Today I have a nasty flu so I thought that maybe a good dose of old-fashioned snowboard action would just cheer me up. So, I took a painkiller pill, drank a few cups of hot tea and headed for the show: the Finnish premiere of Burton’s 2009-2010 team film, The B Movie… Also, I already had a free ticket to the show from my work, so I didn’t even have to pay anything (not that it would have stopped me).

Is Burton still the king of snowboarding?

I met some friends at the movie theatre and the discussion immediately turned to a question whether it is clever “content-based marketing” or just cruel business to charge a 5€ fee from teens to watch “advertisement material”? Just joking of course. After all, in this case it would be a huge understatement to call the film just “advertising”. And, by the way, the aforementioned question came from the guy that actually designed the graphics on Jussi Oksanen’s board last year . (A bit of name dropping here but check out www.jarisalo.com for really cool skate/snowboard graphics, beautiful trip photos and nice general design stuff.)

Well, on to the content then. I am not that familiar with all the latest trends in snowboarding, but Burton still has one of the most talented teams around (shouldn’t be a suprise to anyone?) and pretty much lives the evolution of the sport.

In general everything you see is either mindblowing (i.e. tricks that 99% of us mortals wouldn’t even dream of) or just otherwise tells you exactly what snowboarding is in 2010 – for example all the highly creative urban stunts by Jeremy Jones (The “jibber” one, as another Jeremy Jones is one of the sickest big mountains guys – funny coincidence that is!).

Edition, filming and music in The B Movie

The editing was typically fast but nothing too “mtv” for a 36-year-old guy like me. There were some fast edits and unusual visual effects (like using overly-exposed-looking picture, etc.), but all those were used in a very stylish and quite mellow manner. I also liked the music – instead of (only) typical electropop from recent years, there was a healthy dose of groove/funk/soul and some classic rock too. And 1990s stuff like the Charlatans song from 1996!  I remember some friend saying back in the 1990s that “the big B” always tends to be a few years ahead of the curve – what they do now, everyone else will do in a couple of years. I guess this still holds true?

Riding in Burton’s 2008-209 The B Movie

As stated, riding was good, and some of the tricks and airs made me gasp – kind of expecting that some disaster is about to happen any second. Nicolas Müller’s part was nice, playful all-around snowboarding. I also liked Fredrik Kalbermatten’s part and style quite a lot.

Jeremy Jones did some very innovative/crazy urban jib things, as usual (although I’ve heard that Finnish Sebu Kuhlberg did that “shove-it” allowing trick with his bindings already in like 1994? In other words, he apparently filed the serrations off from the binding’s under plate, allowing the board to be “whipped” around on one-footed airs, and thus allowing the skate board trick “shove-it”/”360 shove it”).

Speaking of Finns, Jussi Oksanen’s part was also fine…some of the more “natural” riding in the flick. Lake Tahoe, good snow and natural lines, which all looked fun, stylish and as effortless as it can be. No wonder Jussi has been B’s team member for ages!

Where’s Terje, insane powder and “just” turns?

Ok, on to the criticism then. I guess times goes by but I couldn’t believe they’ve demoted Terje Haakonsen to have a “supporting role” only. All in all I would have liked to see more “soulful” riding – turning in steep terrain, trees/pillow lines, some real big mountain hairy stuff and top-to-bottom sections. There was some nice segments and locations, but to me it seemed that the edition/action/filming always concentrated on the “trick” part of the line, leaving on-the-ground-riding out of the limelight.

Give me Terje slashing Japan trees on his Fish! Or a few good old steep AK lines. I also missed the TGR type “deeper than deep” powder segment – isn’t that what the ski/snowboard porn is all about? (And yes I sound and am old school…)

To be honest I awaited that ultimate powder segment throughout the whole flick and therefore the otherwise massive, even spectacular “B” segment in the end was just “meh” to me. Although the set-up (massive “B”-shaped sculpture of snow), filming and riding were all top-class. But that is all apples and oranges, you know…go see the film and decide for yourself!