Ski Troop Attack

Rating:
Summary: Amazing Little Movie
Review: "Little" is an apt opening point--it is a puny 63 minutes long. That said, it is a surpise to me how interesting a little movie it is. First, it was filmed near Deadwood, South Dakota, and the scenery throughtout is beautiful. If it had been filmed in color, as the cover depicts, it would be remembered as some outstandingly beautiful film work. I assume it was filmed in B&W because they used some actual wartime films of German troop/tank movements that were B&W throughout the movie.

The story revolves around a small group of American ski troops somewhere near and during the Battle of the Bulge. The opening scenes say they are in the Hurtgen Forest. While I claim no fame in geography or topography, where the mountains of this magnitude are supposed to be located has to be left to the immagination, but that is not really important--they are beautiful. There is a newly commissioned lieutenant and a grizzled old, smart-a**, "lifer" sergeant who thinks he knows all there is to know about anything. His attitude towards the lieutenant borders on insubordination and he belittles the Lieutenant throughtout the film while the officer calmly goes on with his job. To say much more would ruin the film--remember there are only 63 minutes, leaving little to tell without spoiling the plot. I have an extensive collection of war movies (VHS and DVD) and needed this to fill a hole. I expected little and was surprised.

It is a low budget movie with no name stars, and the plot is thin, as is the dialog, but it is an interesting movie. The transfer to DVD is poor, the sound leaves much to be desired, but it's comfortably viewable. There is a blank space for a few seconds in the middle of the movie, but it is just a nuisance not a catastrophy--nothing seems to be missing. Four stars maybe a bit high, but I enjoyed it. For the price, you can't go wrong. Try it, you'll like it.