Plot: What’s it about?
Alexis Winston (Lynn-Holly Johnson) has a dream of being a world class figure skater, but her dream is not too far fetched, as she seems to have the talent to make it happen. She glides across with such beauty and grace, she almost seems destined to succeed and born to be ranked among the finest skaters all of time. Her father Marcus (Tom Skerritt) worries about her at times, but knows she is doing what she loves and he hopes she can achieve her true potential. After much practice and countless sessions with her coach Beulah (Colleen Dewhurst), Alexis now has the chance to excel and blaze a path toward the greatest showcase of all, the Olympic games. She performs in fine form as usual and makes her way into the finals, but then a tragic turn of events leaves her injured and unable to reach the next level of success. But she is not about to give up on her dreams and with the help of her loved ones, as well as childhood sweetheart Nick (Robby Benson), she just might be able to overcome the odds.
I am not usually one for sappy love stories, but Ice Castles is an exception to that and I can’t help but like it. Even though it is predictable and gets a little too manipulative with the emotions, it strikes the right notes and I am very pleased to now own it on this format. So if this is just another “overcome the odds” romance movie, why do I like it? I guess sometimes the elements just fall into place and defy the traditional response, this is a perfect example of that. I’m not a fan of these kind of flicks, nor do I have a soft spot for figure skaters, but Ice Castles never fails to connect with me. I wouldn’t say it is a great movie by any means, but it is a good one and one that I can revisit often. The cast is pretty solid, but not outstanding and includes such names as Lynn-Holly Johnson, Robby Benson, Tom Skerritt, and Jennifer Warren. A little on the overdramatic side perhaps, but Ice Castles is a good little movie that should pick up even more fans with this release. I wish Columbia/Tristar would have done more with this disc, but even so, I am giving it a strong recommendation.
I’d have to say the force behind this film is Lynn-Holly Johnson, who of course plays the lead role here. I don’t think her performance is of elite status, but she takes what could have been a bland character and turns it into one the audience can fall in love with. So from a traditional perspective, her work here is not that impressive, but she delivers on the emotional level and allows the viewers to like her, which is more than enough. If her moves on the ice impress you, there’s a good reason, as she has been involved in the sport for some time. In the sports based flicks you sometimes see really bad in game footage, but in this case, it all looks terrific indeed. You can also see Johnson in such films as Angel River, Diggin’ Up Business, More Than Murder, For Your Eyes Only, and The Watcher in the Woods. The cast also includes Robby Benson (The End, Modern Love), Jennifer Warren (Night Moves, Slap Shot), Colleen Dewhurst (The Exorcist III, The Dead Zone), David Huffman (The Onion Field, Blood Beach), and Tom Skerritt (Poison Ivy, Top Gun).
Video: How does it look?
Ice Castles is presented in a 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer. The image looks a little dated times and shows some grain, but I am still pleased with the end results. The colors are a little faded in a few instances, but retain the needed brightness and flesh tones are accurate, so no real complaints there. No issues with contrast either, as the image is well detailed and black levels are dead on, very good work. As I said, this sometimes looks a little dated, but this much better than I had ever expected.
Audio: How does it sound?
This isn’t the kind of movie to use for dynamic audio, but the included track seems to handle the basics. I liken this to what the film sounds like on television, though perhaps sharper and a little more refined, which is good enough I think. The dialogue is clean and always easy to understand, thanks to well balanced volume at all times. The sound effects and music also sound good, but of course lack the depth and range I’d expect from a full surround track. This disc also includes audio tracks in French, Spanish, and Portuguese, as well as subtitles in English, Portuguese, French, Spanish, Korean, Thai, and Chinese.
Supplements: What are the extras?
This disc includes some talent files, as well the film’s theatrical trailer.
