Educational Media Reviews Online

Like a good mystery this film spins a fascinating story about an extraordinary mountain. More than thirty years ago, a Pakistani geologist, Qasim Jan, began to unravel the story of Nanga Parbat. Nanga Parbat (Naked Mountain), the ninth highest mountain on earth, is nestled in the Himalaya of Northern Pakistan. Its steep sides and exposure to weather systems keeps it relatively snow-free compared to the neighboring mountains, hence its name.

What enhances Nanga Parbat’s mystery are its differences from the Himalayan range of which it is a part. None of its neighbors match its young geologic age, or its high growth and erosion rates. In addition, its north/south slope orientation is in sharp contrast to the east/west of the surrounding mountains. The film presents the conflicting hypotheses that are proffered to explain the mountain’s geomorphology. The program illustrates the international effort to understand the geological forces that continue to form this unique mountain. The suspense builds as more facts are gathered laboriously by scientists in this sparsely populated part of the world. Finally, the mystery unfolds to reveal Nanga Parbat to be a very young mountain at only 1-2 million years old, and exposes the interrelation of forces at work that explain why the mountain is eroding so quickly and at the same time growing so rapidly.

The spectacular views of the rugged terrain and the presentation of scientific fieldwork make this film an excellent choice.

Recommended for high school and college libraries.