H-E Double Hockey Sticks (1999) (TV)

User Rating:

5.6/10   

Director:

Randall Miller

Writers:

Lukas Foss (opera)
David Kukoff (writer)

Release Date:

3 October 1999 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Family

Tagline:

Dave plays for goals. Griff plays for souls.

Plot:

Griffelkin, a young devil-in-training is sent to the surface of Earth to steal the soul of Dave, a hot shot pro-hockey player aspiring to be the youngest man to win the Stanley Cup.

Plot Keywords:

Hockey | Based On Opera

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Will Friedle	...	Griffelkin
Matthew Lawrence	...	Dave Heinrich
Gabrielle Union	...	Gabrielle
Shawn Pyfrom	...	Lewis
Tara Spencer-Nairn	...	Anne
Kim Greist	...	Marie Antoinette
Brad Nessler	...	Himself
Kevin McNulty	...	Annapolis Angels Coach
Colin Murdock	...	Delaware Demons Announcer
Tyler Labine	...	Mark
Kett Turton	...	Skid
Rhea Perlman	...	Ms. Beelzebub (Ms. B)
Paul Kariya	...	Himself
Luc Robitaille	...	Himself
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Donald Adams	...	Reporter #1
Donald Adams	...	Reporter #1
Dave Anderson	...	Marvin
Richard Ian Cox	...	Maitre D
Keith Dallas	...	Demons Fan #1
Rob deLeeuw	...	Boom Boom Bookowski
Stacy Fair	...	Angels Fan
Dan Joffre	...	The Worm
Terri Ladd	...	Demons Player
Jeffrey Lampert	...	The Doorman
Kasper Michaels	...	Reporter #2
Ty Olsson	...	Demons Fan #2
Brent Stait	...	Ozone
Clay St. Thomas	...	Reporter #3
Chris Wilding	...	Marcel Lenard

Runtime:

96 min

Country:

Canada | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Filming Locations:

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Company:

Big W Productions

Trivia:

Based on the opera "Griffelkin" that was inspired by a German folktale about a devil that is just too good to be devilish.

Quotes:

Ms. Beezlebub: I love the smell of carbon monoxide in the morning.

Movie Connections:

References Star Wars (1977)

Forget The Mystery And Spend Two Hours In H.E. Double Hockey Sticks

In September, 1999 two hockey movies exploded on the scene; Mystery, Alaska and H.E. Double Hockey Sticks. Oddly enough, H.E. Double Hockey Sticks was the better of the two, odd because H.E. was a cheap made for television movie.

Based on the opera ‘Griffelkin', the film concerns a demon named Griffelkin, played by Will Friedle, who is sent up from the depths of hell to obtain the soul of a National Hockey League player named Dave Heinrich. The film chronicles the personal conflict within the demon as he grows more attached to the young hockey player and is eventually forced to choose between his loyalty to his friend or a betrayal to his eternal homeland. A betrayal that might lead to some dire consequences. The outcome is predictable but executed very well. A strange character known only as Gabriel(Gabrielle Union), an apprentice demon, manages to lead Griffelkin down the path of righteousness without ever making the intentions clear to him or the audience.

The Boy Meets World guys, Friedle and Lawrence, team up with some of the crew that brought us The Sixth Man for an action packed hockey movie. The film is good because it never takes itself seriously. The hockey scenes are all very well shot.

Rhea Perlman is great as Mrs. B, the dean of the Beelzebub Vocationary Institute a demon training school. Kim Greist is also good as Mary Antoinette. Greist manages to convey so much just with facial expressions alone. The stand-out of the film is Friedle whom I predict has a big future in the movies. Where he was merely good in Trojan War, in Sticks he absolutely owns the camera the second he walks on screen. I especially enjoyed his scenes with She's All That's, Gabrielle Union. The two have a definite chemistry that leaves you wanting more. Hopefully this isn't the last movie they do together.

The script is very good with lots of foreshadowing, symbolism, inside jokes and references to pop-culture.

Look for ESPN's Brad Nessler and hockey players Luc Robataille and Paul Kariya all in bit parts as themselves. Also look for Tyler Labine(Breaker High's Jimmy) as Mark in a small role. Trivia buffs will note that Mystery, Alaska(the other hockey movie) also starred Rachel Wilson, another Breaker High alumni.