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Great Non-Ski Movie Ski Scenes

ski diva

Administrator
Staff member
We always expect great skiing in ski movies, like TGR films or those made by Warren Miller. But today I was reading an account of the ski scene in The Spy Who Loved Me, a James Bond film from 1977, and it blew me away. The jump was actually not done in Austria, where the scene supposedly took place, but in Mount Asgard on Baffin Island in Canada, about 25 miles north of the Arctic Circle. And it was done not by a stunt man or a pro skier, but by a 23-year old amateur named Rick Sylvester. Sylvester had done a similar jump off of El Capitan, which brought him to the attention of the movie's producer. The jump for the movie, however, was 1,000 feet higher than El Cap, and Sylvester had never attempted it before. He had to ditch his skis and launch a parachute during the jump, too, and it's an amazing feat. Anyway, after reading about it, I looked it up on youtube, and holy smoke! More than 40 years later, it's still incredible. Watch it, and you'll see that the wind blew him into a lazy backward somersault, which was an extra, unexpected bonus.

So here, for your enjoyment:

'

Anyone have any other ski scenes they'd like to share?
 
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alison wong

Angel Diva
Anyone have any other ski scenes they'd like to share?

Movie #3 - relevant to your question.

1. Force majeure - Swedish movie.
Description: While on vacation in the Alps, a Swedish family experiences an avalanche that will change their family forever.

2. L'enfant d'en haut =: Sister = French movie
Description: Simon lives with his older sister in a housing complex below a luxury Swiss ski resort. Every day, he takes the lift up to the opulent ski world above, stealing equipment from rich tourists to resell to the local kids down in the valley. But when Simon partners with a crooked British seasonal worker, he begins to lose his boundaries, affecting his relationship with his sister and plummeting him into dangerous territory.

3. The 12th man - VERY GOOD MOVIE, based on true story.
Description: "Breathtaking action adventure that tells an incredible true life story of heroism and a man's unbreakable will to live." --

4. Snow Day - Life, Death and Skiing - From Amazon prime video
Description: Hit the slopes with a charming group of senior citizen skiers whose stories unfold along with the ski day. Set in the Colorado Rockies, join 6 skiers as they embrace both the joy and adversity that accompanies a long life lived well. You'll be inspired by their stories of love, loss, and personal growth that play out in high contrast to the freedom and athleticism they exhibit on the mountain.
 

liquidfeet

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
4. Snow Day - Life, Death and Skiing - From Amazon prime video
Description: Hit the slopes with a charming group of senior citizen skiers whose stories unfold along with the ski day. Set in the Colorado Rockies, join 6 skiers as they embrace both the joy and adversity that accompanies a long life lived well. You'll be inspired by their stories of love, loss, and personal growth that play out in high contrast to the freedom and athleticism they exhibit on the mountain.

Oh my goodness. What a fine, poignant movie. Thanks for letting us know about it.
 

liquidfeet

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Movie #3 - relevant to your question.

1. Force majeure - Swedish movie.
Description: While on vacation in the Alps, a Swedish family experiences an avalanche that will change their family forever.

I watched this movie some time ago. The mood is what I remember the most - bleak and disheartening. I read a review before watching it that lauded the producer's knowledge and love of skiing and claimed that the film captures the atmosphere of a ski vacation far more accurately than most ski films do.

Well. If this accurately portrays what ski vacations feel like, no one would want to take them. I can't forget this movie's depiction of emotional emptiness in a relationship, mirrored by the loneliness of the high alpine on-snow environment and a slopeside hotel with cold, designer interiors empty of joy.

That mood of emotional desolation hangs on in my mind. It was certainly strongly portrayed with every tool the movie-maker has to work with. There's an ironic twist at the end that communicates a pessimistic view of human nature, too, just to top everything off.

I do recommend this movie for its uniqueness and power, even though it was unsettling.
 

jthree

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
We always expect great skiing in ski movies, like TGR films or those made by Warren Miller. But today I was reading an account of the ski scene in The Spy Who Loved Me, a James Bond film from 1977, and it blew me away. The jump was actually not done in Austria, where the scene supposedly took place, but in Mount Asgard on Baffin Island in Canada, about 25 miles north of the Arctic Circle. And it was done not by a stunt man or a pro skier, but by a 23-year old amateur named Rick Sylvester. Sylvester had done a similar jump off of El Capitan, which brought him to the attention of the movie's producer. The jump for the movie, however, was 1,000 feet higher than El Cap, and Sylvester had never attempted it before. He had to ditch his skis and launch a parachute during the jump, too, and it's an an amazing feat. Anyway, after reading about it, I looked it up on youtube, and holy smoke! More than 40 years later, it's still incredible. Watch it, and you'll see that the wind blew him into a lazy backward somersault, which was an extra, unexpected bonus.



Anyone have any other ski scenes they'd like to share?

OMG I remember watching that as a kid- my dad is a big James Bond fan. Completely forgot about it until now. I never knew the story behind it-- I would have assumed it was some kind of movie magic and not a real ski-to-parachute jump. Amazing!
 

alison wong

Angel Diva
Oh my goodness. What a fine, poignant movie. Thanks for letting us know about it.

I first posted it in May 2018 (Snow day: lift death and skiing) and glad many of you liked it. Hope when I get old, I can find a similar group like this.

The 12th man: it is not about how well this "12th man" skied, but rather how poorly he skied and almost gave away his true identify. I highly recommend this movie, it is based on a true story.

Force majeure, this movie is just different, don't care much about it....... agreed with @liquidfeet it is bleak. I borrowed from library purely because the theme is about skiing, esp. skiing in Europe.
 

SallyCat

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I watched this movie some time ago. The mood is what I remember the most - bleak and disheartening. I read a review before watching it that lauded the producer's knowledge and love of skiing and claimed that the film captures the atmosphere of a ski vacation far more accurately than most ski films do.

Well. If this accurately portrays what ski vacations feel like, no one would want to take them. I can't forget this movie's depiction of emotional emptiness in a relationship, mirrored by the loneliness of the high alpine on-snow environment and a slopeside hotel with cold, designer interiors empty of joy.

That mood of emotional desolation hangs on in my mind. It was certainly strongly portrayed with every tool the movie-maker has to work with. There's an ironic twist at the end that communicates a pessimistic view of human nature, too, just to top everything off.

I do recommend this movie for its uniqueness and power, even though it was unsettling.

Agree, though I think what I loved about the movie was the incredibly palpable awkwardness! It was so effectively reinforced visually in the chic-bleak decor of the hotel/lodge it just made you squirm and want to run away. It seemed to represent what the couple was going through after the first big event in the film.
 

alison wong

Angel Diva
Amazon Prime: Ski Legends

https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/B084LLW6NW/ref=atv_dp_share_cu_r

"Featuring location footage shot in Whistler, director Lois Neu showcases the vigour of a trio of elderly Alpine skiers in their respective North American ski communities. The grace of Neu's subjects and the joy they express as they recall tales of their alpine achievements makes for uplifting viewing, in an inspirational portrait of how skiing forges a connection between people and mountain."

It is a sweet little short documentary film, 26 min. long.
 

ski diva

Administrator
Staff member
:bump: With Sean Connery/James Bond's passing, I thought I'd bump this up, just for the ski jump scene in my initial post. Yes, the James Bond here is Roger Moore. But still, an iconic part of the James Bond legacy.
 
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TNtoTaos

Angel Diva
How about the awesome ski scene in Inception, with Leonardo DiCaprio? It's a great ski chase scene, involving at least 50 skiers. The movie is one of my favorite scifi films - definitely worth watching.
I, too, am a big Bond/Connery fan, and was very sorry to hear of Sean Connery's passing, but one good thing: he died in his sleep! What a blessing for a man who lived a very full life.
 

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