The Locals
Bouldering Across Europe

Format	DVD	Category	Non-Fiction
Title	The Locals	Mins
Starring	Mauro Calibani, Jacky Godoffe, Jorge Tost Garcia, Jurij Golob, Gerhard Schaar	RRP
Director	3Line Digital Production	Reviews	1
Edition	2005	Ave Rating	(3.50 of 5)

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Comments

Mike 12/3/2005

The Locals is a bouldering documentary that takes the viewer on a fast paced tour of regions such as Austria, Slovenia, Italy, Switerland, Spain, Frace and England. It features many the best climbers local to each area, on problems with which they are familiar. I liked this movie, but perhaps not being big into bouldering myself I couldn't get as emotionally invested as I have with films based more on hard trad leading. So perhaps I'm not the best person to review The Locals. Never-the-less there are quite a number of bouldering documentaries available now, so the standard I think has risen. There's obviously been a fair amount of work gone into this production, particuarly the editing which follows a fast paced style that matches closely with the music. The music is good, but it's about the only audio we get aside from some intro sections that at least break things up a little. For myself I would have prefered some commentary from the climbers, and in particular more of the original captured audio so we get a sense of struggle and passion rather than the mood being determined by the music. I think this would have helped to draw the audience in. Most problems seem to have been filmed by two cameras, with the editor mixing the angles together. At times there's an overuse of this, where the scene seems to shift from one view to another very quickly, even using a poor angle in favour of a good one simply to continue the ever changing perspective. I understand this is meant to add to the pace and style of film, and match the music, but it can get a little distracting at times. I also would have liked more top-down views and close ups to get a feel of the rock surface and gradient. But, as I said, I still liked this movie. There's some amazing locations, super hard problems, and an interesting array of climbers.