Everest

"Learning to Climb" Featurette

When a film sets out to capture the events of a true story, it’s essential that the utmost care and attention is put into its production. Filmmakers in this situation have a responsibility to respect the actual events, as well as everyone impacted by them. This especially includes the loved ones of those who lost their lives.

Universal Pictures’ Everest isn’t a fictional tale. Rather, this story is based on the true events of the 1996 Mount Everest disaster. When a storm blew in unexpectedly and struck two expedition groups scaling Everest, eight people lost their lives trying to descend the mountain.

Everest - Cast learning to climbBecause the Everest film was devoted to crafting an authentic representation of the tragedy, it was important to the filmmakers that they shot the movie where the actual events transpired—on Mount Everest. Everest movie extras released by Universal Pictures Home Entertainment reveal more of the details behind the choice to shoot on Everest itself. By watching the Everest featurette, “Learning to Climb” in our “Making Of Featurettes” section, viewers can get a clearer understanding of the work that goes into portraying this kind of true story on location.

The conditions on Mount Everest aren’t simple to navigate, especially for those without extensive climbing experience. Nevertheless, this didn’t stop the filmmakers behind Everest from pursuing their ambitious approach. It just meant they would have to learn to climb.

Climbing lessons began with the very basics, requiring the Everest cast and crew to familiarize themselves with the gear that would be keeping them safe. They then had to learn the ins and outs of staying safe in conditions that are inherently dangerous for human life. In part, this process involved an altitude simulation, which was used to help the cast prepare for filming.

As you might expect, even the simulation wasn’t a simple feat. Fortunately, the film’s actors received extensive mountaineering training as they prepared to film that was provided by renowned climbers. Thanks to the help of experts with experience climbing Mount Everest itself, it was possible for Everest’s cast to earn the skills they needed to shoot an authentic film.

For the film’s actors, one of the greatest benefits of shooting on Mount Everest was how it helped them connect with their characters. As this Everest movie feature reveals, when a performer is portraying a real individual, it’s more important than ever to get into the head of that person and represent them in a genuine way.

Everest - Jake Gyllenhaal“We went up to the equivalent of what was 30,000 feet. We were there in this chamber for ten minutes … [when] we got out, I just immediately went from laughing to being really sad,” explained actor Jake Gyllenhaal, who portrayed Scott Fischer.

When all was said and done, the level of commitment it took to act in Everest is hard to beat in Hollywood. The cast and crew trained extensively to remain as safe as possible, despite the brutal environmental conditions. Although it would have been possible to film Everest on a sound stage or even on another mountain, the movie’s creators refused to take that approach. Both realism and authenticity were the priorities at every stage—and the result truly paid homage to those that tragically passed in the Mount Everest disaster.

By viewing the Everest movie extras, you can get an even better idea of the work it took to produce the movie from start to finish. You can find Everest movie behind-the-scenes interviews and more available today when you buy the movie on 4k Ultra HD, DVD, Digital, or Blu-rayTM*. 

*Bonus features are only available at select digital retailers. Check the retailer for details.

 

 

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