The first aerial footage of Everest shown herein (taken from an unpressurized single-engined biplane flown "over the top of the world" in 1933) is fascinating.
Were this trip recreated today one could pretty much count on the plane performing flawlessly and even if there was a technical failure the pilots would have some chance of parachuting out and also of being rescued within a reasonable amount of hours (or have life-saving supplies to protect them dropped until such a rescue could be effected).
This documentary's inherent value is that it shows the risk involved that was ever present in the not so distant past, with regard to travel and exploration. To criticize and dismiss this documentary, as some others have herein, as dated or dull or this that or the other thing (based on attitudes current by some in the 2020s) is unfortunate; for the central point of this documentary is rich, the aspect of risk presented as this exploration of Everest actually happened. And just for that (with no ifs, ands, or buts) it is worthy of watching.
Were this trip recreated today one could pretty much count on the plane performing flawlessly and even if there was a technical failure the pilots would have some chance of parachuting out and also of being rescued within a reasonable amount of hours (or have life-saving supplies to protect them dropped until such a rescue could be effected).
This documentary's inherent value is that it shows the risk involved that was ever present in the not so distant past, with regard to travel and exploration. To criticize and dismiss this documentary, as some others have herein, as dated or dull or this that or the other thing (based on attitudes current by some in the 2020s) is unfortunate; for the central point of this documentary is rich, the aspect of risk presented as this exploration of Everest actually happened. And just for that (with no ifs, ands, or buts) it is worthy of watching.