Ski Bum- The Warren Miller Story- A Review

Ski Bum- The Warren Miller Story- A Review

Ski Bum – The Warren Miller Story is out to download from your iTunes. Also, you can get it on Amazon Prime. Watch it yesterday and write a review about it. I loved it. It is the case that I have been off ski movies for a while. I guess I have grown up. Before, I used to love watching all the ski movies, by Warren Miller and all the others that followed his steps. I also used to love watching MTV, as well as Beavis and Butthead and Wayne’s World.
Warren and his friend living in the parking lot of a ski area. The first years as a ski bum. Ski Bum- The Warren Miller Story- A Review.
Warren and his friend living in the parking lot of a ski area. The first years as a ski bum. Ski Bum- The Warren Miller Story- A Review.
This is the biography of a self-made man, who started being a ski bum living out of a trailer in the parking lot of a ski area. How he made it there. He talks with candour about his family, his alcoholic dad that was better not to have around. His mother that had no eyes for him but for his sisters. He started going to surf and then to ski to escape it all.

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Warren Miller with his second wife and three kids. Ski Bum- The Warren Miller Story- A Review.
Warren Miller with his second wife and three kids. Ski Bum- The Warren Miller Story- A Review.

What do I think about Ski Bum- The Warren Miller Story

 
It made me laugh and made me cry. It has all the contents to keep you watching over the hour and a half that it plays. Many of the skiers that were skiing for him talk candidly about him. Same for Greg Stump, that managed to ski in a section of a movie that came out when he was producing his first movie. Warren was as competitive to go back to the tape and change Greg’s name for someone else’s.
 
It shows how he manage to shot all the scenes, from his first camera, to his work with other cameramen. One of his long-time cameramen invented the first not-so-portable Go-Pro to put it on skiers. He could make it tilt to capture the scenes depending the posture of the skier.

Warren was a workaholic and that have influenced his relationships. His first wife died very soon after giving birth to his first son. Then he met his second wife, with whom he had two kids – a girl and a boy.
Warren Miller with his camera and his distinctive reindeer jumper. Ski Bum- The Warren Miller Story- A Review.
Warren Miller with his camera and his distinctive reindeer jumper. Ski Bum- The Warren Miller Story- A Review.
He kept on travelling most of the days, and it was no wonder that his second wife, finally found someone else. He recognises so. You can feel the grief of their kids of not having daddy home for so long.

A One-Man Show- Ski Bum – The Warren Miller Story

Warren was a one-man show. He filmed all the shots, he edited them, he made the contacts with places where to air them. He went on to talk over the films while he was showing his film to the different audiences. Then he packed up and went to the next town.
Cover of Warren Miller Ski on the Wild Side. Ski Bum- The Warren Miller Story- A Review.
Cover of Warren Miller Ski on the Wild Side. Ski Bum- The Warren Miller Story- A Review.
This annual film screening went off every fall. And he did it all. He also got a reality check when he made his mother and sister take care of his accountings while he was on the road. One day he realised they have emptied his bank account. He did not prosecute them, he thought he would never be able to change them. But he distanced himself from them.
Not all went well for Warren. He did a featured movie that released in the middle of the summer and was a flop. He also did some TV series. They were very difficult to keep doing and incurred in many more costs than expected. But he had the stamina to always overcome all obstacles. It had a cost, his family suffered it.
His movie had lots of entertainment, some funny parts, some intense scenes. There was a bit to leave everyone happy and looking forward to the upcoming ski season.
Warren Miller travelled the world for shooting his movies. Here with the Matterhorn in Zermatt. Ski Bum- The Warren Miller Story- A Review.
Warren Miller travelled the world for shooting his movies. Here with the Matterhorn in Zermatt. Ski Bum- The Warren Miller Story- A Review.

The Birth of Extreme Skiing – And How it was Filmed. Ski Bum- The Warren Miller Story.

He came to introduce extreme skiing and start catering to the younger crowd. Athletes like Scott Schmidt, Dan and John Egan, Kristen Ullmer, Johnny Moseley got known in these movies. There were some shots that could have cost their lives. A famous one was of Dan and John skiing on a cornice when Dan skis first and dislodges a massive chunk of it. A chunk big as a bus gets cut off from the mountain and falls for thousands of meters. John comes skiing behind Dan and manages to open his ski a bit in a wedge and push him into safety. After analysing what happened, I am sure they must have freaked out big time!
Warren Miller and his third wife. Ski Bum- The Warren Miller Story- A Review.
Warren Miller and his third wife. Ski Bum- The Warren Miller Story- A Review.

Time to Sell the Company to the 2nd Generation- Ski Bum – The Warren Miller Story

The film follows on how he sells his company to his son and partner. You can see how difficult it was for Warren not to be on the driving chair.
His son and partner had very different ideas on what Warren had. They were much more about sales and marketing than Warren. He was more about telling a story and he did not care too much on that side of things. Everything had to be bigger, with more modern music, with more action. Instead of having the familiar voice of Warren talking over, it were the athletes talking. They still sell movies, but Warren’s voice, like the guy next door, was a very comforting voice to hear. It is like a feel-good dish, or a pair of old jeans!

His Life in Retirement. Ski Bum – The Warren Miller Story.

He went on to become the main guy of the most exclusive private club in America. The Yellowstone Club even had a lodge named after him! He enjoyed being around people. At that time he met his third wife which was an opportunity for him to see there was life in retirement. He went on to write a book: “Freedom Found: My Life Story”.
I would definitely download it to watch it with family and friends.
Ski Bum- The Warren Miller Story is on the ITunes store. 
Or you can get it in Amazon here: The Warren Miller Movie
Ski Bum- The Warren Miller Story
Ski Bum- The Warren Miller Story out now.

Buy Ski Bum- The Warren Miller Story here. 

Other Warren Miller’s Movies to Watch: 

Warren Miller’s Extreme Winter. Here is the famous shot of Dan and John Egan and the cliff disappearing under John’s feet.

Start planning your next trip!

 

You can search for your own accommodation in the snow for your next ski holiday through our Accommodation Search tabOr if looking to stay in the heart of the Mont Blanc Valley in the Aosta Valley, check Il Coure della Valdigne review here. This is our own family home in the mountains, that I am renting out when not using, you can always write me a private message if interested to info@the-ski-guru.com

Il Cuore della Valdigne. Stay at the Heart of the Valdigne to ski in Courmayeur, La Thuile and Pila/Aosta.
Il Cuore della Valdigne. Stay at the Heart of the Valdigne to ski in Courmayeur, La Thuile and Pila/Aosta.

You can book directly through Airbnb  through this link

If you have some questions, contact us at info@the-ski-guru.com for more information.

If you want to take your family skiing and you don’t know where to start, read here. And search for your ski transfers from all airports to the Mountains here. And for those that are like me, that are lazy to cook, you can get your food, even gourmet mountain food delivered to your home with Huski.

If renting equipment (skis or snowboards)  check our agreement with Skiset– you can get up to 50% off ski or snowboard rental rates. I have been using them for years every year when I go to America  and Europe and they are great!

Something more to read in this blog

You can start thinking about your trip, by reading the articles on the Planning your Ski Trip tab.  Or how to pack for your family ski trip.  If taking your furry friend abroad to the continent, read about the new Pet Travel Scheme update from DEFRA. Self-drive skiers also need to plan for Brexit. Check out our tips for driving to the mountains.  If flying and renting a car in Europe, beware of the extra charges they will pass to you if you want winter tyres, snow chains or ski racks. If driving, check the winter tyres news for Europe and North America.

You can see how our last family ski holiday was not as expected, even though one plans it to be a success, but how we could do the most of it. If you want to get better before getting to your next ski holiday, here is a quick guide to indoor skiing and dry slopes in the UK. You can also read our week in the mountains during our summer holidays in Courmayeur.

Check also how we can envision ski resorts opening on the 2020-21 ski season.

Featured Image: Warren Miller and his camera. Ski Bum- The Warren Miller Story- A Review.
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