“He was an athlete and an artist.” Did he also seek death? In The Dark Wizard, a four-part HBO docuseries directed by Peter Mortimer and Nick Rosen, we meet Dean Potter, pioneering free climber, BASE jumper, and master of the highline. This guy’s skill at times seemed superhuman, with free solo climbs full of impossible maneuvers. He was also, friends and other climbers say, “Cursed with a dark side.” The Dark Wizard tries to find the places where Potter’s interior life fortified and threatened his outward talents.
Opening Shot: “When I was a little boy, my first memory was this dream of falling.” Was it a premonition? In the old interview clip, Dean Potter does not know. But he feels a need to go toward the unknown, and to face fear.
The Gist: There are many moments like this in The Dark
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