, ( I assume), climber hanging out at the ticket booth for hours, hoping to get a ticket. My guess was she was from Europe, visiting Woods Hole with her parents, since she had an accent.

I had dinner with Oakley, and mentioned this to her, and Oakley reached in her pocket, and gave me a guest ticket. Minutes before the opening, I saw the girl, half a block away, walking away from the theater. I chased after her with the ticket. When I presented it to her, her face lit up like a candle, she was so happy. She couldn't believe her good luck.
cleggy

Trad climber
Derby, UK
Mar 30, 2015 - 06:56am PT
The picture of Chris Jones in the Instagram link is fantastic. As good a picture of Left Unconquerable as I've seen. Wonder who took it?

The 1964 (actually 1970 reprint) Sheffield-Stanage guide describes it thus:
"The Left Unconquerable 50feet Extremely Severe
A jagged crack, leaning slightly left, splits the face near the centre of the buttress. Climb by layback and jamming methods to the horizontal cracks across the upper section of the buttress, then move a little left across the crack, the crux, to better holds and easier climbing to the top. A route for strong parties only."

Phew! All those words for 50feet!!


Modern photos here - http://www.ukclimbing.com/photos/item.html?crag=101&route=The+Left+Unconquerable
Oakley

Trad climber
CA
Mar 31, 2015 - 09:18pm PT
First off, thanks Crunch for posting such a thoughtful rumination on the film. I'm so glad you were able to make it out to the Denver screening and I was able to meet you! (And thank you Guido and SteveA, for adding to that!) The reason you spend so much time on a film is so that at some point at least one person at one screening “gets” it and tells you.

It's taken a long-ass time to get this film made. I really, really want the film to permeate the climbing community. It's the dog's honest truth that I have been trying to get this damned film into climbing festivals in North America, but for whatever reason (I have a few ideas) we’re not getting in. Bollocks! (Which reminds me, we have yet to apply to those lovely tests across the pond, maybe there’s still hope. And if anyone has suggestions for alternative climbing fests stateside maybe I can approach...)

At the end of the day, we’re a small team and we’re gonna need some grassroots help to get the film out there.

We are in the process of planning screenings for Spring and Summer, at which point I’ll launch limited release DVDs/stream it from the comfort of your mountaineering armchair. We will be doing anything we can to get in a venue, as well as using Tugg. (The way Tugg works is that anyone can request a screening anywhere, and as long as enough tickets get sold, the screening happens. And then I’ll drive out there in a VW van. Just a convenient way for films on a low budget to get screenings.)

So…pretty much if anyone wants to see the film, let me know!
looks easy from here and Jaybro you guys mentioned coming to the Rio in SC and Moab, so I just wrote them into the list. If you don’t mind, I may message you about some advice on showing there.
Oakley

Trad climber
CA
Mar 31, 2015 - 09:19pm PT
Also, if anyone has any feedback on screenings, would you rather see the film in a theater with some kind of reception afterwards, or at a community venue? Or something else? Tugg lets you show in theaters, which I think is great, but I also don’t want to make degenerate dirtbag climbers feel like you have to put on a coat and tie to get in.
Any body has thoughts, I’m all ears.
bhilden

Trad climber
Mountain View, CA/Boulder, CO
Mar 31, 2015 - 10:08pm PT
Any shots of Mark and his trick nuts in the movie? He had some pretty crazy stuff which were very useful on some of the harder Yosemite cracks before the advent of Friends.
looks easy from here

climber
Ben Lomond, CA
Apr 1, 2015 - 07:32am PT
looks easy from here and Jaybro you guys mentioned coming to the Rio in SC and Moab, so I just wrote them into the list. If you don’t mind, I may message you about some advice on showing there.

Fer sure! I don't know a lot, but I'm willing to share whatever I can to help you out, and maybe I can at least help you find people who would be actually helpful. :)
The Wolf

Trad climber
Martinez, CA
Apr 1, 2015 - 10:19am PT
Oakley, there are pro's and con's to Tugg. I've been through all the scenarios. Let me know if you want an info exchange.
Steve Grossman

Trad climber
Seattle, WA
Apr 1, 2015 - 10:40am PT
Hey Oakley,

Welcome back to the ST!

I am really looking forward to seeing this film and collaborating on other projects in the future.

It was a pleasure to meet you in the Gunks back in 2008 when you were just getting going and I am really stoked to check out your current work.

Some very fine and discerning folks hang out on this forum and we support your honesty and the integrity of your creative efforts.

Three Cheers!
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