It’s one of those days we knew would come eventually, but we’re very bummed it had to happen yesterday, Wednesday January 25, 2018. Ski movie pioneer and all around amazing guy Warren Miller has died peacefully at his home on Orcas Island, according to a story in the Seattle Times. He was 93.
To his legions of fans, Mr. Miller’s annual ski flick amounted to cinematic manna from heaven — an overdue shot of cold air and deep snow to stoke the fires within winter warriors who had suffered through the long, hot months of snowless summer. The films, most of which began with jaw-dropping alpine-ski sequences, featuring top skiers and snowboarders delivered by helicopter to some knee-knocking heights and set to a pounding rock-music beat, never failed to produce hooting, shouting and delirium among the snow-deprived faithful.
Mr. Miller is responsible for almost single handedly creating action sports film as a genre. His first film “Deep and Light,” debuted in the winter of 1949-50 in Port Angeles, Washington and over the years he became the Walt Disney of ski films. His yearly films shaped our lives in ways we never will fully understand. For that we thank him.
[Link: Seattle Times]
