Warren Miller's Wintervention Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		4.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		1.0
Overall		3.5

Warren Miller's Wintervention Blu-ray Movie Review

Take a couple of hours off from the slopes to check out this excellent release.

Reviewed by Martin Liebman October 18, 2011

Just keep skiing.

Talk about "escapist entertainment." Warren Miller's Wintervention takes viewers to the ends of the Earth -- literally -- for another captivating installment in the decades-old series that has long inspired skiers and enthralled armchair winter sport enthusiasts alike. And it's no surprise the series has run so strong, for so long. What's not to love about gorgeous locales, covered in snow, and people enjoying the heck out of them? Then again, it's not just pointing the camera and shooting people having fun on beautiful backdrops. It's about the love of a sport, a lifestyle, a healthy addiction. It's about dreaming, about finding a moment of nirvana, about the camaraderie, the friendship, the passion for skiing that only an absence of snow can disrupt. But much to skiers' delight, just like it's always five o'clock somewhere, it's always cold and snowy somewhere, and those "somewheres" just so happen to also be some of the most beautiful places on Earth. Warren Miller's films are also about creating a sense of visual awe and filming the people and places with a technical expertise that pulls the audience into the action, the places, and the people who call winter "home."

'It's all downhill from here' takes on a whole new meaning in 'Wintervention.'

Warren Miller's Wintervention travels around the globe, highlighting some of the best slopes as described by some of the world's finest skiers and as captured by some of the world's best filmmakers. From "the last frontier" Antarctica to what is thought to be one of the birthplaces of modern skiing in Arlberg, Austria, the film chronicles the passions and the people who ski the world's most famous and challenging slopes, no matter their financial or physical condition, because it's all about the rush, living the dream, that last run towards a pure heart, a clean conscious, and eternity. Wintervention also makes stops in several U.S. skiing hotspots -- Vail, Telluride, Utah, and Alaska -- while also paying visits to the former Soviet republic of Georgia and to frigid Norway where skiers are required by law to pack heat if they want to venture on out into the cold. But no matter where, no matter when, the legendary Jonny Moseley -- who hosts a call-in show for addicted skiers throughout the movie -- encourages them all to "keep living the dream" with every run down the world's best slopes.

Warren Miller's Wintervention is definitely tailored towards longtime ski fans and Miller video aficionados. Casual fans won't immediately recognize or remember most of the people and the names that go with them, and even some of the more "exotic" ski locales will, literally, sound foreign to newcomers, ski newbies, or casual fans watching from somewhere like Texas where snow is about as alien as a close encounter of the third kind. Nevertheless, this is a program that should enjoy wide appeal, given that audiences outside its target are willing to give it a chance. It's quite the looker, and it's entertaining, too, if for no other reason than to live vicariously through some of the most passionate and skilled people that will ever grace the screen, or to just soak in the splendor of some of the world's most beautiful locations. Best of all, it's all done so well, with so much apparent love on both sides of the camera, that even that casual viewer can't help but to be pulled into what seems like one exotic world after another, places that are retreats for most, a way of life for some, and a ticket to fame and fortune for a select few.

That transitions nicely into a look at the technical prowess of Warren Miller's Wintervention. This film is beautiful and beautifully assembled, and even if it might engender a slight sense of déjà vu to most any or all of the recent Warren Miller titles, this and its contemporaries prove worth their weight in powder thanks to a sense of spectacle that's rarely achieved on film. Wintervention is the latest grand, painstakingly crafted, and meticulously edited feature that transports viewers to the slopes and the ski lodges the world over via some of the most beautiful photography ever to grace a television screen. This, and its Warren Miller peers, are practically unequaled in terms of sheer visual splendor that's a result of expert camerawork capturing both the action and people in a Documentary style that doesn't really feel like a Documentary. Part action sports piece, part travelogue, and part meet-and-greet, Warren Miller's Wintervention offers a little bit of everything, and it's all made complete by an expert, big-in-scope filmed production that just oozes passion and professionalism.

Warren Miller's Wintervention Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Though it's not perfect from a technical perspective, Warren Miller's Wintervention looks darn good on Blu-ray. Shout! Factory's Blu-ray release is handsomely filmic, sporting a natural layer of grain that accentuates fine details, from freshly-disturbed snows to faces and heavy winter clothes. There is a slight flatness about the image, and it's consistently ever-so-soft, but its grand, cinematic big-screen texture is truly a sight to behold. Colors are natural, neither dull nor vibrant, and yield handsome shading on bright winter jackets and caps. The contrast between fresh and pure white snow giving way to bright blue skies is one of the film's visual highlights. Several scenes appear to have been shot in HD rather than on film; they look quite good, too -- stable, bright, clear, and very well-detailed -- but there's something about the organic nature of film that translates exceptionally well to this material, particularly in the wonderful slow motion action shots. Unfortunately, there are a few errant jagged edges and very slight banding, but neither is really much of a cause for concern. Wintervention isn't the most polished and technically perfect 1080p transfer on the market, but it's simply one of the flat out nicest ones to look at that's currently available. Job very well done.

Warren Miller's Wintervention Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Warren Miller's Wintervention skis onto Blu-ray with a bigger-than-life DTS-HD MA 5.1 lossless soundtrack. If anything, this one never wants for energy. It's loud at reference level -- not obnoxiously so, but louder than most -- but the big sound seems only appropriate given just how big the movie plays, visually, on Blu-ray. Narration booms, music blares, and sound effects rock. The front channels carry the bulk in all areas, but the back channels are often involved in a support role. Spacing is not a problem, obviously, and the listener will feel sonically enveloped from start to finish. Of all the various sound effects, the booming of Telluride's cannon as heard in chapter nine is perhaps the most impressive. Dialogue is normally crisp, but every now and then it falls apart, sounding tinny, muffled, and crunchy. Generally, however, the track plays quite well. It might be too loud for some, but the extra oomph really adds to the overall Wintervention experience.

Warren Miller's Wintervention Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Warren Miller's Wintervention contains only The Making of 'Wintervention' (1080p, 22:06) and the film's trailer (1080p, 1:52).

Warren Miller's Wintervention Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Warren Miller's Wintervention is a wonderful all-around feature. It's built for ski buffs -- no surprise and, really, aren't most "specialty" videos like this? -- but it's accessible to all and will be an entertaining diversion for most, particularly audiences who crave a look at the kinds of people and the sort of exotic locales that don't normally grace primetime TV or the local video store shelf. The production is above reproach and is up to the challenge of capturing the people and places with the attention to detail they deserve. It's great to have these types of materials making the transition to Blu-ray. Wintervention looks fantastic on Blu-ray -- even despite a few minor technical shortcomings -- and it just oozes a sense of visual grandeur the likes of which aren't often yet found even in high definition. The soundtrack is pretty killer, too, and even considering the absence of a more thorough supplemental section, Warren Miller's Wintervention comes highly recommended.