This
is also your classic sports story of one team’s rise from nothing to win it all
behind a charismatic coach who never quits.
Right on cue, under his guidance, a team of misfits comes together and
does the thing everyone said was impossible.
This is also the Cold War personified on ice.
So
what has changed in our cultural memory that warrants a movie about it 24 years
after the fact?
We
all have some knowledge of what went on that day in Lake Placid, New York back
in 1980. But if you didn’t watch that game as it happened, you do not
understand. The team in the red no
longer exists; the country they hailed from is no more. And it’s more than just the game you don’t
understand; it’s everything beyond it, both in the team room and in the
stands. The Cold War was still being
waged and the threat of World War III never completely left the minds of those
in both West and East.
This
trailer encourages anyone and everyone with a shard of patriotism to get out
and see this movie. There is no target
audience, because you naturally have one of two reasons to see it. You either were watching that day in 1980 and
want to see the story you saw unfold happen again in a different light, or you
were born after the fact and want to learn exactly why the United States’ victory
over the Soviet Union in Olympic ice hockey was such a big deal.
If
you somehow don’t catch on to either of these themes, two concepts come to the
forefront to stir your emotions (pathos).
Color serves two purposes in this trailer. The first involves appealing to one’s
positive emotions in the form of patriotism prompted by omnipresent red, white,
and blue. This doesn’t just refer to the
uniforms on the backs of the players, but also in the stands filled with fans
proudly waving the stars and stripes. Also,
the bright colors of the uniforms, both American blue and Soviet red, stand in
stark contrast to the dull, cool-colored backdrop that seems perfect for
hockey. Giannetti says it best in Understanding Movies when he describes reds,
yellows, and oranges as representing aggressiveness, violence, and stimulation
while blues and greens emphasize aloofness and serenity. [Giannetti, 22] The blue and gray hues that seem to encase
Lake Placid in a tranquil winter are rudely interrupted by the fiercely
intimidating red-clad Soviets and their multi-colored American
counterparts. This tends to lead one to
believe that something huge is taking place in the most unlikely of places due
to the sudden differential between event and setting. And if images like these are not enough to evoke
a deep desire to stand up and cheer as the puck finds the back of the net, the
sounds accompanying the end of the trailer will. The playing of “Dream On” by Aerosmith
followed by deafening chants of “U-S-A! U-S-A!” establishes the belief that
Coach Brooks has established in these players and seems to bring on the idea
that you will be looking at history being made, even as this game took place so
long ago and the outcome has become legendary.
There
is as stark a contrast between the characters as there is in the color scheme. In the trailer, Herb Brooks is set apart from
his players not just by his past efforts and well-known failure, but also by
his character. Kurt Russell was
hand-selected for this role because he has a history of playing these types of
strong men. Part of the role evidently
involves bringing our main character’s ethos into question at the start, as his
outbursts at his players lead us to question his ability to lead this team. Andrea A. Lunsford gives us questions to ask
ourselves in Everything’s an Argument
in regards to authority: Should we pay attention to him? Do his past experiences make him
qualified? [Lunsford, 50] The trailer
indicates we should focus on Brooks, but does he really have the skills to give
this team an edge, or will the Americans have to beat the Soviets on talent
alone? About thirty seconds later in the
trailer we learn the truth. Brooks is a
no-nonsense head coach with an enormous task ahead of him, yet he is in charge of
a group of college kids who seemingly can’t get along or skate
effectively. Hence comes the grueling
training regimen shown in the middle of the trailer and we understand just how
Brooks intends to coach this team. None
of the actors who play the hockey players need to be put at the forefront. In fact, the ethos of their characters is called into question right off the bat as well with
quotes like, “Why hockey? The girls!”
and “They’re Russians; they get shot if they smile.” Regardless, this is a total team effort; no one player
will beat the Soviets. And as a whole,
this team will rely on things like the ethos of their coach to pull together
and pull off the upset.
This
movie is for just about anyone in the market for an uplifting story, but not
everyone can appreciate the significance that this team and this date hold in
the history of the American people. Hence,
I will only give it two tickets. Regardless,
this movie is a fine effort showcasing an amazing moment in American
history. So, if you love your country,
the Olympic Games, ice hockey, or any combination of the three; get out there and
be witness to the Miracle.
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