Best Ski Movie Ever?

I just watched my new DVD of In Deep after a friend called it the best ski movie ever. I have to say, I was super disappointed. For my money, Steep is the best film ever (that I've seen). I just can't get enough of it. And Off The Grid is in second if only for the last scene with Kevin Bramble and Monty Meier showing that people with amputations and spinal cord injuries can heli-ski in the Chugach. What else is out there that I should watch? What would you call the best ski movie ever?

Check out Bill Heath's "Nine Winters Old". Does a helluva job expressing what we already know: "winter is, quite simply, the greatest time of year". Depicts various winter lovers from around BC (a photographer, cat driver, heli pilot, middle schooler, a hilarious trio of old timers, Bear Pass Avy Control).

For whatever reason, the ladies don't get a whole lot of love, relegated to being winter hating teachers and overbearing mothers but that's more or less my only complaint.

Heath's older films are also worth a watch (Sinners, Ski Your Ass Off I and II). If you've spent some time in the Nelson BC area (if you haven't, consider ti reccomended) you'll recognize the majority of the scenery in any of these films.

Havent't see " Swift Silent Deep" yet the film about the JH Airforce but I hear its good.
Edge of Never the film that is bout Kye Peterson skiing the Glacier Rond where his father Trevor Peterson died is very good.

However, Hot Dog The Movie is the best ski film every made.

I think you're asking a question that simply can't be answered.

First off theres different "catagorys" so to speak. Take Swift.Silent.Deep, Steep, Edge of Never, all these are more documentaries and not really what i'd call a ski movie. Don't get me wrong i love Steep and Swift.Silent.Deep (haven't seen edge of never) as documentaries on skiing they are awesome but for ski porn? nah not so great. They don't get you fired up in the same way a modern ski film does.

Then you have your, well, ski porn area. This is where IN deep, TGR's film, basically every other film fits. Even in here you have to go ok what would you say makes a ski film the best? Is it the footage from that year? New things introduced that year? (say fat skis, or first alaska heli trip, ect). As you can tell theres lots of variables.

But anyways here are some of mine. you may or may not like them but thats up to you.
Focused
High Life
Yearbook
Hustle and Snow
Journal

thats my list and i am sure someone can easily come along and be like how could xxxx be on your list it was crap. but its just a matter of opinion

Fueled by anxiousness for the season to begin, we revisit this thread  in search for some vicarious relief...

A modification of my previous post:

Recognizing that any claim for, "the greatest or best..." is highly subjective, I would like to call peoples' attention to what I consider one of the greatest ski films I have watched, "Ski Bums". It has had a significant impact on my life.

Unlike most ski films which are collections of "ski-porn",  Ski Bums is a documentary made by John Zaritsky through the Canadian Film Board and allows viewers to come to understand the motivation of the "bums" in the film and to hear their powerful witness to the redemptive power of skiing. Sure, there's ski-porn in the film but so much more. Consequently, this is a ski movie even interesting to people with little interest in skiing. And it is the only ski movie I've seen that brings tears to my eyes.

A trailer is found and info at The Canadian Film Board .

Unfortunately the film is out of print but can be seen cable channels. If you must see this film and cannot get access, send me a pm and I'll see what I can do.

Oh yeah, in addition to ski porn and moving and compelling stories, there is also lots of unapologetic nudity and drug use so it might not be appropriate for younger viewers.

The Man Who Skied Down Everest - it even won an Oscar.

Worth it just for the exercise bike footage until you see his wipe out.

My List, by category...

Classic Ski Film: The Tribe (Matchstick Productions 1995)

Documentary Ski Fim: Signitures (Sweetgrass Productions 2009)

Modern Ski Film: Under the Influence (TGR 2008)

Best Powder: Contrast (Nimbus Independent 2009)

Most Mind Blowing Ski/Snowboard Film of all Time: That's it, That's all (Quicksilver, Redbull, Brain Farm 2008)

if you haven't seen "That's it, That's All" you really should. The film took 2 years to make and Quicksilver/RedBull dumped $ millions on it"
www.thatsit-thatsall.com/

I agree The Man Who Skied Everest is a classic.

I'd also throw Ptex, Lies, and Ductape on the list. That film had soul to it. More than many of today's highlight reels.

Recognizing that any claim for, "the greatest or best..." is highly subjective...

If it weren't subjective, it wouldn't be so much fun to argue about!

I agree The Man Who Skied Everest is a classic.

I'd also throw Ptex, Lies, and Ductape on the list.  That film had soul to it.  More than many of today's highlight reels.

I think you've hit on an important point: Soul vs. highlight reels. I find soul much more entertaining and fulfilling to watch. I'll have to check out Ptex, lies, and Ductape. Thanks for the suggestion.

Surprised no one has mentioned "Last of the Ski Bums" by Dick Barrymore. Bonus scene for climbers is the piece with French Alpinist Gaston Rebuffat.

Opening line: "This is Ron Funk. He’s 33 yrs old and has never held a permanent job. His whole life has been dedicated to the sport of skiing. He would rather ski than do just about anything."

Can't go wrong.

Surprised no one has mentioned "Last of the Ski Bums" by Dick Barrymore.  Bonus scene for climbers is the piece with French Alpinist Gaston Rebuffat.

Opening line: "This is Ron Funk. He’s 33 yrs old and has never held a permanent job. His whole life has been dedicated to the sport of skiing. He would rather ski than do just about anything."

Can't go wrong.

Didn't want to be too redundant. Here's my post about it last year . Another classic line: "“...ski as much as possible, work as little as necessary, and enjoy the simple pleasures of an unhurried life.” --The goal of the "Last of the Ski Bums"

Riders on the Storm by Fall Line films is a great old snowboarding movie from before snowboarding became main stream (revitalized the ski industry) and there where no such thing as terrain parks. TGR and Matchstick put out some cool stuff now.

Another classic line: "“...ski as much as possible, work as little as necessary, and enjoy the simple pleasures of an unhurried life.” --The goal of the "Last of the Ski Bums"

;D
"Make your world larger, by going slower"
~Harvey Manning

For me, hands down, Blizzard Of Ahhhhs. Greg Stump really knew how to capture the heart of skiing, he told the full story. The Plake and Schmidt days were fun to watch (and still are!). For me it's special because I was watching his movies before I even learned how to ski when I was 15. It really gave me an appreciation of what it was all about before I ever even stepped on a pair of skis. I love the new school flicks too, but I feel they lack the substance that Stump included.

the Nils Larsen telemark movies put out back in the mid 90's are what did it for me. When we were first learning how to ski Brenda and I would watch "Beyond the Groomed" over and over. Before then I had no idea what folks were doing on telemark gear. I think those movies more than anything motivated us to become backcountry telemark skiers.

pretty good skiing on crappy boards for a cause . Heroes ,traitors and the clincher, Nazis.    " Sen not Son "
  Heroes of Telemark