Warren Miller's Higher Ground

[grrrr]

The latest Warren Miller ski movie, Higher Ground, opened on Friday, October 7. This movie is billed as the 56th annual Warren Miller film. The start of the film, however marked a bittersweet moment, as Warren Miller announced that he had decided after the end of the 55th season that he was retired from touring with the movie. This marks the end of a tradition started in 1949, when Warren would narrate the film live. It was, of course, inevitable, but it means…well it means if you didn’t see him last year, you’ll be one year older when you don’t see him next year.

At 81, it is remarkable enough that he was able to continue his incredible career for the 55 years that he spent each fall bringing his notable blend of humor and history to the generations of fans that have marked his movies as a tradition.

Warren’s retirement was not a sudden decision made at 80 however. He began a transition out of the movie business 14 years ago when he sold his movie company to his son Kurt Miller. He continued to write the script for the movies and to narrate them, although he turned over the filming, editing and creative decisions at that time.

Now, in addition to ending his touring career, Warren has also retired from the scriptwriting that made the movies so famous. He shared narration responsibility this year with Olympic freestyle skier Jeremy Bloom. In reality, Warren narrated a scant few lines in this season’s film

Kurt Miller and later Time-Warner (the current owner of Warren Miller Entertainment) generated some criticism as the Warren Miller movies of the past 14 years became more formulaic and commercialized. Their corporate attempts to recreate the formula that made the movies so popular has left them hollow in comparison to the older films that Warren himself created.

This season’s film suffers a similar fate. Any viewer that has seen recent Warren Miller Entertainment films will be able to predict much of the sequence. This film differs in a few significant ways, and not to its improvement.

Jeremy Bloom’s narration is bland. That alone would be a step down from other Warren Miller films, but the filmmakers decided that more narration would be better; to the point of drudgery. Some snippets of Warren’s voice and short segments by other narrators intervene, but with little relief.

The overt commercialization of past Warren Miller films not only continues, but reaches a nadir never seen before. Halfway through the film, it feels as though an entire days has been wasted watching infomercials for Obermeyer, Mike Wiegle and Nature Valley granola bars. In the past, the product placement has been a slightly annoying insert to the action – now it has simply replaced the action.

Speaking of the action - - well, there isn’t much. It hurts to watch talented skiers, indeed many of the top skiers in the industry, in vanilla shot after vanilla shot. Compared to the action found in many of the ski films produced by Teton Gravity Research, Matchstick Productions or the many independent film companies, the action is this movie almost appears to have been intentionally downplayed – as though the filmmakers wanted to emphasize that anyone can come to Heavenly and ski just like Jessica Sobolowski or Glen Plake. Segments shot in Aspen and Vail were particularly tedious, as though vanilla weren’t bland enough and had to be toned down.

Jaw dropping action is rare in the film until the filming moves to Engelberg, Switzerland for Seth Morrison and Shane McConkey. There, near the end of the film the action begins to move, moving on to a decent park segment at Copper Mountain. The film then jumps to a return of “wingsuit parachuting”, then on to an anti-climactic finish with Jeremy Bloom.

It is unfortunate that the filmmakers for Time-Warner are far more interested in turning a buck than making a decent ski movie. For my money, they would be better off re-issuing the early Warren Miller movie collection and letting other, more talented filmmakers continue the fall tradition of ski movies started by the master in his earlier day.

[flatlander#2]

I haven't seen anything cool in a Warren Miller movie since his buddy Oby was hauling his old nuts through the aspens playing fox and whatever their wacky game was called. That Klaus is the shit, a life worth living twice.

[Superstar Punani]

Oh sweet. The latest Nissan Commercial is out.

[truth]

I haven't seen anything cool in a Warren Miller movie since his buddy Oby was hauling his old nuts through the aspens playing fox and whatever their wacky game was called. That Klaus is the shit, a life worth living twice.

2nd, that was actually a cool segment.

[SLSki]

I've gone to his movies many times in the past and never saw/heard him narrate the films live. Let the masses have their ski flick where they can wear their North Face gear and get psyched about their annual Vail trip.

[freshie247]

There's nothing wrong with REAL Vanilla,it is super tasty.The problem is that it's very expensive to make & has been replaced by "vanillin" which sucks ass , is ubiquitous & has since become synonimous with "Milk Toast".Nobody seems to remember what the real deal was like.

I think this is an apt anology for what's happened to WM films,& our culture in general.

[jump]

Oh sweet. The latest Nissan Commercial is out.

This year it's a jeep commercial, much worse!

[grrrr]

I've gone to his movies many times in the past and never saw/heard him narrate the films live. Let the masses have their ski flick where they can wear their North Face gear and get psyched about their annual Vail trip.

Dood, that was not only before your day, it was before your dad's day.

Klaus has a segment in this year's film, with a bit of him skiing and a bunch of stunt doubles. Not so good as the fox segment, which I thought was only average.

I spent about an hour chatting with Warren the other night. The guy should be recognized for his place as historian - he can tell the most amazing stories about the early days of skiing.

[ATTICUS noise]

How did they get the navy to let them film the aircraft footage. Thats crazy fighter planes in a ski flick. Pathfinders jeeps its all the same.

[This End Up]

I made the mistake of seeing Higher Ground tonight, and WOW did it suck. Worse than any WM film I remeber. It was one long infomercial, with way too much non-sking BS, and a lousy soundtrack. I think even the Warren Miller faithful were disappointed.

The best segment, skiing wise, was the openning segment. Chugach Powder Guides and their new terrain were featured. However it was ruined with some terrible music, a song about “my eskimo friends”.

[Tap]

I'll miss hearing his voice....to me, as a kid, it was always the sound of ski adventure fun....

and i'll never forget his saying "Do it now, because if you don't, you'll be another year older when you do." It has been a rallying cry many times in my life, and will going forward.

[Red Baron]

Anyone else ever see how much resorts pay to be "featured" in a WM film?

PS: Grrr, did you write that? Or is it a review from somewhere? Or did you write a review of it for somewhere?

[InspectorGadget]

... and i'll never forget his saying "Do it now, because if you don't, you'll be another year older when you do."

The other line I recall is "The family that skis together, bitches at each other."

I can remember going to see Warren's films in the fall from the time I was a little kid. I once had the good fortune of winning the door prize - the grand prize was a swallow tail Winterstick. That board held up a wall in my bedroom for several years before I sold it back to Dimitri Milovich. I wish I had it now just for its unique place in the early days of single planking.

Warren as a man should be revered. Regrettably, the movies that now bear his name are reviled.

I'm almost sorry I read this thread, I had planned to take my kids to Higher Ground Friday night.

[EastCoast2835]

Its sad whats happened to that film company. The new crew just seems out of touch with whats important and necessary in ski movies and whats important in the sport of skiing and even snowboarding these days. In the late 80's early 90's they still captured the essence of the sport. Now they're just trying to hard and failing miserably. Warren Miller was that company and now without him its shit.

[midget]

Anyone else ever see how much resorts pay to be "featured" in a WM film?

PS: Grrr, did you write that? Or is it a review from somewhere? Or did you write a review of it for somewhere?

Yah, it's rediculous. I do miss the old WM films. One thing remains though....it's getting the people that would never see some of the action that's going on now (IE jib segments and ski basing, retarded cliffs, etc) to see some (not much usually) of what's going on in skiing and snowboarding these days.

[Mcwop]

All ski movies have some ads. Gotta get paid to make the next movie - that is just reality. WM's movies are still solid. I like TGR's stuff better, but WM has had some good skiing in there. I am not buying the latest WM release, but it is in my Netflix Queue.

[Ubersheist]

My 2 cents - true, WM films have become flacid, filled with far too many "flat gaper powder shots" as one of the camera men said in the extra feature in MSP's "Ski Movie III." It's sad to see the movie company get so far derailed from its original intentions.

However, I still have to go see 'em every year. It's a tradition. I've seen dozens of his flicks, and can't stop now. I idolize the old man. MSP, TGR and all of the rest of the smaller film companies sure could learn a few things from him. Most of 'em are getting more formulaic then WM in my opinion - I haven't seen this year's MSP movie, but I'm willing to bet that it'll be filled with skier segment after skier segment with little or no narration, and it'll highlight one unusual ski trip, followed by skier segment after skier segment. And WM has at very least got more people skiing again, and incited more people to become ski bums then all of the other films put together.

You gott give him respect. While he wasn't the first to make ski films, he was one of the earliest. He paved the way for the rest to follow. If he hadn't, this forum wouldn't exist right now.

He was doing a book signing a few years back at Snowmass, so I got in line, told him "thanks" for years of inspiration. I remembered reading an article he wrote about a guy who told him on a chairlift that his mother hated him for inspiring him to become a ski bum. I told him my mother hated him, too.

The next person in line was a little kid still dressed in racing garb. Mr. Miller asked if he raced that day. The kid said "Yes, but I didn't win." WM asked if he finished the race. The kid said "Yes." WM replied "Then you won! Who should I make this out to?" The guy's a king.

[grrrr]

Warren is a really cool guy, and I'm glad that I get the opportunity to talk with him occasionally. That is more the reason I go over to the premiere each year than to see the film.

And yes, I wrote that review.

[Booger]

I've gone to his movies many times in the past and never saw/heard him narrate the films live. Let the masses have their ski flick where they can wear their North Face gear and get psyched about their annual Vail trip.

So true in any non ski resort/ town environment.....

[FreshPow]

I might go see it just to see if there is anymore base jumping...the last two movies had some pretty sick base jumping segments. Which brings me to Tangerine Dream...LOVED the ski-jumping stuff.

[Owens Never Sleeps]

All I can say is that WM captured some nice fuckin footage of our new Seward Terrain this year. From the perspective of a guy who shells out a lot of heli time for film crews, it's important to know you are goingto get the right kind of plug out of the deal...

[grrrr]

All I can say is that WM captured some nice fuckin footage of our new Seward Terrain this year. From the perspective of a guy who shells out a lot of heli time for film crews, it's important to know you are goingto get the right kind of plug out of the deal...

Yeah, that was nice - I got some dirty looks when I blurted out "holy shit, I skied that mountain" during the film...although that was long before you guys were running helicopters up there.

It was decent footage, although the lines they showed weren't as hardcore as I'd like to watch - but I'd guess its better for your business if people see stuff they can ski, too...

[extreeski]

When I was in High School They showed the Warren Miller movie at the time, '84, in the auditorium there. There was a drawing for a free week at a jim lathrop ski camp and I won. Giving me an extra week of vacation that winter. Only problem was is I was stuck on Spruce peak at stowe running gates and climbing the slope all day long for four out of the five days. One day was a powder day, so we skipped over mansfield and were taught powder technique by the coaches.

It was then that I ditched ski racing, too much work-not enough play, and decided powder skiing and having fun picking new and exciting lines was the only way to go.

I have some good memories of that. Like watching the sarajevo olympics in the stoweflake as phil and steve won gold and silver. And my alcoholic college professor roomate, who kept a big bottle of vodka and kahlua in his briefcase and stored milk in the hotel room's refrigerator.

It was fun and good memory. But when I looked up the price. 19 bucks plus service charges for Higher Ground. I said Fuck it. Not worth it. I'll wait for tangerine dream to come to pdx in a few weeks.

[yentna]

We went and saw Higher Ground last night, I didn't find it nearly as shitty as you guys made it sound! Yes, occasional disjointed music / editing and limited flow to the movie, but personally I get bored when it's all the same stuff over and over with different athletes. At least with this one, it kept me interested with the personal touches, the comments, the different types of skiing / boarding. I enjoyed it, and yeah it was $17 + processing = $22, but free Canyons ticket and since I won't have a pass there, worth it.

Oh, and I really liked the eskimo song too.

[TurxSki]

Yeh Yentna, never mind the movie

What kind of schwag did ya get ?
I noticed last season that the East Siders seem to get much better crap than us Far Westies.
Our Lift Ticks are always pretty restricted.

Who has the best freebies ? WM, MSP, TGR etc ?
I found MSP ok, but WM better. Never been to a TGR.
I've only been to one WM movie, last years. Seen bits of older ones on the ski bus I ride. I too love the "This Year" saying. One day...