BY LEE PFEIFFER
Once upon a time in Hollywood, studios weren't obsessed with "tent pole" series, mega-budget blockbusters and remakes of films (some of which probably shouldn't have been made in the first place.) To be sure, these aspects of the film industry were always embraced to a certain degree but there was also a concentration on developing mid-range budgeted films designed to make mid-ranged profits. Case in point: the little-remembered 1993 movie "Aspen Extreme", the brainchild of director and screenwriter Patrick Hasburgh, who had found success on television by co-creating the series "Hardcastle and McCormick" and "21 Jump Street" with Stephen J. Cannell. Hasburgh's achievements on the big screen were non-existent, however. Yet, he convinced Disney's Hollywood Pictures division to finance "Aspen Extreme", a youth-oriented drama that centers on two lifelong friends: T.J. Burke (Paul Gross) and Dexter Rutecki (Peter Berg). The film opens in Detroit with the twenty-something duo becoming fed up with their careers as blue collar workers. The spontaneously quit their jobs, pile into their dilapidated old van and head out to Aspen, Colorado, playground of the rich and famous, to establish themselves as ski instructors. The pair is dead broke and end up having to convert a caboose train car into a bachelor pad. T.J., the more intelligent and charismatic of the two, is also the better skier and immediately lands a job as an instructor. The slow-witted and uncouth T.J. (he attends upscale cocktail parties clad in a plaid shirt and red baseball cap) is lucky that T.J. coerces his boss to employ him in the children's ski program, where he actually thrives. Life is initially good for the men: they finally have decent salaries and the future looks bright. T.J. catches the eye of many of the local rich women, in particular, gorgeous Bryce Kellogg (Finola Hughes), who is a cross between Joan Collins and Cruella de Vil. Before long, T.J. becomes the latest acquisition in a string of boy toys who are invited to share her opulent lifestyle and endless sex sessions, only to be discarded for the next in line. (For all the emphasis on sex in this movie, the depiction of it is straight out of a TV production with discreet fade-outs before the action gets too hot.)
In reality, "Aspen Extreme" is a soap opera aimed at men. It unwinds over a running time of nearly two hours, as we watch T.J. fall in love with good girl Robin (Teri Polo), a local radio newscast host, only to have this meaningful relationship jeopardized by being lured back for a one-night stand with Bryce. Meanwhile, Dexter is feeling inconsequential. His crude ways alienate him from women and when he finally attracts a girl, it turns out she is using him to run illegal drug deals. T.J. and Dexter end up feuding and the reason is, well, cherchez la femme. The film presents a spider's web of female sexual manipulation, coercion and impatience. #MeToo wasn't even on the horizon. If you can past that, the movie is reasonably engrossing and well-acted by a talented cast of young people who were anything but known boxoffice attractions. Director Hasburgh excels at the exciting skiing scenes but the script tosses in many sub-plots that give the production an "everything but the kitchen sink" feel. One amusing aspect is seeing how hip young guys behaved in the era just before the introduction of cell phones and internet. Yes, folks, people actually spoke to one another while making eye contact. Ultimately, "Aspen Extreme" was a critical and boxoffice failure, recouping only about half of its modest $14 million production cost. Yet, aside from being a bit long-winded, it provides enough entertainment value to merit being recommended viewing.
The Kino Lorber Blu-ray looks great and the skiing scenes practically jump off the screen. The original trailer is also included.
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