Feuer und Eis

I am a ski fanatic. The first time I saw this movie I literally felt glued at the chair on the upper edge of the slope! This is not a movie, I mean not the kind of movie you are accustomed to see. It is simply a huge fantastic ski video that is able to lunch you into this fantastic sport. Photography is marvellous, soundtrack includes tracks by Alan Parson's Project and the "actors" are real ski champions. I tell you that since I have seen this movie when I ski I can't think anything but these footages. For fanatics only. Cheers. And see you in Corvara, Dolomiti Alps, Italy.

This is by far the best ski movie ever!

Nobody should expect any storyline, but the scenes, creativity, music and views are just excellent!

Leonard Maltin makes the error of reviewing this as though it were a typical Hollywood film. It's not. It's a just a "ski film" aimed at an audience of skiers, and as such it's among the best of the genre. Willy Bogner may be best-known these days for his line of ski clothes, but even many skiers are unaware of his reputation as a world-class skier and ski filmmaker. His camerawork and skiing were behind many of the spectacular skiing stunts in the James Bond films. None of the performers in "Fire And Ice" are actors per se. But the cast is a virtual Who's Who of the freestyle ski world in the 1980's. Their on-snow antics combine with Bogner's cinematography to make this a visual treat. The plot, such as it is, serves merely to move the story along. Don't look for high drama here. Just sit back and enjoy some amazing skiing and stunning mountain photography.

I didn't see this in the day, but I bought this recently partly based on the reviews on here. It's not what I wanted. Whilst you cannot fault the skiing, setting or photography of this film. It has a few things that let it down for me.

1. Far too much of the skiing action is shown in slow motion, accompanied by medium paced music. Hey these are high energy, world class skiers. A bit of slowmo, yes, but not this much.

2. The stunt sequences left me cold. How many real skiers go down a bob run, ski under a piste basher or through busy cafes. And we'd already seen Bogner film that for James Bond.

3. The music is, with 1 exception heavy europop synth based, there is no variation to appeal to those with other music tastes.

4. The plot, such as it is, detracts from the film. We don't need to see Suzy driving her car, or John washing his face. The truck chase lift from Cannonball run being the biggest waste of time.

5. The break dancing, sand surfing, space skiing sections smack of filler, especially when backed with more europop.

So for me I prefer Blizzard of Ahhs to this, as it stands. I'm sure the footage could be made into a much better film. Might even have a try for myself.

A title-track to die for as anyone else who has burned a black run whilst listening to it can confirm. Get it onto your media player and jump that ledge!

The glacier footage that starts in slow motion and then shows the action in real-time (early in film) are a testament to Bogner's brilliance... WOW!

My folks bought the movie in '88 after we saw it in the village in Wengen. I showed it to "the lads" in 04 before our visit to the alps. It still has the same impact.

IMHO the best ski movie ever. (Don't bother with the sequel)