'Sunshine Superman' shows appeal of cliff-jumping
'Superman' centers on legendary engineer-turned-cliff-jumper Carl Boenish, who dove off mountains and high-rise buildings before losing his life in the mountains of Norway in 1984.
'Superman' stars Jean (l.) and Carl (r.) Boenish.
Courtesy of Magnolia Pictures
Marah Strauch’s documentary “Sunshine Superman” is about legendary engineer-turned-cliff-jumper Carl Boenish, who had an exhilarating time diving off mountains and high-rise buildings before losing his life in the mountains of Norway in 1984.
Boenish avidly filmed his exploits, and the 16-mm footage of him and his fellow jumpers attests to the sport’s freewheeling appeal – not to mention its arrant foolhardiness. But the film doesn’t allow for too many of my these-people-are-nuts qualms. Call me a wimp.
Boenish’s wife, Jean, who trained to jump with him, is interviewed extensively, and, although Strauch doesn’t provide much backstory for her, she emerges as that rarity – a perfect matchup to a seemingly unmatchable man. Grade: B- (Rated PG for thematic elements, some language, smoking, and a brief nude image.)