Pops (Ray Walston) is the longtime owner of an easygoing ski lodge, but its future is jeopardized by cutthroat businessman Sam Maris (Martin Mull). Intent on replacing the lodge with an enormous resort, Maris schemes to get Pops’ lease revoked.
Growing up in the ’70s and ’80s, my love of high school and college movies, as well as summer camp films, were a staple of my childhood. One of my all-time favorites is “Meatballs,” which starred Bill Murray in his first starring role, but throughout the ’80s, other movies followed suit; “Up the Creek,” “Porky’s,” “Weird Science,” “Better Off Dead,” “One Crazy Summer,” “Ski School,” and “Snowballing,” to name a few. These films never took themselves too seriously and focused on a lovable ragtag team of losers who overcome all odds to win the day.
In “Ski Patrol,” Pops (Ray Walston) is the owner of the Snowy Peaks Lodge, a popular ski resort, and the manager of the local ski patrol, which has an impeccable safety record. When a devious land developer named Maris (Martin Mull) decides he wants the land on which the ski resort resides, he and his cronies resort to sabotage to tarnish the ski patrol’s safety record, thereby forfeiting their claim to the land and allowing him to swoop in, but Pops has an ace up his sleeve; the ski patrol themselves, an out-of-control group of skiers (including a young George Lopez and director Paul Feig) who will do anything to keep their jobs and their home.
“Ski Patrol” arrived in 1990, just as films of its ilk were beginning to dwindle, a product of the ’80s, but if you keep this in mind, you might just have fun with it. The cast has a blast in their respective roles, and there is lots of skiing, chasing, kissing, falling, and romantic shenanigans. Since this was produced by Paul Maslansky, the creator of the famous “Police Academy” series, you can expect as much throughout, although I have to admit, the humor and antics herein fall flat on many occasions. In contrast, the humor in “Police Academy” was right on target, especially during the mid-’80s. You’ll forget about “Ski Patrol” once the closing credits roll, so have fun while it lasts, and remember not to take everything too seriously. The film also stars a young Leslie Jordan, who recently passed away. I had never seen “Ski Patrol” before so I was delighted when he appeared onscreen.
Available on Blu-ray November 22nd from MVD Entertainment
