The Age of Commercialism

How sad is this?

When a movie has you begging for it to end not even half way through it's pure crap. We've all seen this movie and this characters millions of times, nothing new in it. Don't waste your time.

Exactly the movie you think it is, but not the movie you want it to be.

In a small snowy Iowa town, beautiful blonde Lynn-Holly Johnson (as Alexis "Lexie" Winston) practices her figure skating. Meanwhile, cute wavy-haired boyfriend Robby Benson (as Nick Peterson) plays ice hockey. As the story progresses, we learn these two characters are high school students. Sweet 16-year-old Ms. Johnson is initially coached by gravel-voiced Colleen Dewhurst (as Beulah Smith), a figure skater in her youth (stated as 25 years ago) who runs the local bowling alley and ice rink. Johnson's widower father Tom Skerritt (as Marcus) is not too keen on her competing professionally, but she does anyway. On her way to the top of the rink, Johnson acquires well-known woman's skating coach Jennifer Warren (as Deborah Mackland) and her handsome sport-casting boyfriend David Huffman (as Brian Dockett)... Then, tragedy strikes..."Come on you pansies!" Ms. Dewhurst gets to shriek at a hockey game, "Don't check with your goddamn wrists. Let's have a little blood flow on that ice!" It's fun to see everyone "act" like they are watching ice hockey and figure skating...Too much of this film requires you to figure it out as you go along. We're led to believe Mr. Benson will be focused upon, but his role may have been built up to take advantage of Benson being the biggest box office star in the cast. Benson does play a big role in the third act, however. One of his inserted scenes features Benson lovingly lighted in his tight white briefs. Around this time, we have Johnson in a confused romantic relationship; considering how things turn out, you should consider that Johnson and the sportscaster were closer than it appears - at least, that's how Mr. Huffman and Benson play it out. The relatively minor "Theme from 'Ice Castles' (Through the Eyes of Love)" sung by Melissa Manchester and written by Marvin Hamlisch with Carole Bayer Sager received some award consideration, based mostly on their reputations.***** Ice Castles (12/31/78) Donald Wrye ~ Lynn-Holly Johnson, Robby Benson, Colleen Dewhurst, Tom Skerritt

Johnson plays fictitious figure skater Alexis Winston, whose widower father (Skerritt) reluctantly allows master coach (Warren) to take her to the big city for a chance to demonstrate her unique talents and compete in the national titles. She leaves behind her boyfriend (Benson) and local skate rink owner (Dewhurst) and is soon consumed by the trappings of high profile sport and fair-weather friends, wooed by a much older newscaster (Huffman) and forced to endure the spotlight of TV in addition to her rigorous training schedule. But just as she's about to reach the heights of success, she's felled prematurely in a shocking accident that robs her of her sight, and it seems, her dream. With the aid of family and 'true' friends, she attempts an audacious comeback.Set to the backdrop of Melissa Manchester's commanding theme song ("Looking Through the Eyes of Love"), "Ice Castles" is the "Flashdance" of the late seventies, with generally strong performances by the cast. Johnson's maturity belies her age, underrated Jennifer Warren delivers a strong performance as the perfectionist coach, while Dewhurst has a couple of intense scenes to display her range, notably where she confronts Johnson in the attic where she's apparently given up on life in favour of a shallow existence of self pity.Typical feel-good movie is elevated by Dewhurst's performance and the Oscar-nominated theme song (the rest of the soundtrack isn't bad either, e.g. "Midnight Blue" and "A Fifth of Beethoven"), but probably attempts to milk too much sympathy as films of this ilk often do from the audience. One of those films you probably wouldn't seek to watch, but nevertheless find yourself engaged to the end in spite of yourself.

Everyone seems to knock the acting of Robby Benson and Lynn Holly Johnson in this movie. I thought they had great chemistry together and were very believable as the guy with hockey dreams and the untapped ice skating talents of his girlfriend, than the jealousy he feels when she almost reached the dreams he feels he will miss out on for himself.Not to mention the supporting talents of Tom Skerritt and Colleen Dewhurst. How can anyone dislike this movie? Sure it makes you cry---that's almost the best part of the movie. There are only three movies that I'm guaranteed to cry at...Ice Castles, The Way We Were and Terms of Endearment.

Lynn-Holly Johnson and Robby Benson give smashing performances as an aspiring Olympic ice skater and her loving boyfriend. ICE CASTLES is an excellent film that's very romantic, touching and moving. It's a love story that ultimately tests the boundaries of true love. The music is good, too, especially "Through The Eyes Of Love," which is the song that plays over the opening credits. If you're wondering who's it's by, it's by Melissa Manchester. Before I wrap this up, I'd like to say that everyone involved in this film did an outstanding job. In conclusion, if you like love stories that are happy and sad at the same time, this is definitely a movie to see. You will really be touched by it.