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Riders Collection
Shout Factory // Unrated // October 4, 2005
List Price: $34.98 [Buy now and save at Amazon]
Introduction
For my second Warren Miller box set review, I got to sit down and watch three snow-skiing films in the middle of the summer...in South Carolina...with 90-degree heat outside my door...perfect. Nothing makes you forget about your ever-running air conditioner like 6 hours of footage mainly consisting of snow and cold. Don't get me wrong though, it's not as if I'm complaining...'cause I'm not. I think I'm exactly the kind of fan that Warren Miller is targeting; the fan with an undying love for skiing.
Warren Miller has scratched people like me where we itch with his latest box set release Warren Miller's Rider's Collection. This 3 disc set is chock full of the same type of quality winter riding action we've all come to expect from the seasoned film maker. He brings seven decades of filming experience to the table to give the viewer a variety of footage all focused on the central idea that skiing is, at its core, all about the idea of just going out and "riding" on top of the snow. A wide range of content, style, footage, and (as always) locations are offered up in all three of these films making them a truly international representation of the best that Warren has to offer.
Unlike many other sports film makers, Warren Miller (hereinafter, WM) films have a very personal touch inserted by the man himself in all of his films. This is most notable given the fact that he narrates all of his own films. Warren adds a sense of humor that is unlike many serious film makers, and he doesn't hesitate to include a dry quip here or there at the expense of the athletes he is shooting. You can also usually spot a segment or two in which Warren is seen slushing down the slopes himself, as he is not only a ski film maker, but also an avid skier. The mix of incredible footage, incredibly talented athletes, dry observations, and a never-ending list of locations are what make WM productions so very special.
The format for almost all WM films is to have a series of vignettes clumped together into a feature film length video. This being said it would be impossible for me to go over every aspect of every film in this collection, so instead I will just hit on a few of the highlights of each thereby leaving some of the viewing experience unknown and a surprise for you when you buy this set.
Snowriders
The first film of the series, this 1996 release is a bit of a departure from the WM productions I'm most familiar with. The difference is one that turns out to be a theme throughout this entire set (which may explain why these three films were lumped together). You see, while the actual skiing footage normally accounts for over half of the film, there is always a mix of personal stories, or straight up comedy bits to break the monotony. This entire three disc set takes somewhat of a departure from that standard set-up with roughly 90% of the films being strictly skiing footage. "What, is that bad thing?" you may be asking yourself. Well, not really, but it just needs to be noted for that those that have to come to expect a certain mix of content from WM productions.
The film does start out in a way that seems a little new and different as well. The opening sequence is a vignette of the life of a dynamite expert who has to wake up at the crack of dawn, get dressed in multiple layers, march out into the cold weather with blowing snow and make his way to the mountain via whatever means necessary (in this case, hitch hiking). He then heads up the mountain to lay some dynamite for the morning avalanche check via the gondola. A smoker by choice, he accidentally drops an ash from his cigarette into the bucket of dynamite, forcing himself and the other ski patrollers in the gondola to jump out; the explosion sequence which kicks off this film. Hacky? Yes. Unnecessary? Perhaps. This is the new look of WM films though...they are more "movies" than "videos", if you get what I mean.
From this point forward, the skewed new percentage of real footage begins. Granted, the film still has a few varying vignettes, and of course it still includes its share of star athletes. A Nissan Mogul Exhibition filmed in Breckenridge, CO includes the likes of a 14 year old Jeremy Bloom (2002 Olympian), and a young Johnny Moseley (1998 Olympic gold medalist) partcipating in big air and mogul competitions. A sequence from Steamboat Springs, CO features Billy Kidd, one of the true "cowboy" skiiers of a past generation. Another new turn in this film that I've never seen before is narration by people other than WM staff members or Warren himself. Indeed, this installment had a look at Montana's biggest ski resort "Big Sky" and it is narrated by one of the female skiiers that is filmed for that peice. As I noted in the last review of a WM box set, I think the key to success for most of his productions is the varied topic matter in his vignettes. This is a departure from that formula, but it is still entertaining, and still has a wide variety of fantastic skiing footage.
Highlights:
- The standard look at beginner skiiers and their struggle to succeed at a sport where the goal is to not fall over.
- Extreme Snowshoe Racing. A departure from the slopes and onto the flatlands, this displays just how difficult this sport really is.
- A look at what a man has done with his small strip of land in Breakneck Hill, MA. It's got a lift, it sometimes has snow, and it's got 400 feet vertical. It's his own personal ski resort.
- The international element is in full effect with scenes from Chamonix, France, BaDaHu, China and Ft. William, Scotland. Yup, they ski all over the world people...all over the world.
- A rather comical look at the World Cup Tubing Championships in Australia. High speed tubing action that includes lots of twists and turns and (as you might imagine) doesn't always end up with the competitors still in the tubes themselves.
- Amazing skiing action footage from locations including: Copper Mountain, CO; Valdez, AK; Sugarbush, VT; Mt. Bachelor, OR; Blue River, BC and Beaver Creek, CO.
The Special Features consists of a "Making Of" featurette that looks more like a 22 minute promotional episode that might be run in your local ski store. It highlights how the concept for a WM film is developed (umm, shouldn't that be obvious?). It shows the scouting out of locations, and how the camera crews set up for shots once they get there. The difficulties of the film shoot in China is discussed. The importance of music in the films, as well as some of the extreme crew members (including the cameramen and basejumpers) that make the films possible. Lastly, the comedic writing and how that is all created is discussed.
Snowriders 2
Snowriders 2, you will be shocked to learn, is very similar to Snowriders in almost every aspect including style, length, picture quality, and content. 2 starts off in a way that I've never really seen for other WM productions. It's a quick sequence intended to build suspense for the viewers in the theaters (I can only imagine) as it chronicles the early morning life of a ski patroller who is given the unenviable task of laying dynamite in the upper hills of the mountain. The patroller is walking his way to a spot high in the tree section when he gets a breaking message from a co-worker to "Get outta there!" but he then loses connection with his walkie-talkie. Moments later, the snow comes tumbling down from the hill above and the guy is sent racing for his life, and just as he is about to be overtaken...he wakes up. It was only a dream. Good way to start a film? That's up for debate. It surely is something that I've never seen out of a WM movie though, so it is an escape from the norm.
The film seems to spend a large amount of time focusing on different ways of going down the hill. This includes a rather interesting look at the still burgeoning sport of "snow kayaking". I guess it should be self-explanatory, but just in case, yes, that means riding a kayak down a mountain. To me personally, it looks as though you could very easily ("too" easily) get out of control, but they never really showed any crashes. There are also two seperate segments on the niche of snowriders that choose to attack a snow-covered hill by way of bike. Regular mountain bikes geeked up with spikes in the rubber wheels go barrelling down terrain ranging from a normal groomed slope, to the steep and deep of the upper crevices of the mountain. A touching peice on the trials and tribulations of a one-legged skiier who rebounding from a traumatic motorcycle accident to continue doing the thing he loved on two legs is featured.
This film hits on all the standard WM cylinders such as skiing footage from around the world (including several shoots from Canada and a humorous recount of a trip to Tien Chen, Kazakhstan) and a vignette covering all the best footage of crashes taken in Couliers Express at Blackcomb. The movie ends the way it began, with a look at the life on the ski patrol (in this case the Vail ski patrol) and could have just as easily included a final tag of "Have you hugged your ski patroller today?"
Highlights:
- A peice from Killington, VT that is narrated by Kurt Schmidt, a rare chance for the talent in a WM film to be the voice of the film as well.
- Nissan Pathfinder sneaks in more promotion with shots from the Nissan Snowrider Exhibition highlighting the newest in downhill freestyle moves and equipment.
- Footage of idiots (I mean, lets be honest) sledding and tubing down a hill where "not enough" snow has fallen.
- A quick look at snow windsurfing, showing how the sky is the limit for ways to go down a slope.
- Still more amazing skiing action footage from locations including: Mt. Cook, NZ; Winter Park, CO, Whistler/Blackcomb, BC; Killington, VT; Breckenridge, CO; Alyeska, AK; Mt. McKinley; Heavenly, CA; Snowbird, UT; Englebert, Switzerland; and Blue River, BC.
The Special Features consists of another episodic-type preview for the movie itself. It consists of a discussion of how the location decisions are made, which is indeed a crucial element for any WM picture. One of the key directors, Chris Patterson, gives a discussion on how the shooting direction for certain shoots (in this case the Nissan Pathfinder Exhibition vignette from the film) is decided upon and how it can affect the look of the film positively or negatively. He goes on to give a tutorial of sorts on the different camera angles that are used. An increasingly important part of any WM production is the music, and the major bands from this film (Big Head Todd, Counting Crows, Indigo Girls, and Offspring) are mentioned while skiing footage is shown. Several other elements that go into the making of Snowriders 2 are discussed and a variety of different scenes from the film are shown.
Freeriders
What more can be said, really? Movie three of three is more of the same. It is the third movie of the set, and it was filmed third chronologically (1998 if you're interested). The "Brought to you by Nissan Pathfinder" theme is a bit old at this point, but how else do I expect Warren to continue funding these fine films? Well, I did some research. Up until the release of Snowriders in 1996, no WM film had ever grossed enough money theatrically to be listed in the IMDB. Suddenly, with the release of Snowriders WM films were making money in the theaters. So like seemingly EVERYthing else in our society, money corrupted the pureness of the ski film making process, and now you see all these sponsorships within the films. I really don't care all that much, I just thought it was worth noting. Now you know how these films (which are shot all over the world, with the talent of some top-notch athletes, and with the use of top-end equipment) are finananced. At least, that's how I suspect they're financed...how am I to know? But enough of my soap-boxing, on to the film itself.
Freeriders has arguably the most eclectic mix of vignettes of any WM production I have ever come across. It hits all the high points of the standard WM film. It has exotic locations starting with the very first action shots of the movie, taken in Portillo, Chile. It has the standard "goofy" segment including the "Dummy Big Air Contest" from Stowe, VT where contestants make silly caricatures and send them down the hill only to be destroyed after they are sent off a big air jump. The film has not only exotic, but an overall international feel, with scenes from almost a dozen countries. It covers areas other than skiing including a segment from LaClusaz in France that highlights water skiiers. It has the new standard for WM films, scenes from a Nissan professional circuit event (in this case the Nissan Freerider Exhibition from Steamboat Springs, CO). All the parts are in place to make this another standard of excellence for action sports films.
Highlights:
- Skiing footage from one of the largest indoor resorts in the world. The "Snow Dome" in Tamworth, England...one of the last places you'd ever look for snow skiiers.
- A biographical peice on the World Extreme Skiing Champ Brant Moles, and his ability to ski off of any type of mountain in the world.
- An insiders' look at the youth of the sport with some long jumping skiiers from Park City, UT.
- Zipping around with Klaus Obermeyer (yes, THAT Obermeyer) on a "powder snow kayak".
- Speed skiing is investigated from Vars, France as world speed record holders Carolyn Curl and Jeff Hamilton show just how exciting, and dangerous, their chosen sport can be.
- The 25th Annual World Championships of Shovel Races from Angel Fire, NM...I think that's self-explanatory.
- And of course, the list of locations: Alpental, WA; Stowe, VT; The Canyons, UT; Tromso, Norway; Zermatt, Switzerland; Jackson Hole, WY; Courchevel, France; Fernie, BC; Parnassos, Greece; Valdez, AK and many more.
The Special Features episode is similar to that of the other two films in this set. It opens with an interview of director Brian Sisselman who gives you an insight to the "behind the scenes" of any WM picture. Then a variety of segment recaps are given with in-depth discussions of what it takes to get some of the tougher shots of any given sequence. Peter Speek, producer, gives the viewer a run down of how locations are decided upon (an intricate part of this film, as I mentioned). The importance of music in the movie is reviewed highlighting artists from this film including: Counting Crows, Semisonic, Dave Matthews, Toad the Wet Sprocket, and Presidents of the United States. Scense from the Freeriding Exhibition are shown, followed by a brief look at how difficult it truly can be to shoot some of the scenes that are in deep, deep powder.
Video
Unlike the first WM set I reviewed, all three of these films were shot within a few years of each other. The video quality was therefore very similar. While the picture for the most part displayed sharp edgees and fairly colorful hues, there were more than a couple of sequences where the picture was a little washed out and grainy. I thought that this may have been due to my set or my DVD player, but upon review on a nicer TV, it appears as though the grain is evident on all mediums. Thankfully this is only seen on the more dramatic sequences which add little to the film, while the picture on the action photography itself is top notch.
The video quality is quite high for these films, which is of utmost importance for a sport like skiing. Being able to read depth and consistency of snow can make the difference between a standard sno-capped (and therefore white) backdrop, and one that is filled with a variety of different topographical intricacies. Miller's films set the standard in their ability to show depth through angle variety and just overall shot selection. For all intents and purposes, the video quality really is a secondary feature, so long as the viewer is able to distinguish skiier from tree and tree from snow...and yes, you can do all of those things making the video aspect of passable quality.
Audio
The basic style for all three of these films is narration over pictures and often times music. Unfortunately, I found that in many instances, the music overshadowed the narration, making that particular audio track hard to hear. I fiddled with the audio settings on my TV to ensure that this wasn't user error (and I even watched the series on a different TV altogether) but the issue remained. This is a pretty major oversight on the part of the distributor (yes, I believe it was the re-release of the DVDs that is the issue, as earlier versions on VHS I've seen proved to balance out those tracks evenly) as Warren often makes comments in the middle of scenes and shots that you would not expect, and when you can't hear them it is a loss for the viewer.
I probably only noted that error because I have prior experience with many of Warren's films. The casual observer or first time viewer may not have noted it because the actual soundtracks to all of these films is very extensive. Songs are selected tediously to match up with the type of action that is occurring on screen. A variety of music genres grace the screen in WM pictures, and this truly adds to the comfort level Warren tries to develop between film maker and viewer.
Extras
The only extras these discs contain have been covered in their individual sections. The standard options of "Audio Set-Up", "Scene Selection" and then the "Making Of" featurettes are what you have to choose from. A selection of trailers from other "SHOUT!" productions, namely other WM films, are also available for viewing.
Conclusion
I considered simply copying and pasting the conclusion from my last WM box set review right here, but I thought better of it (even though it was a totally awesome conclusion). I will pretty much say the same general thing. This box set must by owned by anyone who calls himself a true skiier. I don't just mean "fan of skiing" or "fan of ski videos" I mean "skiier." You can whip one of these movies out to geek you up for your next ski trip, to remind you that the temperatures will drop as you wallow in the heat of the summer, or to help you get some action from the ladies (I've yet to figure out how that one works, but I'm certain it must). Just look at it this way: I am an expert skiier who has two WM box sets...you want to be like me. That's all you need to know, right? Go get it, I highly recommend it.
For my second Warren Miller box set review, I got to sit down and watch three snow-skiing films in the middle of the summer...in South Carolina...with 90-degree heat outside my door...perfect. Nothing makes you forget about your ever-running air conditioner like 6 hours of footage mainly consisting of snow and cold. Don't get me wrong though, it's not as if I'm complaining...'cause I'm not. I think I'm exactly the kind of fan that Warren Miller is targeting; the fan with an undying love for skiing.
Warren Miller has scratched people like me where we itch with his latest box set release Warren Miller's Rider's Collection. This 3 disc set is chock full of the same type of quality winter riding action we've all come to expect from the seasoned film maker. He brings seven decades of filming experience to the table to give the viewer a variety of footage all focused on the central idea that skiing is, at its core, all about the idea of just going out and "riding" on top of the snow. A wide range of content, style, footage, and (as always) locations are offered up in all three of these films making them a truly international representation of the best that Warren has to offer.
Unlike many other sports film makers, Warren Miller (hereinafter, WM) films have a very personal touch inserted by the man himself in all of his films. This is most notable given the fact that he narrates all of his own films. Warren adds a sense of humor that is unlike many serious film makers, and he doesn't hesitate to include a dry quip here or there at the expense of the athletes he is shooting. You can also usually spot a segment or two in which Warren is seen slushing down the slopes himself, as he is not only a ski film maker, but also an avid skier. The mix of incredible footage, incredibly talented athletes, dry observations, and a never-ending list of locations are what make WM productions so very special.
The format for almost all WM films is to have a series of vignettes clumped together into a feature film length video. This being said it would be impossible for me to go over every aspect of every film in this collection, so instead I will just hit on a few of the highlights of each thereby leaving some of the viewing experience unknown and a surprise for you when you buy this set.
Snowriders
The first film of the series, this 1996 release is a bit of a departure from the WM productions I'm most familiar with. The difference is one that turns out to be a theme throughout this entire set (which may explain why these three films were lumped together). You see, while the actual skiing footage normally accounts for over half of the film, there is always a mix of personal stories, or straight up comedy bits to break the monotony. This entire three disc set takes somewhat of a departure from that standard set-up with roughly 90% of the films being strictly skiing footage. "What, is that bad thing?" you may be asking yourself. Well, not really, but it just needs to be noted for that those that have to come to expect a certain mix of content from WM productions.
The film does start out in a way that seems a little new and different as well. The opening sequence is a vignette of the life of a dynamite expert who has to wake up at the crack of dawn, get dressed in multiple layers, march out into the cold weather with blowing snow and make his way to the mountain via whatever means necessary (in this case, hitch hiking). He then heads up the mountain to lay some dynamite for the morning avalanche check via the gondola. A smoker by choice, he accidentally drops an ash from his cigarette into the bucket of dynamite, forcing himself and the other ski patrollers in the gondola to jump out; the explosion sequence which kicks off this film. Hacky? Yes. Unnecessary? Perhaps. This is the new look of WM films though...they are more "movies" than "videos", if you get what I mean.
From this point forward, the skewed new percentage of real footage begins. Granted, the film still has a few varying vignettes, and of course it still includes its share of star athletes. A Nissan Mogul Exhibition filmed in Breckenridge, CO includes the likes of a 14 year old Jeremy Bloom (2002 Olympian), and a young Johnny Moseley (1998 Olympic gold medalist) partcipating in big air and mogul competitions. A sequence from Steamboat Springs, CO features Billy Kidd, one of the true "cowboy" skiiers of a past generation. Another new turn in this film that I've never seen before is narration by people other than WM staff members or Warren himself. Indeed, this installment had a look at Montana's biggest ski resort "Big Sky" and it is narrated by one of the female skiiers that is filmed for that peice. As I noted in the last review of a WM box set, I think the key to success for most of his productions is the varied topic matter in his vignettes. This is a departure from that formula, but it is still entertaining, and still has a wide variety of fantastic skiing footage.
Highlights:
- The standard look at beginner skiiers and their struggle to succeed at a sport where the goal is to not fall over.
- Extreme Snowshoe Racing. A departure from the slopes and onto the flatlands, this displays just how difficult this sport really is.
- A look at what a man has done with his small strip of land in Breakneck Hill, MA. It's got a lift, it sometimes has snow, and it's got 400 feet vertical. It's his own personal ski resort.
- The international element is in full effect with scenes from Chamonix, France, BaDaHu, China and Ft. William, Scotland. Yup, they ski all over the world people...all over the world.
- A rather comical look at the World Cup Tubing Championships in Australia. High speed tubing action that includes lots of twists and turns and (as you might imagine) doesn't always end up with the competitors still in the tubes themselves.
- Amazing skiing action footage from locations including: Copper Mountain, CO; Valdez, AK; Sugarbush, VT; Mt. Bachelor, OR; Blue River, BC and Beaver Creek, CO.
The Special Features consists of a "Making Of" featurette that looks more like a 22 minute promotional episode that might be run in your local ski store. It highlights how the concept for a WM film is developed (umm, shouldn't that be obvious?). It shows the scouting out of locations, and how the camera crews set up for shots once they get there. The difficulties of the film shoot in China is discussed. The importance of music in the films, as well as some of the extreme crew members (including the cameramen and basejumpers) that make the films possible. Lastly, the comedic writing and how that is all created is discussed.
Snowriders 2
Snowriders 2, you will be shocked to learn, is very similar to Snowriders in almost every aspect including style, length, picture quality, and content. 2 starts off in a way that I've never really seen for other WM productions. It's a quick sequence intended to build suspense for the viewers in the theaters (I can only imagine) as it chronicles the early morning life of a ski patroller who is given the unenviable task of laying dynamite in the upper hills of the mountain. The patroller is walking his way to a spot high in the tree section when he gets a breaking message from a co-worker to "Get outta there!" but he then loses connection with his walkie-talkie. Moments later, the snow comes tumbling down from the hill above and the guy is sent racing for his life, and just as he is about to be overtaken...he wakes up. It was only a dream. Good way to start a film? That's up for debate. It surely is something that I've never seen out of a WM movie though, so it is an escape from the norm.
The film seems to spend a large amount of time focusing on different ways of going down the hill. This includes a rather interesting look at the still burgeoning sport of "snow kayaking". I guess it should be self-explanatory, but just in case, yes, that means riding a kayak down a mountain. To me personally, it looks as though you could very easily ("too" easily) get out of control, but they never really showed any crashes. There are also two seperate segments on the niche of snowriders that choose to attack a snow-covered hill by way of bike. Regular mountain bikes geeked up with spikes in the rubber wheels go barrelling down terrain ranging from a normal groomed slope, to the steep and deep of the upper crevices of the mountain. A touching peice on the trials and tribulations of a one-legged skiier who rebounding from a traumatic motorcycle accident to continue doing the thing he loved on two legs is featured.
This film hits on all the standard WM cylinders such as skiing footage from around the world (including several shoots from Canada and a humorous recount of a trip to Tien Chen, Kazakhstan) and a vignette covering all the best footage of crashes taken in Couliers Express at Blackcomb. The movie ends the way it began, with a look at the life on the ski patrol (in this case the Vail ski patrol) and could have just as easily included a final tag of "Have you hugged your ski patroller today?"
Highlights:
- A peice from Killington, VT that is narrated by Kurt Schmidt, a rare chance for the talent in a WM film to be the voice of the film as well.
- Nissan Pathfinder sneaks in more promotion with shots from the Nissan Snowrider Exhibition highlighting the newest in downhill freestyle moves and equipment.
- Footage of idiots (I mean, lets be honest) sledding and tubing down a hill where "not enough" snow has fallen.
- A quick look at snow windsurfing, showing how the sky is the limit for ways to go down a slope.
- Still more amazing skiing action footage from locations including: Mt. Cook, NZ; Winter Park, CO, Whistler/Blackcomb, BC; Killington, VT; Breckenridge, CO; Alyeska, AK; Mt. McKinley; Heavenly, CA; Snowbird, UT; Englebert, Switzerland; and Blue River, BC.
The Special Features consists of another episodic-type preview for the movie itself. It consists of a discussion of how the location decisions are made, which is indeed a crucial element for any WM picture. One of the key directors, Chris Patterson, gives a discussion on how the shooting direction for certain shoots (in this case the Nissan Pathfinder Exhibition vignette from the film) is decided upon and how it can affect the look of the film positively or negatively. He goes on to give a tutorial of sorts on the different camera angles that are used. An increasingly important part of any WM production is the music, and the major bands from this film (Big Head Todd, Counting Crows, Indigo Girls, and Offspring) are mentioned while skiing footage is shown. Several other elements that go into the making of Snowriders 2 are discussed and a variety of different scenes from the film are shown.
Freeriders
What more can be said, really? Movie three of three is more of the same. It is the third movie of the set, and it was filmed third chronologically (1998 if you're interested). The "Brought to you by Nissan Pathfinder" theme is a bit old at this point, but how else do I expect Warren to continue funding these fine films? Well, I did some research. Up until the release of Snowriders in 1996, no WM film had ever grossed enough money theatrically to be listed in the IMDB. Suddenly, with the release of Snowriders WM films were making money in the theaters. So like seemingly EVERYthing else in our society, money corrupted the pureness of the ski film making process, and now you see all these sponsorships within the films. I really don't care all that much, I just thought it was worth noting. Now you know how these films (which are shot all over the world, with the talent of some top-notch athletes, and with the use of top-end equipment) are finananced. At least, that's how I suspect they're financed...how am I to know? But enough of my soap-boxing, on to the film itself.
Freeriders has arguably the most eclectic mix of vignettes of any WM production I have ever come across. It hits all the high points of the standard WM film. It has exotic locations starting with the very first action shots of the movie, taken in Portillo, Chile. It has the standard "goofy" segment including the "Dummy Big Air Contest" from Stowe, VT where contestants make silly caricatures and send them down the hill only to be destroyed after they are sent off a big air jump. The film has not only exotic, but an overall international feel, with scenes from almost a dozen countries. It covers areas other than skiing including a segment from LaClusaz in France that highlights water skiiers. It has the new standard for WM films, scenes from a Nissan professional circuit event (in this case the Nissan Freerider Exhibition from Steamboat Springs, CO). All the parts are in place to make this another standard of excellence for action sports films.
Highlights:
- Skiing footage from one of the largest indoor resorts in the world. The "Snow Dome" in Tamworth, England...one of the last places you'd ever look for snow skiiers.
- A biographical peice on the World Extreme Skiing Champ Brant Moles, and his ability to ski off of any type of mountain in the world.
- An insiders' look at the youth of the sport with some long jumping skiiers from Park City, UT.
- Zipping around with Klaus Obermeyer (yes, THAT Obermeyer) on a "powder snow kayak".
- Speed skiing is investigated from Vars, France as world speed record holders Carolyn Curl and Jeff Hamilton show just how exciting, and dangerous, their chosen sport can be.
- The 25th Annual World Championships of Shovel Races from Angel Fire, NM...I think that's self-explanatory.
- And of course, the list of locations: Alpental, WA; Stowe, VT; The Canyons, UT; Tromso, Norway; Zermatt, Switzerland; Jackson Hole, WY; Courchevel, France; Fernie, BC; Parnassos, Greece; Valdez, AK and many more.
The Special Features episode is similar to that of the other two films in this set. It opens with an interview of director Brian Sisselman who gives you an insight to the "behind the scenes" of any WM picture. Then a variety of segment recaps are given with in-depth discussions of what it takes to get some of the tougher shots of any given sequence. Peter Speek, producer, gives the viewer a run down of how locations are decided upon (an intricate part of this film, as I mentioned). The importance of music in the movie is reviewed highlighting artists from this film including: Counting Crows, Semisonic, Dave Matthews, Toad the Wet Sprocket, and Presidents of the United States. Scense from the Freeriding Exhibition are shown, followed by a brief look at how difficult it truly can be to shoot some of the scenes that are in deep, deep powder.
Video
Unlike the first WM set I reviewed, all three of these films were shot within a few years of each other. The video quality was therefore very similar. While the picture for the most part displayed sharp edgees and fairly colorful hues, there were more than a couple of sequences where the picture was a little washed out and grainy. I thought that this may have been due to my set or my DVD player, but upon review on a nicer TV, it appears as though the grain is evident on all mediums. Thankfully this is only seen on the more dramatic sequences which add little to the film, while the picture on the action photography itself is top notch.
The video quality is quite high for these films, which is of utmost importance for a sport like skiing. Being able to read depth and consistency of snow can make the difference between a standard sno-capped (and therefore white) backdrop, and one that is filled with a variety of different topographical intricacies. Miller's films set the standard in their ability to show depth through angle variety and just overall shot selection. For all intents and purposes, the video quality really is a secondary feature, so long as the viewer is able to distinguish skiier from tree and tree from snow...and yes, you can do all of those things making the video aspect of passable quality.
Audio
The basic style for all three of these films is narration over pictures and often times music. Unfortunately, I found that in many instances, the music overshadowed the narration, making that particular audio track hard to hear. I fiddled with the audio settings on my TV to ensure that this wasn't user error (and I even watched the series on a different TV altogether) but the issue remained. This is a pretty major oversight on the part of the distributor (yes, I believe it was the re-release of the DVDs that is the issue, as earlier versions on VHS I've seen proved to balance out those tracks evenly) as Warren often makes comments in the middle of scenes and shots that you would not expect, and when you can't hear them it is a loss for the viewer.
I probably only noted that error because I have prior experience with many of Warren's films. The casual observer or first time viewer may not have noted it because the actual soundtracks to all of these films is very extensive. Songs are selected tediously to match up with the type of action that is occurring on screen. A variety of music genres grace the screen in WM pictures, and this truly adds to the comfort level Warren tries to develop between film maker and viewer.
Extras
The only extras these discs contain have been covered in their individual sections. The standard options of "Audio Set-Up", "Scene Selection" and then the "Making Of" featurettes are what you have to choose from. A selection of trailers from other "SHOUT!" productions, namely other WM films, are also available for viewing.
Conclusion
I considered simply copying and pasting the conclusion from my last WM box set review right here, but I thought better of it (even though it was a totally awesome conclusion). I will pretty much say the same general thing. This box set must by owned by anyone who calls himself a true skiier. I don't just mean "fan of skiing" or "fan of ski videos" I mean "skiier." You can whip one of these movies out to geek you up for your next ski trip, to remind you that the temperatures will drop as you wallow in the heat of the summer, or to help you get some action from the ladies (I've yet to figure out how that one works, but I'm certain it must). Just look at it this way: I am an expert skiier who has two WM box sets...you want to be like me. That's all you need to know, right? Go get it, I highly recommend it.
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