Product Details

• Format: Closed-captioned, Color, NTSC
• Language: English
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: Nat'l Geographic Vid
• VHS Release Date: July 8, 1997
• Run Time: 59 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 6304475527
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #343,765 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Breathtaking cinematography and vintage footage focus on a small Sherpa village in Nepal where Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay reunite to celebrate the 30th anniversary of their conquest of Mount Everest's summit. The first men to reach they summit, Sir Edmund and Norgay are also clearly friends. The genuine esteem between Sir Edmund and his family and residents of Kungbu, Nepal, is refreshing after the stories of numerous wealthy tourists' attempts to climb Everest, where Sherpas are mentioned in passing like colonial resources to be bought. One of the most remarkable features of this beautiful and educational video is the unusual insider perspective into the inner world of Sherpa culture, into the homes and families and monastic life of these high-altitude dwellers. Sir Edmund is a revered and popular figure in the Sherpa communities where he has devoted decades to constructing schools and empowering villagers. In addition to discussing the historic first conquest of Everest and the changes both the Hillary family and the Sherpa communities in Nepal have experienced in the last 30 years, this video is a rich cultural documentary of the Sherpa way of life. This video, part of the National Geographic video series, is like the triumphant other side of the Everest story for anyone who has enjoyed Jon Krakauer's Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mount Everest Disaster. --Tara Chace

Product Description

On May 28, 1953, Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay became the first men to conquer Mount Everest. They risked their lives for the honor of standing where no human had ever before: at the summit of the highest mountain peak in the world. Now, more than 30 years later, Hillary and his climbing companion return to Everest to celebrate their historic ascent. Complete with breathtaking footage from the 1953 expedition, RETURN TO EVEREST is a tribute to the brave men who tamed this famous mountain, as well as the Sherpa people of Nepal who helped these pioneers achieve their goal.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars emotional biography of Hillary, May 1, 2000

By 

william woolum - See all my reviews

This review is from: National Geographic's Return to Everest [VHS] (VHS Tape)

This exquisite documentary tells the deeply emotional story of Sir Edmund Hillary's relationship with the Sherpas over the thirty years since his and Norday's ascent of Everest. Hillary supervised the construction of clinics, schools, and other improvements to Sherpa life and became very good friends with those he worked with. This is a story of giving, love, gratitude, and grief. Especially interesting to me were the religious ceremonies and pageants. I loved this video and will watch it repeatedly.

5 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Not even worth stealing, January 18, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: National Geographic's Return to Everest [VHS] (VHS Tape)

This video is a scam. Everest itself appears for roughly 30 seconds. The rest of the video shows Sherpa's drinking home brew and getting drunk with Sir Edmund. If the mountain is what interests you, stay away. If, however, you like to watch drunk Sherpa's and drunk aging icons, this is the video for you.

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent, April 4, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: National Geographic's Return to Everest [VHS] (VHS Tape)

This was an excellent video. We loved it. The mountain is out of this world.