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The Worst Film Ever

Best movie ever!

I like movies that are aware of what they are selling... without [any] greater aspirations than to make people laugh and that's it.

The first must-see film of the year.

Johnson plays fictitious figure skater Alexis Winston, whose widower father (Skerritt) reluctantly allows master coach (Warren) to take her to the big city for a chance to demonstrate her unique talents and compete in the national titles. She leaves behind her boyfriend (Benson) and local skate rink owner (Dewhurst) and is soon consumed by the trappings of high profile sport and fair-weather friends, wooed by a much older newscaster (Huffman) and forced to endure the spotlight of TV in addition to her rigorous training schedule. But just as she's about to reach the heights of success, she's felled prematurely in a shocking accident that robs her of her sight, and it seems, her dream. With the aid of family and 'true' friends, she attempts an audacious comeback.Set to the backdrop of Melissa Manchester's commanding theme song ("Looking Through the Eyes of Love"), "Ice Castles" is the "Flashdance" of the late seventies, with generally strong performances by the cast. Johnson's maturity belies her age, underrated Jennifer Warren delivers a strong performance as the perfectionist coach, while Dewhurst has a couple of intense scenes to display her range, notably where she confronts Johnson in the attic where she's apparently given up on life in favour of a shallow existence of self pity.Typical feel-good movie is elevated by Dewhurst's performance and the Oscar-nominated theme song (the rest of the soundtrack isn't bad either, e.g. "Midnight Blue" and "A Fifth of Beethoven"), but probably attempts to milk too much sympathy as films of this ilk often do from the audience. One of those films you probably wouldn't seek to watch, but nevertheless find yourself engaged to the end in spite of yourself.

Director Donald Wrye also penned this tearjerker concoction, a refugee from "The Other Side of the Mountain" school of script-writing. One of those "you can overcome any obstacle" dramas wherein a pretty (though not plucky) heroine finds success and love despite an incredible hardship. Real-life figure skater Lynn-Holly Johnson plays a recently blinded young woman who must be coaxed back onto the ice by boyfriend Robby Benson (who berates her like a cruel taskmaster when she initially balks). Baleful, heavy-handed treatment of the kind of material television was churning out on a regular basis in 1978 (and still today!). Johnson is attractive, and the theme song "Looking Through the Eyes of Love" is memorable, but otherwise "Ice Castles" is about as emotionally involving as a bad night at the Ice Capades. *1/2 from ****

"Ice Castles" is one of the films I must re-watch by myself. I do not wish others to know that I am a sap for Marvin Hamlisch's emotive score, the kitschy grace of figure skating, a wronged babe fighting back story, and a thick-headed, dumb-about-the- girl, guy theme that resolves itself just before the credits roll. Ice Castles' final course recipe of long-stemmed roses tossed on the ice that can not be seen by the recovering champion, blind skater, Marvin's music, the guy (Robbie Benson), and again the music .... Well the tears need no cue, they just flow. Many of my pals were extras in the scenes filmed at the old Met Center in Bloomington, Minnesota and its fun seeing how they looked before they took up golf or became hockey moms. But really, I most like the joyously happy ending -- one that redeems dumb guys like me.For years when Walkman headsets were fashion statements, I went on runs through Central Park and rides on packed New York subway trains plugged into a cassette tape of the sound track.

Most will either love Ice Castles or hate it. Perhaps hate is a little harsh but it gets the point across. For a film with numerous shortcomings it has achieved somewhat of a cult following. So much so that Columbia Tristar decided to release it in DVD format several years ago.What's wrong with the movie? For a film partially intended to appeal to the teenage crowd, it is unnecessary to have any foul language. Yet Ice Castles is sprinkled with four letter words from the beginning to the end. It doesn't advance the plot one iota and it's inclusion in the film is a mystery. Perhaps the producer thought a "G" rating would doom it at the box office and added the harsh language to get a "PG". Whatever the reason it degrades the film.Many of the lines the actors speak seem to be more or less mumbled and hard to understand. Not sure if this is a sound problem or simply bad acting.There is a severe lack of continuity in some scenes. For instance Lexie is first wearing a green jacket in the segment where she is learning to skate on the pond after becoming blind. Suddenly she is wearing a blue jacket in the next scene and just as suddenly goes back to the green jacket! Not to mention her being bare-headed and then is seen wearing a beige hat and then back to being bare-headed again! The producer must have been blind too!!The original film was 115 minutes according to a New York Times review in 1979. However, the VHS and DVD versions are about 108 minutes. Where are the missing 7 minutes and why were they not included?Nevertheless, despite these and other faults, the film works due in large part to Marvin Hamlisch's stirring music and Lynn-Holly Johnson's beautiful skating. It is a three-hankie the first time you see it and has inspired many young hopefuls to take up the sport. A must-see if you like films that turn tragedy into victory.