Films, wisecracks and changes . . .

Press, 19 August 1982, Page 31

Films, wisecracks and changes . . .

Warren Miller looks a little like a fellow American. Bob Hope, without the “ski slope" nose, and he. too, cannot resist firing out the jokes in his films.

The burly Los Angeles man has been producing ski films since 1949, and has an incredible tally approaching 400. Now he is back in New Zealand, after 14 years, to make another.

"I try to make them as funny as possible,”, said Miller this week. “I joke about the breakable crust and the toilets that don’t work. It makes the resort owners mad."

“People don’t remember anything else about the films, just the jokes."

When Miller was last down here in 1968 he produced the television series featuring Jean-Claude Killy that first put New Zealand ski-ing (notably the Tasman Glacier and the Tongariro National Park) on the world map. “We were on the Tasman on Sunday. In 1968 you couldn’t even find a guide there, now it's like the Mount Cook Air Force with all the planes and helicopters buzzing around.” he said.

Miller still believes there is nothing to equal the “primeval feeling” you get on the glacier and he intends to include the Mount Cook ski region, along with Mount Hutt and. if there is enough snow — Coronet Peak — in his next movie. He was not sure if his film crew would visit the North Island. “It’s a real trap. If the weather doesn’t get you, the volcanoes will,” he joked. But Miller added: “Ski-ing Ngauruhoe in 1968 was one of the nicest experiences of mv life.”

The film which he will, of course, narrate is intended for world-wide distribution. “Next year half a million people will see it in the United States and Canada and if one per cent of those people come down here . . . “But you really can’t force the growth of ski-ing." he said. “You could spend $5O million without the return.

It’s still basically one person talking his neighbour into doing it."

Miller finds that New Zealand has a lot going for it. “The people are very friendly and very open. Just like California," he said.

Things have “changed radically" since he was here 14 years ago and Mount Hutt, for instance, where he started filming on Monday, did not even exist as a skifield then.

Miller has an impressive line-up this year. Scott Kennedy. from Vancouver, British Columbia, is his chief cameraman, and with them are a particularly ciassylooking trio of skiers. Heading the troupe is Jake Lombard, from Los Angeles, who does all the stunt work for old 007, including that bobsleigh run in “For Your Eyes Only." Then there’s Joey Cordeau for Idaho, world “pro" champion on the moguls (bumps), and Bobbie Chambers, from Utah, who was second in the women's free-style ski-ing World Cup. Having the three (“they’re nice, they ski well") on hand all the time saved having to try and borrow skiers from each resort to star in the movies. “Ski school directors are not going to take three days off to make turns for us,” he said. ■

Miller has made films in places as diverse as Israel, Greece, Russia, Japan, Italy, France "... even Australia, even New Zealand.”

The final footage on film might not always seem worthy of the effort, though. Recently, his cameraman climbed a still smoking, 19,000 ft volcano in Mexico. “We planned it for three years, climbed it in three days, and skied down it in 20 minutes. It takes up about three minutes on film!"

Not this time Sometimes the competitive instinct takes a little while to develop. One youngster, who did not take to ski-racing immediately was a six-year-old lad from Queenstown, in

the South Island junior championships at Lake Ohau last week-end. He was apparently carried to the top of the junior course bv his father and set into the’starting gate. When given the signal to go he backed off in fright and headed right away in the opposite direction. Maybe next year . . .

Hard labour Considerable ingenuity and some fine spadework was shown by a group of enthusi- ■ asts during a special freestyle club ski week at the Craigeburn Valley field recently. The mountain was closed for the first two days, so the free-stylers just shouldered shovels, went down to the road, and cleared it for a distance of 50 metres. Then the three instructors, Tony Simpson, Joe Satherley. and Steve Harteveld used the groomed slope to teach ballet manoeuvres. "No-one else got any ski-ing,” said Harteveld. He said that the snow was “terrific" after those first two bad days, but the field was really too steep for ideal teaching of the three free-style disciplines — ballet, moguls, and aerials. Most of the pupils were good skiers, but novices in freestyle, and Mount Cheeseman’s more gentle slopes might be used next year. About 30 skiers, one third of whom were women, took part during the week, their ages being from about 18 to 35. A small ski jump was set up, but the instructors already had too much gear to take up the hill and did not include a trampoline which w’ould have been useful for pre-training. The video replays were generally considered a good way of learning and over all the response to the week was tremendous, said Harteveld. Rainbow country “Views from the Top” were, unfortunately, unable to head into the NelsonMarlborough country last

week-end for the official opening of the new Rainbow ski-field by the Minister of Tourism (Mr Talbot). However, the Nelson reporter for "The Press." Barry Simpson, says that the operators. Rainbow Skifield Developments. Ltd, have had rather a slow start tb their season. There was an avalanche on the road and then worries with the main tow motor which prevented ski-ing when there was an excellent snow cover. Now, most teething problems seem to have been overcome and the field is a very busy place. As many as 450 people have been frequenting the ski area during week-ends. The big thing about this field, on the eastern slopes of the St Arnaud Range, is that it is has an access road. Mount Robert, the only other skifield in the region, is lacking in that department and club members have to trudge quite a considerable distance through bush and snow. Wet pride For many visitors to Methven the highlight of their skiing holiday might well have been the “wet T-shirt" contest in the local pub last

week. Samuel’s Saloon (which had a late licence) apparently had its best patronage yet, with skiers literally hanging from the rafters tb view proceedings. No mice were thrown at the dozen or so contestants, but things degenerated a little later on when the fire hose was turned on. Most of the girls had already wet their Tshirts by more orthodox means. Telemark lives Telemark turns, the hallmark of a rather more ancient version of ski bindings, are not dead. Ask anyone who’s been to the Mount Cardrona ski-field, near Wanaka, this winter. Cardrona has assembled some interesting personnel to teach cross-country (or nordic) ski-ing, and among them is Whitney Thurlow, a former member of the United States B downhill team. Thurlow launches into his telemark turns at lunchtime between ski schools. “Quite a crowd — watch him," said John Lee, the landowner. “He resembles a ballet dancer coming down the hill. It's beautiful to watch, smooth and graceful."