German filmmaker and doctor Arnold Fanck (1889-1974) made this beautifully photographed Berg film, or 'mountain film', in 1926. Written in three days and nights - especially for Riefenstahl - The Holy Mountain took over a year to film in the Alps with an entourage of expert skiers and climbers. Ostensibly a love triangle romance - between Riefenstahl's young dancer and the two explorers she encounters - Fanck relishes the glorious Alpine landscape by filming death-defying climbing, avalanche-dodging, and frenetic downhill ski racing. This restoration is a visual feast - a fascinating look at the origins of a genre. After learning the ropes from Fanck, Riefenstahl's own Bergfilme flowered at UFA during the 1930's, and Fanck became her editor.
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