Theres danger in the air: ; Large-format film takes viewers on climb up Eigers treacherous North Face in Swiss Alps

If you go What: "The Alps" When: Starts Saturday Where: ClayCenter Info: www.theclaycenter.org or 304-561-3570 FYI: Movie timesare noon, 1 p.m., 3 p.m. and 4 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday and 1p.m., 3 p.m., and 4 p.m. on Sunday.

The Clay Centers latest offering in its ElectricSky Theater is abreathtaking combination of documentary and drama set in themountain peaks of Switzerland. The Alps weaves history, adventureand geology in a 45-minute tale about one mans decision to trace hislate fathers footsteps on the North Face of Eiger, a peak known forits unpredictable weather changes and dangerous falling rock. Thepeak claimed the life of John Harlin II in 1966 when his ropesnapped and he plunged to his death. His son, John Harlin III, wasjust 9 years old. The elder Harlin was an experienced climber whofounded the International School of Mountaineering. Bad weatherduring his climb slowed his progress and affected the integrity ofhis safety ropes, ultimately causing his death. Fast forward 40years and John Harlin III, himself a father of a young daughter,decides to retrace his fathers steps and conquer the demons thathave plagued him. The 45-minute MacGillivray Freeman film sets upHarlins story and then backtracks a bit to the history of the Alps,explaining how they formed when continents drifted and collided,forming the jagged peaks that form the mountain range system thatstretches from Austria and Slovenia through Italy, Switzerland,Germany and France. Youll also get a little lesson in the perils ofclimbing and the phenomena of avalanches. The trademark of the large-format films, of course, is sweeping views that may leave some alittle motion sick. If thats your tendency, make sure you sit towardthe upper levels and in the center it really does help. SpoilerAlert: Harlin succeeds in reaching Eigers 6,000-foot face, anemotional moment for him and for his wife and daughter, who havebeen watching his progress with the help of strong binoculars at thefoot of the mountain. The movie will leave you wondering how theheck it was made, and apparently that was a feat in itself.According to the films Web site, cinematographer Brad Ohlund dividedthe task into two distinct territories aerial photography done bySpaceCam inventor Ron Goodman and mountain photography done by EmmyAward-winning adventure filmmaker Michael Brown. Producer GregMacGillvray had good training with a previous mountain film,Everest. He said on the Web site that helicopters especially madethe production possible. We had the best access to the mountainsweve ever had because we were able to drop cameras and people in onlong lines just about anywhere, and this allowed our fantasticcamera team to really focus on the filmmaking. At just 45 minutes,the film is perfect for even short attention spans, but its contentis most appropriate for adults, teens and children about fourthgrade and older. And if the film leaves you curious for moreinformation, you can check out Harlins memoir, The Eiger Obsession:Facing the Mountains That Killed My Father.