Deadly Ascent (WGBH)
Picture: C+
Sound: C+ Extras: C- Episode: B-
There have been many programs on mountain climbing,
especially when it involves arctic weather conditions, including the IMAX
format. Deadly Ascent covers Mt.
McKinley and the climbers who risk their lives to go there, including those who
obviously do not come back. The effort
would usually be compelling enough to make for a solid show, but there’s a
twist here.
It turns out a new disease is attacking climbers worldwide
and even NASA participates in the investigation. Is it an epidemic traveling in a higher altitude? Is it connected to global warming or the
loss of atmospheric layers? Is it
something the climbers have created by something they all brought with
them? Well, no need to spoil a good
show. You’ll have to check it out for
yourself.
The letterboxed 1.78 X 1 image looks goods but not great
as usual for a digital High Definition production that really should be
anamorphically enhanced for DVD, but that would not make it IMAX either in this
case. The Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo does
not have any major surrounds in this case and the usual DVD-ROM printable
material is the only major extra here.
- Nicholas Sheffo
