Everyone remembers their 21st birthday. Or, do they? Usually defined by excessive partying and a ton of booze 21st birthdays have a tendency to go big to the point of amnesia. For Teton Gravity Research (TGR) going big has never been an issue for them. Known for their epic lines and crazy stunts, TGR has pushed the boundaries of backcountry skiing for 21 years. So on their 21st birthday, it is no surprise that their newest film, Tight Loose, redefines big even by TGR's standards and with an anthology of clips from their early days, ensures you will remember.
I realize that this movie review is long overdue since ski movie reviews generally come out in the fall. What can I say? I've been busy, butwith the weather hovering somewhere near 60 and me stuck in New Jersey with no skiing on my schedule this week, I settled in with an apres ski beer or two and finally got to watch TGR's Tight Loose.
Not known for making real plot laden movies, TGR sticks with what made them famous, sick skiing and riding and some innovative lingo. From Alaska to India (yes, India) TGR's globetrotting produces an adventurous celebration of 21 years of ski cinematography. In between new spine, couloir, pillow filled footage I was reminded of TGR's past with snippets from previous movies that were shot with a much lower, Blair Witch-like budget. Past and present, the theme for the skiing and riding was, "Go Bigger." Since it's their 21st birthday, they do, sometimes to the point of epic failure. However, as they say, if you're not falling, you're not skiing hard enough and believe me, they even look good when tumbling down the hill. All of this epic shredding is accompanied by a lengthy and somewhat expected vocabulary lesson filled with plenty of isms and new words that I will be sure to use this coming winter.
It's hard to believe that Teton Gravity Research is 21 years old. For the past 21 years, they have redefined big mountain skiing while jetsetting the world to find new far off locations that go far beyond anyone's limitations. That all reigns supreme in TGR's new Tight Loose which is the perfect birthday celebration for a company that deserves one.
