Director Renny Harlin (DIE HARD 2, CLIFFHANGER) is heading into mountainous terrain once again for an exploration of The Dyatlov Pass Incident , which is a true life account of nine Russian skiers who befell an unexplained death while skiing in the Ural Mountains in February 1959, their tents found abandoned with all their gear and their bodies found barefoot, one even missing a tongue. Their deaths have been attributed to everything from a top secret government experiment, ghosts, tribesman, yeti’s, alien encounters, and paranoia. It’s considered one of the most bizarre unsolved mysteries of the 20th Century.
The Untitled Film is currently in production and is not only an account of what may or may not have happened at the pass, but features another layer to the story:
“Five ambitious American college students are issued a grant to return to the site of the original events in the belief that they can uncover and document the truth of what happened at Dyatlov’s Pass. But what they find is more shocking than anything they could have imagined. Their trek through the Ural Mountains, retracing the steps of that ill-fated journey, is plagued by strange and increasingly terrifying phenomena, all of which suggest that in spite of their desolate surroundings, they are not alone. The forces behind the Dyatlov Pass Incident have been waiting for them.”
Basically, Harlin is taking the mystery of the unsolved case and blending it with a fictional follow-up investigation. To me, this is the fun of filmmaking. Filmmakers create fictional characters in real-world settings all the time and this feels like a great fit. The true life story is compelling enough, but exploring it further could yield some badass results. It could easily devolve into eye-rolling cheesiness, but given the subject material I’m going to hope for the best.
Harlin has been hit or miss in his career, but has produced some kick ass movies in his day (THE LONG KISS GOODNIGHT is one of my all time faves). It would be nice to see a return to form for him with this one.
The Untitled Dyatlov Pass Incident film is currently in production. Stay tuned for more info as it progresses.
One of the best trailers ever should give you a feel for Harlin’s potential with this. Just, y’know, no Stallone or Lithgow:
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