"Higher Ground," the new Warren Miller Film

[ThinkSnow]

Has anyone seen this yet? If so, how was it?

 

[ozskier]

I worked four of the showings this past weekend for Sunday River, didn't see more than 15 seconds of the movie.

 

[RIDEr]

I worked four of the showings this past weekend for Sunday River, didn't see more than 15 seconds of the movie.

Was that on purpose?

 

[ozskier]

Yeah, I really didn't have any desire to watch a Warren Miller movie. I'm sure I will get around to seeing it.

 

[salida]

I saw it in Manchester this weekend, as ski movies go I thought this one had a lack of "skiing". A lot of product placement, and stories about little kids at aspen. I wouldn't waste my money on it, go see TGR, Meatheads or MSP. I've seen the MSP one for the year and it was a lot better, I've heard really good things about Tangerine Dream, and the meatheads are prennially good (in my opinion). There were two good segments in Higher Ground, one of Glenn Plake skiing retro gear, and another of sky surfing (a guy in a bird suit ripping over mont blanc, it was indeed very sick).

-porter

 

[riverc0il]

WOW, WME is really milking glen plake for all he is worth, huh? he has been in like every other WME during the 2000s it seems. he did the water skiing scene last year, right? yea, i went to a ski movie a watched someone water skiing :roll:

 

[ski_resort_observer]

You guys do know that Warren Miller had nothing to do with the production of this film nor any for the past 5 years or so. He sold the company to Time Warner and now just does the narration.

The comments I have heard so far have been mostly negetive.

 

[riverc0il]

SRO, that can't be said enough. i always try to use WME or warren miller entertainment when ever i refer to these films. i heard that WM didn't even record voice for this year's film, that they just used old clips from other movies? any truth to that?

 

[ski_resort_observer]

SRO, that can't be said enough. i always try to use WME or warren miller entertainment when ever i refer to these films. i heard that WM didn't even record voice for this year's film, that they just used old clips from other movies? any truth to that?

That's what I heard as well, even from last year's movie so people with short term memory problems even noticed. The other comment I heard was that the product endorsememnt/placement was way too much.

 

[thetrailboss]

SRO, that can't be said enough. i always try to use WME or warren miller entertainment when ever i refer to these films. i heard that WM didn't even record voice for this year's film, that they just used old clips from other movies? any truth to that?

That's what I heard as well, even from last year's movie so people with short term memory problems even noticed. The other comment I heard was that the product endorsememnt/placement was way too much.

THAT'S CRAZY!!!! :blink: and disgusting.

 

[bvibert]

The product placement was worse than last year? Glad I didn't see it... I agree about the water skiing segment in last years, that really gets me pumped up for the season! :roll: :blink:

 

[Rushski]

Now I don't feel as bad Tivo'ing WM films and transferring to DVD then.

Sounmds like Born From Ice is the DVD to buy this season...

 

[Sparky]

Maybe if Warren's contract with Time Warner is up, he and the Meatheads boys should hook up. Between the two of them they could cover a large segment of the market, maybe even enough to teach the corprate world something about real skiers.

 

[kickstand]

i heard that WM didn't even record voice for this year's film, that they just used old clips from other movies? any truth to that?

it was credited as narrated by Warren Miller and Jeremy Bloom (in that order), but Miller had maybe 20 seconds worth of speaking time in the whole movie. Most of his lines were things that easily could have been pulled from previous films.

 

[ski_resort_observer]

Maybe if Warren's contract with Time Warner is up, he and the Meatheads boys should hook up. Between the two of them they could cover a large segment of the market, maybe even enough to teach the corprate world something about real skiers.

There is no contract to be up. Warren is in his 80's, retired and enjoying life. I have been told that his son's involvement in the film, he stayed on after the Time Warner purchase, is taking on alot of heat.

When your owned by a company as huge as TW the bean counters take over regarding the making of the films.

I would go just for the freebies. It is being shown in our area this Friday but I have to work at LL Bean but my son is going. Will be curious what he and his friends think.

 

[freeheel_skier]

Here is an article in last years Outside Magazine.

Warren's son Kurt sold the biz to Time Warner. Whored up his Father's name.
:angry:
http://outside.away.com/outside/features/200411/warren_miller_4.html


If I were to go see a Warren Miller film, I want to see just that.....a Warren Miller film....ski footage in exotic and remote locations, slapstick narration by WM himself. Not some corporate company trying to copy TGR or the guys from matchstick. Then throw in all sorts of ad's and sponsors. Just my .02 :wink:

 

[Vano]

For the last 5 years I used to buy 3 ski DVDs in October:

Warren Miller
Teton Gravity Research (TGR)
Matchstick Procuctions (MSP)

I stopped bying Warren Miller a year ago cause his movies went downhill so quickly. I find the product placement, the lack of focus on good skiing and the whole cheesiness of it sickening.

I wasn't impressed with last year's TGR film either - Soul Purpose was the name I think. So this year I did not buy a TRG film either. Only went with MSP - Hit List. The Hit List is a solid ski film. Its all about skiing with some cheesy/funny skits here and there from the athletes. They have a couple of new names that really kill it, fun to watch. I was a bit annoyed by last year's Yearbook film because it had weak big mountain skiing - atheletes would ski 4 or 5 turns at a time and thats it, there were no "big mountain lines" But the new Hit List has some great, long, difficult big mountain lines where you get to watch the althetes ski a couple of thousand uninterrupted vertical feet down a huge mountain. The music is pretty good too.

Hit List is a 2 DVD set, with the bonus DVD containing a full length movie that was put together by the athletes themselves.

Does anyone know why Seth Morrison stopped shooting with MSP this year? I was hoping to see his segment - he never fails to impress.

 

[ThinkSnow]

Thanks for all the great info everyone! It was more than I expected (or wanted, even?!?). I guess I will stick to my fond memories of OLD Warren Miller films that I just happened upon in ski resorts, years ago.

 

[riverc0il]

Maybe if Warren's contract with Time Warner is up, he and the Meatheads boys should hook up. Between the two of them they could cover a large segment of the market, maybe even enough to teach the corprate world something about real skiers.

he's pretty much retired at this point. i can't imagine him getting involved again.

 

[riverc0il]

Thanks for all the great info everyone! It was more than I expected (or wanted, even?!?).

you always get more than what you pay for around here
:beer: