Directed by George Lowe and written by Louis MacNeice, following the famous and successful expedition of the Everest conquest by Tenzing Norgay and Edmund Hillary, the first climbers to reach its peak.

When you think of making a documentary like The Conquest of Everest today, it’s amazing the ease with which it could be done, immediately increasing the respect for people trying to accomplish it in the 1950s. That seventy year gap since the film was first made actually makes a number of things about it interesting, particularly in that it becomes an example of the race relations of its time. Even purely in that Everest itself was not named by the people, culture or even for the land it lies in but for a British surveyor.

The style is intensely dramatic, especially with its highly emotional score but the entire tone and atmosphere of the film surround the danger to their conquest. In some respects, it’s a great dash of melodrama and tension but in others it feels like it overwhelms The Conquest of Everest. Almost as if it’s forgetting to focus on the inspirational and motivational side of things. It starts to simply make their task sound exhausting rather than exhilarating, more sombre than congratulatory. Although its narration and feel are surprisingly reminiscent of old fashioned Disney documentaries.

One of the other issues that partially comes with its age but also feels like an oversight, is that it is almost entirely depending on that narration. There’s an inherent disconnect in the fact that you’re not letting the audience truly get to know the men that the documentary follows. You very rarely hear from them and while that is limited by the availability of technology, it feels like they could have added some interview segments.

The Conquest of Everest is newly restored and it definitely shows in the crisp quality to the visual. It’s an interesting story as well as a time capsule of the 1950s. However, it feels like without giving the audience the opportunity to connect with its subjects, it holds itself back. On top of the fact that it’s leaning so heavily into the danger, focusing overly on the perilous nature of the challenge rather than the historic and inspiring moment but there’s still plenty to enjoy.

Verdict: ✯✯✯½ | 7/10

ON BLU-RAY, DVD & DIGITAL From MAY 29