Previous entries have trashed this movie, as though it aspired to compete at Cannes and fell woefully short. Lighten-up. This movie was clearly made as a low-budget retread of the time honored "underdog overcomes arrogant favorite" and "boy-meets-girl, boy loses girl, boy wins back girl" themes played out on skis. Think Caddyshack with snow. Is it cheesy? You bet. Is it sophomoric? Certainly. Is it more fun than any other non-Warren Miller ski movie? No doubt. If you want a fun, sometimes silly, mindless ski movie, well, go no further. If you want a "highbrow" skiing movie, well, good luck, no one's made one yet. If you want painful, self important preposterousness try watching Aspen Extreme. Now there's a ski movie with delusions of grandeur. At any rate, Hot Dog never takes itself seriously, and if it suffers for it's gratuitous nudity and simple-minded plot, well, it isn't the first, and won't be the last. But it certainly never pretends to be anything other than what it is - campy low-budget fun with some good non-choreographed ski scenes. Disclaimer: If you don't ski, don't love skiing, or never lived in a ski-town for a season, some of this movie's "charm" may be lost on you.
58 Reviews
Chinese downhill!
BandSAboutMovies8 May 2020
Warning: Spoilers
If you don't think the world was a better place in 1980's, let me tell you that it had both Hamburger: the Motion Picture and Hot Dog...The Movie come out. Perhaps these two cultural forces don't matter to you. Well, then you're part of the problem.
Between this and Youngblood, director Peter Markle pretty much laid claim to many an HBO time slot.
Patrick Houser is Harkin Banks, who has saved up all year to travel from Idaho to Squaw Valley to compete in the world freestyle skiing competition. Along the way, he picks up a teen runaway named Sunny (Tracy Smith, Bachelor Party) and joins the Rat Pack, a gang of goofball skiers led by Dan O'Callahan (David Naughton, An American Werewolf In London) and is tempted by Sylvia Fonda (1982 Playboy Playmate of the Year Shannon Tweed).
Of course, there's the foreign menace, led by the Austrian superstar Rudi. By the end, everyone must battle in a Chinese Downhill to see who the best in the world really is.
Keep an eye out for Playboy Playmate of the Month for September 1971 Crystal Smith as the hotel clerk and Buddy Hackett's son Sandy as a wet t-shirt contest host.
James Saito, who is Kendo and was the original Shredder in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, fooled the entire cast and crew for three weeks, convincing them that he could speak Japanese. The world was very different - and perhaps way more racist - in 1984. Otherwise, it was much better than 2020.
Between this and Youngblood, director Peter Markle pretty much laid claim to many an HBO time slot.
Patrick Houser is Harkin Banks, who has saved up all year to travel from Idaho to Squaw Valley to compete in the world freestyle skiing competition. Along the way, he picks up a teen runaway named Sunny (Tracy Smith, Bachelor Party) and joins the Rat Pack, a gang of goofball skiers led by Dan O'Callahan (David Naughton, An American Werewolf In London) and is tempted by Sylvia Fonda (1982 Playboy Playmate of the Year Shannon Tweed).
Of course, there's the foreign menace, led by the Austrian superstar Rudi. By the end, everyone must battle in a Chinese Downhill to see who the best in the world really is.
Keep an eye out for Playboy Playmate of the Month for September 1971 Crystal Smith as the hotel clerk and Buddy Hackett's son Sandy as a wet t-shirt contest host.
James Saito, who is Kendo and was the original Shredder in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, fooled the entire cast and crew for three weeks, convincing them that he could speak Japanese. The world was very different - and perhaps way more racist - in 1984. Otherwise, it was much better than 2020.
Has problems, but good points, also.
gsnoorky17 August 2005
I liked the movie from the 80s on. It's true that many of the activities portrayed are not appropriate today. Of course a lot of people hate this movie, but they generally hate this genre of movie, anyway, right?! I was especially moved by the sex scene with Harkin (Patrick Houser) and Sunny (Tracy N. Smith), the guitar serenade (written by folkie John Stewart), the hot tub scene with Shannon Tweed, and the gondola scene. It's very rare for such sex scenes to move me in other like movies of that period: I think that director Peter Markle handled the sex scenes very tastefully.... The skiing scenes were also really well done, also, but one often may see that the stunt skiers are different from the actors (duh!).
It's true, also, that some of the plot contains dumb male humor. However: I remember the names of the actors that I liked in the key romantic and sex scenes, and some others, so the movie did move me....
It's true, also, that some of the plot contains dumb male humor. However: I remember the names of the actors that I liked in the key romantic and sex scenes, and some others, so the movie did move me....
The movie is a true story - well sort of
rkwhew_0310 November 2006
Warning: Spoilers
This movie was loosely based on actual experiences of the screenplay's author from his life as a ski bum hanging around the effervescent atmosphere of Squaw Valley. The "Chinese Downhill" was a real event at Squaw for many years (cancelled after a spectator was tragically killed after a collision with a participant/skier). If you're lucky, you may get to ride the lift with George/"Slasher" who still skis there regularly. Don't try and keep up though.
Living in a ski town near Squaw, I actually know a guy whose whole life changed after watching "Hot Dog". He moved to Tahoe and he's an instructor there right now. Can a movie like this change someone's life? It already has.
BTW, the 20th anniversary of the movie's party in 2004 at Squaw Valey was a hoot, with most of the original cast making an appearance, and the crowd dressed in vintage gear and reciting lines during the movie's screening. Maybe a 25th?
Living in a ski town near Squaw, I actually know a guy whose whole life changed after watching "Hot Dog". He moved to Tahoe and he's an instructor there right now. Can a movie like this change someone's life? It already has.
BTW, the 20th anniversary of the movie's party in 2004 at Squaw Valey was a hoot, with most of the original cast making an appearance, and the crowd dressed in vintage gear and reciting lines during the movie's screening. Maybe a 25th?
A Disappointing Comedy
Uriah433 May 2019
While on his way from Idaho to Squaw Valley, California to compete in the World Ski Championships, "Harkin Banks" (Patrick Hauser) sees an attractive, young woman along the side of the road and so he stops to ask if she needs a ride. It's then that he learns that her name is "Sunny" (Tracy Smith) and she is headed to San Francisco. Since he is also heading in that general direction, more or less, he offers to drive her as far as he can. Not being in any real hurry and with few other options she readily accepts and together they finally arrive at the ski lodge where the competition both on and off the slopes truly begins. Now rather than reveal any more I will just say that I was rather disappointed with this film due to the fact that-for a comedy-it had very little humor. Likewise, the script could have also used some improvement as well. As a matter of fact, other than having two pretty actresses in Shannon Tweed (as "Sylvia Fonda") and the aforementioned Tracy Smith in various states of undress, this film was somewhat lacking in the entertainment department and I have rated it accordingly. Below average.
Boring and stupid
Groverdox13 February 2016
The snow always seemed an odd choice as a setting for a sex comedy. There's only one reason people watch movies like these, and that's to see nudity. It makes sense to set these at the beach, because at least there one expects to see more skin than they would in the suburbs or the city. But on the ski slopes? Why would one disrobe there?
There could only be one reason why the producers decided to set "Hot Dog: The Movie" in a place so cold you need more clothes, not less: they needed something basic and arbitrary to separate their movie from the glut of other similar films flooding the market in the '80s.
I guess they were also trying to cash in on the skiing fad, if that's what it was.
The fact is, there is not enough nudity in this movie - despite the presence of softcore queen Shannon Tweed - to make it worth watching for anyone other than hardcore skiing aficionados. Even they might be annoyed at the idiocy of moments such as when one of the bad guys pushes a button on his belt and his helmet starts pumping out exhaust, making the guys behind him cough and gag. Or when the skiers all apparently become indestructible and start crashing through tables and glass. Try not to think of Sonny Bono during most of the movie, or cringe when one guy hits a tree.
This all happens during the big race at the movie's finish. Getting there takes some effort. The movie is tedious and stupid. Consider the good guys, who have a collection of character traits that make them more pitiful than sympathetic. One is obviously an alcoholic, with little bottles of booze in every pocket of his ski vest. Is this supposed to be funny? Another is constantly plastering his face with zinc cream and propositioning women so that they can throw their drinks in his patchy white face. At one point he climbs into a gondola alone, while his friends have already taken to the sky, and they watch him get it on with some random girl who has no reason to be doing that. But never mind - his friends cheer him on although they have no way of knowing what he's doing. Their POV shots reveal nothing but the back of their friend's head.
There is also a cardboard cut out bad guy, an Austrian with a great head of hair who acts like a huge jerk from his first appearance, because if someone cut you out of cardboard, you better do everything to make sure you fit the shape they made. Of course it ends up being the hero versus the bad guy, but the thing is, these two aren't the only ones in the competition, all the way up 'til the end. When the other good guys root for the hero, they seem to forget to, you know, root for themselves as well? Or do they know they're in a movie where they've been relegated to buddy status?
There is very little nudity and a lot of skiing, which looks like someone lurching from side to side monotonously toward the camera. There is also a "freestyle skiing" round, where the skiers spin around like there's a rat in their pants they're trying to get rid of.
It's a boring and stupid movie, and it's hard to imagine anyone enjoying it.
There could only be one reason why the producers decided to set "Hot Dog: The Movie" in a place so cold you need more clothes, not less: they needed something basic and arbitrary to separate their movie from the glut of other similar films flooding the market in the '80s.
I guess they were also trying to cash in on the skiing fad, if that's what it was.
The fact is, there is not enough nudity in this movie - despite the presence of softcore queen Shannon Tweed - to make it worth watching for anyone other than hardcore skiing aficionados. Even they might be annoyed at the idiocy of moments such as when one of the bad guys pushes a button on his belt and his helmet starts pumping out exhaust, making the guys behind him cough and gag. Or when the skiers all apparently become indestructible and start crashing through tables and glass. Try not to think of Sonny Bono during most of the movie, or cringe when one guy hits a tree.
This all happens during the big race at the movie's finish. Getting there takes some effort. The movie is tedious and stupid. Consider the good guys, who have a collection of character traits that make them more pitiful than sympathetic. One is obviously an alcoholic, with little bottles of booze in every pocket of his ski vest. Is this supposed to be funny? Another is constantly plastering his face with zinc cream and propositioning women so that they can throw their drinks in his patchy white face. At one point he climbs into a gondola alone, while his friends have already taken to the sky, and they watch him get it on with some random girl who has no reason to be doing that. But never mind - his friends cheer him on although they have no way of knowing what he's doing. Their POV shots reveal nothing but the back of their friend's head.
There is also a cardboard cut out bad guy, an Austrian with a great head of hair who acts like a huge jerk from his first appearance, because if someone cut you out of cardboard, you better do everything to make sure you fit the shape they made. Of course it ends up being the hero versus the bad guy, but the thing is, these two aren't the only ones in the competition, all the way up 'til the end. When the other good guys root for the hero, they seem to forget to, you know, root for themselves as well? Or do they know they're in a movie where they've been relegated to buddy status?
There is very little nudity and a lot of skiing, which looks like someone lurching from side to side monotonously toward the camera. There is also a "freestyle skiing" round, where the skiers spin around like there's a rat in their pants they're trying to get rid of.
It's a boring and stupid movie, and it's hard to imagine anyone enjoying it.
Stupid... The Movie
culwin31 March 2000
About 80% of this movie is skiing sequences, so unless you are a big fan of this type of material, you will probably be bored out of your mind. The rest of the movie is totally pointless. I can't even believe Shannon Tweed would agree to appear in this bomb. Rent only if you have unwanted guests and want them to leave.
Silly but enjoyable 80's flick
Metaflix17 July 2019
Not at all memorable. Skip it.
el_nickster5 May 2005
This is just another nudity vehicle from the early 1980s. The plot... there is no plot. A bunch of "good" guys enter a ski competition, and they don't like some of the other contestants, so that group is the "bad guys." There are sex scenes between the good guys and the bad guys, and some long skiing scenes. If you like to watch skiing and sex, you might rent this and just turn off the sound. Granted, you will have to sit through a lot of "filler," so keep your finger on the fast-forward key.
A previous poster got it right when he wrote that the skiing and sex put together might amount to 30 minutes.
A previous poster got it right when he wrote that the skiing and sex put together might amount to 30 minutes.
Who doesn't like Hot Dog... The Movie???
jahunsmythe6 March 2018
I saw this movie when I was 22. And I just saw the movie again at 52. I have seen it a few times in the past 30 years, and at 52 I think the movie is a great as it was when I was a kid just out of college.
I am a skier and snowboarder, and I watch and love the Warren Miller films (may he rest in peace). I also watch and love "Hot Dog... The Movie" because it has great scenery, awesome skiing (though I don't understand the ski ballet bit, no wonder it never made it into the Olympics), epic partying, and the most awesome T&A. Yes, us 50 year olds still love the T&A.
I have a Warren Miller film collection, and "Hot Dog... The Movie" sits right there alongside the them as a favorite ski theme movie that I plan to pass down to my children. Along with the Warren Miller films, of course.
Hot Dog....The Music Video.
gridoon25 September 2002
Yet another inane mid-80s teen comedy, this one more sexually explicit than most. Some good skiing stunts, lots of ethnic stereotypes and frequent (well, two or three actually, but those are more than enough)cameo appearances by the boom mike. If you think about renting this strictly because of Tweed's presence, here's a clue: rent one of her later films instead. Not only does she look much more beautiful in those, but her acting has also improved. (*1/2)
Classic 80's cinema
HartfordHammer4 April 2000
How can people put down this movie? It is a classic raucous comedy from the 1980's. There is lot of nudity, and their may be some ethnic stereotyping, but I remember this as being my favorite movie from when my family first got a VCR.
The skiing sequences are filmed beautifully, from a time when extreme skiing was just being born. If you are a fan of Warren Miller, you'll probably enjoy the scenes from the competition, and also the free-skiing.
But who can forget the classic Chinese Downhill scene? I saw this movie on cable last night, and it's still as good as it ever was.
The skiing sequences are filmed beautifully, from a time when extreme skiing was just being born. If you are a fan of Warren Miller, you'll probably enjoy the scenes from the competition, and also the free-skiing.
But who can forget the classic Chinese Downhill scene? I saw this movie on cable last night, and it's still as good as it ever was.
forgot how amusing this was
amerk118022 December 2001
Watching this film on TBS for the first time in well over a decade, and it is eliciting a refreshing, favorable memory. One of the stupid, silly, yet entertaining T & A party movies of the 80s, it has many hilarious moments for me. What was especially funny was the pitiful attempts to overdub the swearing to make this airable on network TV (but not seeing the nudity sucks). In the unedited version is one of the classic lines in a comedy--the Japanese skier (Kamikaze), who doesnt utter one word of English in the whole movie up til this point saying "Whatta da fukka is a Chinese downhill?". Tracy N. Smith (Sunny) was a total FOX in this flick.
Typical 80's, enjoy
chadtingley11 July 2008
Warning: Spoilers
"Hot Dog...the movie" is very simply really bad and one of the best ski movies out there. Tons of gratuitous sex with tons of great skiing is what makes this film worth watching. I made my father take me and a friend to this movie for my 16th birthday, I am sure he hated it, but we loved it then and I love it now. I just finished watching it and it is still exactly what I expected. Sex and skiing. Shanon Tweed is, for her third movie, doing what we all expected, showing off her body. Unlike "Amazon Women in the Avocado Jungle of Death" she strips and shows almost everything. We must remember this can be classified and nothing more that '80's schlock, but really good '80's schlock.
Bottom line, if you love the 80's and it's movies, this 1984 classic (ha,ha) will please all true movie fans. If however you are looking for a great film, look somewhere else.
Bottom line, if you love the 80's and it's movies, this 1984 classic (ha,ha) will please all true movie fans. If however you are looking for a great film, look somewhere else.
If only you could settle all disputes with Chinese Downhill
iwilson7712 May 2002
First rate T&A flick. Bizarre party scenes, seemingly endless amounts of nudity and a guitar serenade so mind-numbingly awful, it leaves you screaming for more! Shannon Tweed looks superb in this, as do all the other featured babes. See how many times you rewind the scene in which our ski hero, commenting on his smarmy German idol, mutters "He's the BEST!" Horrible, yet curiously endearing. You be the judge. 9/10 on the mondo movie scale.
Where's the movie?
edgewelle22 June 2002
Screenwriting in the 80's must have been nice. You could write your movie, and then if you're stuck for an ending, simply introduce the concept of some athletic competition that will arbitrarily allow your protagonist to triumph. `Hot Dog
the Movie' is a nonsensical bit of garbage that is funny only when broken down to its basic elements (porn, skiing, and weary character paradigms) and then mocked unmercifully. If the extended sex scenes (particularly the random wet t-shirt scene where women are forced on stage and an orgy ensues) were removed, and the skiing montages were reduced to their essence, you'd have a solid 25-minute film. About the length of a sitcom. And no, I don't consider extended nudity or scenes of super slow-motion ski jumping to be redeeming factors.
Now to the characters. Why exactly are we supposed to empathize with Harkin after he cheats on Sunny? He then actually ensues to berate Sunny for her behavior, a nice example of the sexual double standard of this film. Then two scenes later, it's as if nothing ever happened and they're back in love. I can only assume that the film was shot out of sequence and the actors neglected to read the other parts of the script. Also, are we supposed to like Sunny? Why? Because she got kicked out of another guy's truck? Hell, I would have kicked her out of my vehicle; she spends half the movie being snotty to everybody. No, my guess, given this movie's moral code, is that we're supposed to like her because we've seen her breasts.
I enjoy b-movies quite a bit, but I really couldn't bring myself to enjoy `Hot Dog the Movie'. There just wasn't enough movie in it, just sex, random athletic endeavors, and jerks.
Now to the characters. Why exactly are we supposed to empathize with Harkin after he cheats on Sunny? He then actually ensues to berate Sunny for her behavior, a nice example of the sexual double standard of this film. Then two scenes later, it's as if nothing ever happened and they're back in love. I can only assume that the film was shot out of sequence and the actors neglected to read the other parts of the script. Also, are we supposed to like Sunny? Why? Because she got kicked out of another guy's truck? Hell, I would have kicked her out of my vehicle; she spends half the movie being snotty to everybody. No, my guess, given this movie's moral code, is that we're supposed to like her because we've seen her breasts.
I enjoy b-movies quite a bit, but I really couldn't bring myself to enjoy `Hot Dog the Movie'. There just wasn't enough movie in it, just sex, random athletic endeavors, and jerks.
The trailer is hilarious, watch it instead.
madkaugh29 November 2005
Warning: Spoilers
I guess it is all about expectations. The trailer for Hot Dog ... the Movie was hilarious, a non-stop sequence of extremely funny material. So ... imagine our surprise when Hot Dog was nothing like it's trailer. Oh, all of the material in the trailer was in the movie. In fact, every funny moment in the movie was in the trailer, down to the split nanosecond. In context, most of the material was not as funny, the movie took away from the humor.
In fact, it is basically lame softcore porn in a ski context.
Comments relating to other reviews: "Tracy N. Smith (Sunny) was a total FOX in this flick." - yes, but she was a total bitch loser. In fact, none of the characters was likable. None.
"the unedited version is one of the classic lines in a comedy--the Japanese skier (Kamikaze), who doesn't utter one word of English in the whole movie up til this point saying 'Whatta da fukka is a Chinese downhill?'." - classic for being stupidly unfunny? Much of the so-called humor is based on stereotypes. The funniest thing about this line is that it implies that the film maker does not understand that Asia has more than one country and culture. Ha, ha, silly film maker.
I may have seen a worse movie, but I don't remember it. It gets a one because IMDb does not have anything lower.
The trailer is genuinely funny. Watch it instead and save your other hundred odd minutes.
MadKaugh
In fact, it is basically lame softcore porn in a ski context.
Comments relating to other reviews: "Tracy N. Smith (Sunny) was a total FOX in this flick." - yes, but she was a total bitch loser. In fact, none of the characters was likable. None.
"the unedited version is one of the classic lines in a comedy--the Japanese skier (Kamikaze), who doesn't utter one word of English in the whole movie up til this point saying 'Whatta da fukka is a Chinese downhill?'." - classic for being stupidly unfunny? Much of the so-called humor is based on stereotypes. The funniest thing about this line is that it implies that the film maker does not understand that Asia has more than one country and culture. Ha, ha, silly film maker.
I may have seen a worse movie, but I don't remember it. It gets a one because IMDb does not have anything lower.
The trailer is genuinely funny. Watch it instead and save your other hundred odd minutes.
MadKaugh
Hold back the ketchup
Prismark106 July 2017
Hot Dog is not really a good movie and does not rival Stripes or Animal House as it is just not funny enough.
Patrick Houser plays Harkin Banks, a young and innocent freestyle skier who heads to Squaw valley to take part in a competition. Along the way he picks up a young girl called Sunny who he gets friendly with.
At the resort he teams up with some fun loving guys called the 'Rat Pack' led by O'Callahan (David Naughton.) Ace Austrian freestyle skier who Banks admires turns out to be a douche bag but the organisers of the race favour because him as he brings in public interest to the competition.
The film has some pranks, zaniness, lots of tits and ass, such as a pointless Miss Wet T shirt contest in a bar.
After a disputed result it all ends with a crazy 'Chinese Downhill' as all competitors take part in to find the true champion.
It is all rather cheesy and moronic. Shannon Tweed in an early film role is easy on the eye.
Patrick Houser plays Harkin Banks, a young and innocent freestyle skier who heads to Squaw valley to take part in a competition. Along the way he picks up a young girl called Sunny who he gets friendly with.
At the resort he teams up with some fun loving guys called the 'Rat Pack' led by O'Callahan (David Naughton.) Ace Austrian freestyle skier who Banks admires turns out to be a douche bag but the organisers of the race favour because him as he brings in public interest to the competition.
The film has some pranks, zaniness, lots of tits and ass, such as a pointless Miss Wet T shirt contest in a bar.
After a disputed result it all ends with a crazy 'Chinese Downhill' as all competitors take part in to find the true champion.
It is all rather cheesy and moronic. Shannon Tweed in an early film role is easy on the eye.
Surprised it was as good as it was
daisukereds19 March 2020
Aside from all the blatant content to attract attention (that can be skipped and doesn't really affect the main story), there's actually a lot of charm and personality to this movie.. and the stunt work was also quite impressive and well done!
It does have a straightforward structure, but the plot is simple, interesting and appealing enough. Doesn't look cheap and I very much enjoyed the competition aspect.
This is the kind of movie that doesn't give you a lot of each character (not to get bored of them), but everyone introduced has the little moments it shows are well written and define each. The finale was very climatic!! And just ends in the right note.
PS. More Kendo!
This is the kind of movie that doesn't give you a lot of each character (not to get bored of them), but everyone introduced has the little moments it shows are well written and define each. The finale was very climatic!! And just ends in the right note.
PS. More Kendo!
Not really much going on, but somewhat fascinating.
mark.waltz1 August 2023
Warning: Spoilers
The perfect summer movie to cool down with, this doesn't deal with picnic foods on the grill, but the type that shows off on the slopes, on the hockey field, and in some cases, in the bedroom. A beautiful young cast of unknowns, lead by Jerry Houser and Tracy Smith, with David Naughton and Shannon Tweed co-starring. It deals with a bunch of young people on their way to a winter sports tournament and the individual talents that leads to an entertaining competition with some great shots of some very daring ski moves.
The first part of the film features more sexuality going on than the second half and gives the impression that this is going to be some typical T&A focused comedy of horny men and the young women whom they are trying to score with. But once that's all done, it's more a showing off of various types of sports on skis and ice skates, with a violent hockey game followed by the camera closely getting the front of the skiers as they go down hill. Maybe not the strongest of plots but fascinating visually. By the end of the film, the viewer looking for cheap thrills has gotten a metaphorical cold shower and wanting some hot cocoa to warm back up after feeling adrift in all the snowy footage.
The first part of the film features more sexuality going on than the second half and gives the impression that this is going to be some typical T&A focused comedy of horny men and the young women whom they are trying to score with. But once that's all done, it's more a showing off of various types of sports on skis and ice skates, with a violent hockey game followed by the camera closely getting the front of the skiers as they go down hill. Maybe not the strongest of plots but fascinating visually. By the end of the film, the viewer looking for cheap thrills has gotten a metaphorical cold shower and wanting some hot cocoa to warm back up after feeling adrift in all the snowy footage.
Party Movie
mm-398 December 1999
This movie has its moments, and would be hard to make in the 90's with poltical correctness. It is a mix of locker room junior high antics, and stright out macho hot dog ski types. There is funny moments and the movie is choppy, but what do you expect for a 80'S party movie. I enjoyed it, but this movie is not for every one. I think every one knows a few people who behave like party animals, and if you don't like party animal types stay away from this one.
Borinnggg
Tina_jeppesen8 November 2023
Warning: Spoilers
I think I watched this when I was like 12. Anyway time to re-visit Hot Dog the movie. I expected something at least as dumb/funny 80s style sex comedy as Porkys - and I am someone who gets into the 70s & 80s nostalgia big time. However unfortunately nope -it was not nearly as memorable or entertaining. I guess that's why people actually remember Porkys & certain scenes from it. It actually did stand out in the genre as bad as it was. This movie is just something anyone could write. Totally generic 80s cheese low budget stuff. Good guys face off bad guys in a ski contest. Along the way the leads -the good guys- fall in love -but uh-oh! They each get pursued & sleep with the "bad guys".....but they find their way back to each other. Who saw that coming....& oh ya you'll never guess who won the stupid ski contest. Lol.
I thought "Joysticks" was better. Haha. For real tho.
I gave it as high as a 3 only because it was interesting to see Shannon Tweed & David Naughton. I guess. Their parts are not very big.
I thought "Joysticks" was better. Haha. For real tho.
I gave it as high as a 3 only because it was interesting to see Shannon Tweed & David Naughton. I guess. Their parts are not very big.
THE classic early 80's ski flick
colparker4 February 2003
Did you ever own white Vuarnet Cat Eyes? Are you stoked that padded ski sweaters are coming back in? Did you ever want to be the toast of Tahoe, ski all season long, party every night and hang out with a wacky bunch of ski bums with names like Thrasher and Squirrel? Then check out this early 80's classic (I know, it came out in '84, but it's SO '82). Harkin Banks is the wunderkind from the sticks who hooks up with Dan O'Callahan. Dan is the good time Squaw Valley veteran who's a permanent fixture on the competitive ski scene, sharing slopes and hot tubs with his party hardy co-horts: the nutty Squirrel Murphy, who digs zinc oxide, sexy ski bunnies and long gondola rides; Kendo Yamamoto, who doesn't speak much English, but can tear down the mountain like a Kamakaze; punk rocker, Thrasher, who dances to his own tune, even at parties; and a host of semi-nameless others. But what would a crazy party flick be without some bad guys? Enter Rudy Garmisch, zee Austrian ski champ and nemesis of the Squaw Valley locals. He and his loyal "Rudettes", mostly nameless guys and fraulines also from zee Austrian slopes, push some of the locals out of the upcoming competition with promises of good television ratings and new sponsorships from internationally minded companies. Uh-oh, ol' Dan's not happy with that at all! Toss in a battle over a cute blonde runaway, Sunny, and you have a recipe for trouble on the slopes. Not to worry, all's well that ends well. After all, what tiff can't be settled over a friendly game of Chinese Downhill? Not sure you wanna play? No worries...there's nothing one of Dan's famous "Leg Spreader" cocktails can't fix. And to top it all off, there's some fantastic ski footage set to even more fantastic early 80's music. Why they even bothered to make Ski School in the early 90's was a mystery to me - how could they do the ski party flick any better than Hot Dog? Surprisingly enough it was also pretty damn good. But Hot Dog: The Movie is still the original and the best.
Fun if you are in the right mind for it
NVChemist13 May 2006
Warning: Spoilers
This movie is a blast if you are looking for a stupid 80s ski movie. Very similar to police academy and other dumb fun movies. So if you love the ski and are familiar with Squaw Valley (you should recognize some features) this is a fun 90 minutes. I saw as a kid and to this day still remember it and think fondly of it. I loved the skiing and this really did a good job of displaying the original Freestyle back when Ballet was still included as well as athletes having to do it all not just one event. If you have ever hung out with a 70s early eighties pro circuit racer you can totally see that in this movie. For once a film did a good job of building personality. A very cookbook style but still fun movie.
Love starts at the top of the hill
utgard1413 September 2015
Farm kid hoping to make it big as a skier picks up a feisty hitchhiker on his way to the big ski tournament in Squaw Valley, California. The two begin to fall for each other but are driven apart by a cocky German ski champion and a beautiful blonde. Better than it has any right being, it's an 80s movie that includes many sex comedy clichés but actually takes the time to invest in its main characters a little bit. Of course there's a lot of cheese and some nudity, most notably from former Playboy Playmate Shannon Tweed. The slower parts work better than the comedy. The skiing stuff did little for me but the scenery is certainly attractive. Of the cast, lead Patrick Houser is outshined at every turn, whether it be by cutie Tracy Smith or by David Naughton, who effortlessly steals every scene he's in. He's really better than this type of movie but I guess he had bills to pay. If you're looking for a really outrageous and offensive teen comedy, this isn't it. There are far better and funnier examples of those types of movies out there. This one does have something going for it that makes it stand out from other movies of its type. Unfortunately, after the decent first half-hour, things go downhill and it becomes more of a traditional lame comedy.
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