To paraphrase a song from Disney movie “Hercules,” Filipino figure skater Michael Martinez went from zero (no one had even heard of him before this year’s Olympic Winter Games) to hero as he has captured the Philippines’ hearts with his awesome moves.
He’s set off an interest in figure skating so we can possibly see an increase in ice skating summer workshop enrollments and brisk ticket sales to “Disney On Ice” if it tours in our country this year in December.
We can also foresee a possible Star Magic movie in the making featuring Sam Milby, who had trained as a figure skater when he was younger. It could possibly be a co-production with SM Malls (at whose rinks Michael Martinez first learned to ice skate).
Here is a mix of romances, comedies and documentaries about figure skating that can keep us occupied until then. (Also to give us an idea of which formula plot a possible Pinoy movie will most likely ape.)
8
Ice Castles
Romance
This is the movie that popularized the song “Through the Eyes of Love” (see what they did there with “eyes” rhyming with “ice”?). Alexis “Lexie” Winston (played by skater Lynn-Holly Johnson) rises to figure skating super stardom and then she loses her sight.
A direct-to-DVD remake was made in 2010.
7
For Your Eyes Only
Thriller
Lynn-Holly Johnson played another figure skater, this time in a James Bond movie. She plays Bibi Dahl, a spoied teen skater who has her eyes on Bond (Roger Moore).
6
Ice Princess
Comedy
Post-“Buffy the Vampire Slayer” and pre-“Gossip Girl,” Michelle Trachtenberg starred as Casey Carlyle, a girl who applies her knowledge of physics to become a better figure skater.
Also starring Sex and the City’s Kim Cattrall and Heroes’ Hayden Panettiere.
5
Suspense
Suspense noir
Olympic skater Belita plays Roberta Elva, who has an affair behind her skating-rink owner husband and is made to jump through a hoop of knives.
4
The Cutting Edge
Romantic comedy
A has-been Olympic hockey player (D. B. Sweeney) returns to the Olympics as the male partner to rich, spoiled figure skater (Moira Kelly).
Byran Adams sang the theme “Feels Like Forever.”
The film was followed by several sequels: The Cutting Edge: Going for the Gold, The Cutting Edge 3: Chasing the Dream, and The Cutting Edge: Fire & Ice.
3
South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut
Animated comedy
Olympic champion Brian Boitano has an animated cameo as the South Park kids sing “What Would Brian Boitano Do?.” He not only figure skates here but has breathe of fire.
2
The Price of Gold
Documentary
This documentary revisits the attack on figure skater “Supreme Ice Princess” Nancy Kerrigan by thugs who later alleged they were in cahoots with her rival “Trailer Trash” Tonya Harding.
If you’re not into documentaries, then you can check out the spoof National Lampoon’s Attack of the 5’2″ Woman.
1
Blades of Glory
Comedy
Will Ferrell and Jon Heder play two rival figure skaters who are forced to work together as an all-male duo for pairs figure skating.
Bonus: On Thin Ice: The Tai Babilonia Story
If you can find a copy, this TV movie featured the true story of Fil-Am Olympic champion figure skater Tai Babilonia, her rise to fame and her fall from grace. (Her father is Pinoy.) Watch Tai in action here.
Which of these movies have you seen or would like to see? Share in the Comments Section.
