Ski Movie Rant

C

COskier

Active member
So, everyone seems really stoked about the set of movies coming out this year because of all the trailers that have come out recently. Am I the only person who isn't very excited? It seems like every year that I watch ski movies I am less impressed. The first freeskiing movie I saw was Ski Movie and it blew me away. I watched it so many times my VHS stopped working. There was cool skiing, it was funny, and everybody in it seemed like pretty cool guys. I just about idolized everybody in it. And, for several years after I had similar although perhaps slightly less excited reactions to the new ski movies. Movies like Propaganda, Ski Movie III, and 1242 were great with progressive skiing and extras like funny little clips in the bonus. But there seems to be a disturbing trend in the ski industry recently, people taking themselves too seriously. I don't know why this is because we are still a bunch of weird mountain kids and there still isn't much money on the line. Ski movies go for an epic angle, and while cinematography may be more impressive, the overall vibe isn't as good. I don't feel like the skiers are as cool anymore. Instead of lots of self-deprecating humor, it seems like they all feel the need to have a serious image. Where are the new Shane McConkeys? All the new ski stars seem like skinny white kids trying to be thug or straight Euro trash (That may be a little harsh, because there are still cool people, this just seems to be generally true). I don't know what I hope to accomplish by posting this on newschoolers, but I'm just sick of this. Hopefully this years movies will be better than I expect, however after being disappointed for several years, my hopes aren't high.
 
By the way that came over as overwhelmingly negative, but thats probably because I'm just bitter that I blew my knee and won't get to ski for a while. I want to make it clear though, that I still do love the ski industry, I just don't like the direction that it is headed in. Most skiers are still cool guys and even though freeskiing isn't the tight knit group it used to be, a love for the sport seems to result in a good group of people. And after recently watching Batman, basically I'm just saying, why so serious?
 
perhaps your observation is right, but also don't forget that you're obviously getting older...and your perception is probably a lot more critical than when you were watching Ski Movie on VHS...I know my that my movie watching experiences have certainly changed since then.
 
its because you were younger and to a grom back in 2000 or so, watching guys like jp, seth,shane etc push the limits on a burgeoning sport is straight up epic and legendary. Everything was fresh and it was mindblowing to see what was possible on skis.

Now we have become desensitized to huge progression due to so much banger shit going on. the last time, i was really WOWED was candide's 810 to rail. Now people rodeo or throw cork 810s on to rails like its not a big deal.

 
I agree with you. The first ski movies i ever owned were ski movie and ski movie lll. I watched them over and over for several years and never got tired of watching them. I also really like the newer ski movies, but there is definitely a different feel to them, something that i miss from the older ones.
 
I totally agree on the age thing, and the comment about being desensitized to progression. But first, I'm still only 18, and second its not the level of skiing I'm complaining about, I'm still impressed by the riding. I'm disappointed that the spirit of the movies seems to be changing.
 
well it breaks down like this: every other kid these days is starting 'companies' and trying to make ski movies. believe me, i know. I used to own two plank productions. once i realized that AM ski movies are a joke i bailed and i hate to see all of these kids still trying at such a dead end industry and stealing market share, allbeit a tiny amount. Ski movies used to be so special because the few that were put out were all great productions. Now that there are 80 movies a year and only 3 good ones i think it all just gets overwhelming and the good movies seem to blend in.
 
Well...progression, even in "epic" form, is necessary. Believe it or not some skiers do want to push limits and create legendary moments for videos. Of course it's all relative, but if you don't have that factor than you walk a fine line between pro and weaksauce.
However, I agree that there needs to be more life, humor, personalities, whatever you want to call it brought back into ski entertainment...it's what connects me to the sport the most!
 
yeah i agree, while i enjoy watching awesome park shoots with amazing features, id honestly rather watch people getting creative with some little jib off the side of a run. we all know how super radical 200ft gaps and triple flip 14's to front flips to a 100 ft dfd rail are, but really id be more impressed if i saw people just having fun, cruizing around through the park and all the mountain just goofing off. with the major film companies filming and editing skills, and the riders amazing skills, they could do some awesome stuff.
 
kinda, it was kinda cool that they were doing their own thing, but they somehow made alaska terribly boring.
 
Yeah, I love Idea, but it's too bad Hunting Yeti didn't turn out as good. I downloaded all the webisodes, and only ended up watching them once or twice, and I've watched Idea at least 15-20 times throughout the season to get me pumped to go skiing.
 
I personally liked the idea music a lot better, and there was a few sick hits in it, but a lot of it seemed kind of boring to me. I guess I just like having all the seshes back to back, instead of seeing everything that happens in between, but that is exactly what they were doing with Hunting Yeit; it was the whole point of the webisodes.
 
Once again, the level of skiing in movies is not what I was trying to get at. My main critique was of how everybody tries to portray a rockstar image and takes themselves so seriously. I just want ski movies to be fun again because great cinematography and "extreme" skiing are not mutually exclusive from a fun movie to watch.
 
yeah idea is probably one of the best movies ive seen in a long time. there were some flaws that were pretty big, but it really is a step in the right direction for sure.
the thing i didnt like is how extremely calm it was, like every segment was just so extremely calm it can and actually has put me to sleep.
that and i wish they had done more rails and park cruising. they had some sweet park jump shoots, but stuff like that helmet cam of them cruising through the park that they released like 6 months before the movie came out. just messin around on a bunch of different features. that really what i was hoping they would have. that and some urban, i know they could come up with some of the most creative stuff ever.
 
but compare those two segments to everything else that year, tanner blew everyone away in happy dayz, and candide, well, 110ft hip.
 
I watched "The Blizzard of Aahhh's" yesterday and it's just sooo different to films nowadays it's weird as heck. Obviously the sports evolved at an incredible rate but just how the film was edited was vastly different to how the films today are edited. Most production companies nowadays have very similar editing approaches.
 
I want to see a movie that has crazy big shit, or small shit in lines with tricks you need to watch 5 times to understand what is going on.
 
personally, i dont like seeing anything in a ski movie other then actual skiing. all the useless filler bullshit is just gay, i dont care what any of the pbp, level 1, or msp riders do in their off time. thats what the bonuses are for and even most of those are gay.

 
yeah i feel wut your sayin, where theres not enough fun or personality in the movies comin out. But if Claim is anything like the teaser with mad of those short funny segments id buy it
 
And that right there is why the Wanderland was so amazing. It was touchable. Sure, I can't ski at nearly the same level as the meatheads, but I can ski those locations. I can relate to it more. I actually see guys out screwing around, having fun, joking and just overall living it up and having a good time.

My favorite movies (and why) are as follows.

-Wanderland - Great skiing with a great vibe at locales that seem obtainable to me

-Scandalous - The movie is just fun. It's not serious, and that's the beauty
 
ski movies are better when you dont have best features/conditions possible available to you because it takes a lot more to make a great film. then its more about creativity and fun than just shot after shot. thus why meatheads makes awesome movies. But i think all companies will start puttin out better and better movies because they all realize its time for something different (why idea was so sick)
 
i agree with the growing up part, the way TGR flicks used to make me feel in 7th-8th grade was unreal. goosebump type shit. now i just go whoa that was pretty tight.
 
if you're looking for a chill funny movie with ppl fooling around just having fun then i'd suggest claim would be the one for you. i liked the teaser
 
As much as I love to watch all the new movies I think there was a good point brought up about how most of us will never get to hit half the shit in these movies because they're basically "invite only" features which definitely sucks. Yes, pros get to push the sport to new heights and even some solid ams, but their are so many groms that can slay so hard that given the opportunity could probably succeed in the same manner. It sucks to roll up to you're home mountain, see a nice 70 foot step down with a 20 foot cheese wedge with a nice bright orange fence in front of it because it's unhittable unless you're on the Flow team or filming with the Meatheads.
 
the fact that in multiple threads you make it necessary to point out you are the "devils advocate" shows you want attention. If you truely were this way, you wouldn't make it a point to point it out in numerous threads and would just keep going about you posting habbits.

I personally felt like those movies were so much better as well, and still do watching them today. I think for me though its mostly because that was when I started skiing, and everything was so new and exciting to me.

Now its a part of my life and I've already seen so many, even if they're better, they just don't get me to that same excitement as the things that drew me into the sport. I'll say i've been entertained by alot of ski movies since then, but at the same time I'm not as excited as I was back then.
 
I think you're talking about the "feel" aspect of ski films.

the feeling that you get when you see snow falling for one really long shot with some mellow music behind it.

sometimes when you're making a ski film you want to show ALL of the sickest footage, you've got so many peoples interests in mind that you end up with a lot of shots that "NEED" to be in the movie. I think that causes a 60 minute movie to have awkward pacing and less feel.

i think that skiers enjoy films that allow their minds to create some of the story, because some of those stories create feelings that we all understand.
 
i dont know, seems like there are quite a few movies coming out that emphasize the "all about fun" vibe. hot lunch & hunting yeti just off the top of my head.
 
my favorite ski movie is Shanghai Six, and that doesn't have much of the whole fun mood. And i love humor.

but actually i think half the reason its my favorite movie is because the teaser was so damn awesome
 
Hey, you're not as dumb as you seem. We share the same sentiments! It's tough to be in our position, eh? Politics, friendships, sponsors... Keeping everyone happy sometimes works against the end product, and unfortunately few know what goes on behind the scenes.
 
.....I don't know.... I'm just as exited about all the new ski movies as ever!! I get more exited each year!! I'm the same age as you too...so maybe you should just get more stoked!
 
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