From all the sports I’ve written about, the post about ski jumping could be the most challenging so far. Ski Jumping Pro VR is next on my agenda, as so are the movies that feature ski jumping in the plot. But I’m not complaining. I love writing about any sports, but winter sports have been a mystery for me. Golf, football, basketball, wrestling, rugby have been part of my repertoire, but not ski jumping.
So you can imagine my excitement. And it turns out there are some great movies about this particular winter sport. Not as popular as alpine skiing, but popular nonetheless. Ski jumping is specially in the Scandinavian countries, but not so much where I live.
Ski Jumping Pro VR Is on SALE!
But the motif for this particular post is the recent sale on the Ski Jumping Pro VR video game. Make sure to get it while it’s hot…or snow cold. I know that we’re currently in the middle of the summer. But if you’re feeling nostalgic about the winter and specifically about ski jumping, then this simulator game is the perfect pick for you. However, if you are interested in more VR games, we also have an ongoing bundle filled to the brim with those.
However, before I even begin to mention the movies I’ve selected, I must mention a word or two about the game itself.
Ski Jumping Pro VR: What’s the game all about?
Developed by Yippee Entertainment LTD and published by Kalypso Media UK Ltd Ski Jumping Pro VR is a great sky jumping simulator. Also, it delivers the thrills of hurtling down a snow-packed ski ramp like no other game. It allows you to enjoy an ultra-realistic VR experience with the sensation of incomparable height and speed. You must keep your balance and land like a Pro to become the most successful Ski Jumper. A single-player career mode and multiple tournaments (62 events in 32 venues) make this game the ultimate simulation.
However, deviating from my routine now. I’m going for an eclectic mix of fun movies. The movie recommendations in this post will vary in genre, nationality, year of release and pretty much everything else. Ski jumping as a sport will be the single thing that connects all of them. So without further ado…. Let’s start with…
Eddie The Eagle
Sometimes, the only key to success is not giving up. Tenacity and following your passion. No quitting attitude. Hard work and persistence. Talent has nothing to do with it. Much like with pretty much every sport, the talent is just 10% of the athletes. The remaining 90% is just hard work and tenacity.
And never have been more true than in the Eddie The Eagle. Inspired by true events, Eddie The Eagle is a fantastic movie about… You’ve guessed it. Eddied the Eagle. Michael “Eddie” Edwards (played by Taron Egerton). British underdog ski jumper who charmed the world at the 1988 Winter Olympics. With the reluctant help of his rebellious coach played by Hugh Jackman of course.
However, the real Eddie ‘The Eagle’ Edwards said to the BBC that the filmmakers had “done a very, very good job” on making this movie. Edwards also noted that the excellent and uncanny Taron Egerton “got my mannerisms and everything else just right.
But the real Eddie ‘The Eagle’ Edwards spent all but 20 months training before he competed at the 1988 Calgary Winter Olympic Games. Which was an accomplishment all on itself. Why? Because when he competed at the Olympics, Britain had not had a ski-jumper since 1929. But did you know that Eddie and the Jamaican bobsled team, (Cool Runnings), debuted at the Calgary Olympics in 1988? Indeed they did. A fact that makes this movie that much interesting and fun.
The Great Ecstasy of Woodcarver Steiner
Told ya, this is a diverse post, now didn’t I? This is a much older movie, and a documentary film as well. Directed by the great Werner Herzog, The Great Ecstasy of Woodcarver Steiner is about Walter Steiner. A celebrated ski jumper from Switzerland, who worked as a carpenter for his full-time occupation. He broke multiple records and achieved fame and fortune while working as a carpenter, which is extremely rare. Often, sports require full time dedication, but this was not the case with Walter.
This is also one of the few movies in which Herzog appears in front of the camera. But at the same time, the director (to this day) calls this movie “one of my most important films.” Although just 45 minutes long in the edited run-time, this is a fantastic movie nonetheless. Worth the watch.
Take Off
I’m back with the feature-length and motion picture movies. But this time I’m headed to South Korea for a great movie that features ski jumping. 2009 Taking Off is fantastic, and to this day, it’s one of the best in the entire South Korean cinematography. But why is this movie so special? Because much like the other movies on this list, it is also inspired by true events. The ski jumping team that at the Winter Olympics in Nagano.
You see, ski jumping was a new sport for the people of South Korea. So there were only five members of the national team at the Winter Olympics in Nagano 1998. And because of that, the director Kim Yong-Hwa made this movie. To introduce the ski jumping event to Koreans and therefore improve national support for the event. This was the first Olympics in which the Korean ski jump team competed, so it was a big deal for the public. However, they did not receive much financing from the government, and the poor results followed. The movie got a sequel in 2016, but the 2009 movie remains the best of all.
Matti: Hell Is For Heroes
And I’m finishing this post with another biopic. Because why not? This time about another legendary ski jumper. The Finnish legend Matti Nykanen. Directed by Aleksi Mäkelä, Matti: Hell Is For Heroes was the most-watched movie in Finland in 2006 and for a good reason. That’s because the life and career of the real Matti were colorful, to say the least. Think of him as the rock star of ski jumping.
Until his death last year, Matti had a life and a career filled with triumphs and scandals. He was married 6 times (twice to the same woman). And back in 2004 he was even arrested on suspicion of attempted manslaughter. In between all of this, he managed to release several music albums and he’s now remembered for his scandals as he’s remembered for his triumphs. Fun fact about the movie: Seppo Pääkkönen (who plays Matti’s father) is a real-life father of Jasper Pääkkönen (who plays Matti).
This is a great movie, and you really should watch it if you have the chance.
Ski Jumping Pro VR
Which are some of your picks? Which are some of your favorite movies that have a ski jumping in the plot? Furthermore, do you have a favorite ski jumper? Tell us in the comment section.
