We don't see much hockey in American pop culture which has led to very few movies with hockey content. A search on imdb.com gives 332 movies, tv shows or video games with "hockey" as a keyword....but that number includes Don Cherry complilations so the number is actually much, much lower. So it's not that big of a debate on the best one of all time.
You'll notice the lack of the Mighty Ducks franchise on this list. Any hockey movie that includes something as ridiculous as the flying "V" or knucklepuck (shudder) has no business on any list.
Also, we realize Miracle is probably considered a pretty good hockey movie in some circles but we just couldn't get into it.....maybe you need to be an American to appreciate Kurt Russell as Herb Brooks.
In our research we came across this by some guy: "Anyone see MVP (Most Valuble Primate) about the monkey that plays hockey? I didn't get to see it, no theatres around here would show it." What do you know. Somebody actually wanted to see that movie ... Wow!
On to the list...in no particular order:
You'll notice the lack of the Mighty Ducks franchise on this list. Any hockey movie that includes something as ridiculous as the flying "V" or knucklepuck (shudder) has no business on any list.
Also, we realize Miracle is probably considered a pretty good hockey movie in some circles but we just couldn't get into it.....maybe you need to be an American to appreciate Kurt Russell as Herb Brooks.
In our research we came across this by some guy: "Anyone see MVP (Most Valuble Primate) about the monkey that plays hockey? I didn't get to see it, no theatres around here would show it." What do you know. Somebody actually wanted to see that movie ... Wow!
On to the list...in no particular order:
Click on the movie title for a classic clip from the flick
Strange Brew - It's all about Rosy the Rose. You know a Bob & Doug movie had to have some hockey in it.
The Running Man - "Hey Killian, here is Sub Zero, now...plain zero!" Classic Arnie. There were four gladiators that Arnie had to take care of and one of them was a sumo hockey goalie with a razor sharp stick....the hockey fraternity has to be happy with that.
Mystery, Alaska - It's not a very exciting movie but at least hockey is the actual focus of this movie. It is very possible that this movie is to blame for turning Aussie Russell Crowe into a Leafs fan. Poor guy.
Youngblood - A skilled player needs to show he has heart to make the pros...throw in a love story (with the coaches daughter, of course) and you've got a very common movie formula. It's really on the list because Dean Youngblood is a damn cool name and it has loads of "funny even though they are not trying to be funny" moments.
Swingers - This very small scene of this great movie perfectly illustrates how many of us spent our entire teenage years. Stars Jon Favreau and Vince Vaughn were also in the greatest sports movie of all time.
Wayne's World - massive hockey fan Mike Myers has to be on this list somewhere. He always seems to work hockey into his movies, even if it's something small like Dr. Evil and Mini Me wearing Leafs jerseys, or his new movie The Love Guru (which looks awful, by the way). But the best hockey moment Myers has given us is Wayne and Garth playing the Canadian pastime of road hockey in Wayne's World (Je suis désolé, c'est en français) throw in a reference to Tim Horton's and you've made many hockey fans happy.
Dumb and Dumber - This movie has nothing to do with hockey as you may realize. But it does contain possibly the best performance by a hockey player in a movie. Boston's favourite son Cam Neely turns in a tour de force performance as Sea Bass. He also appears in "Stuck on You", "What's the Worst That Could Happen?" and "Me, Myself and Irene" but he'll always be Sea Bass to us.
Happy Gilmore - The few scenes of the movie that have Happy playing hockey are extremely entertaining. Would have been nice to have a bit more in the movie focussing on Happy's failed hockey career but we'll take what we can get. Extras points because, according to imdb.com, Joe Sakic was one of the skaters in the try-out scene.
But the best is easily...
Strange Brew - It's all about Rosy the Rose. You know a Bob & Doug movie had to have some hockey in it.
The Running Man - "Hey Killian, here is Sub Zero, now...plain zero!" Classic Arnie. There were four gladiators that Arnie had to take care of and one of them was a sumo hockey goalie with a razor sharp stick....the hockey fraternity has to be happy with that.
Mystery, Alaska - It's not a very exciting movie but at least hockey is the actual focus of this movie. It is very possible that this movie is to blame for turning Aussie Russell Crowe into a Leafs fan. Poor guy.
Youngblood - A skilled player needs to show he has heart to make the pros...throw in a love story (with the coaches daughter, of course) and you've got a very common movie formula. It's really on the list because Dean Youngblood is a damn cool name and it has loads of "funny even though they are not trying to be funny" moments.
Swingers - This very small scene of this great movie perfectly illustrates how many of us spent our entire teenage years. Stars Jon Favreau and Vince Vaughn were also in the greatest sports movie of all time.
Wayne's World - massive hockey fan Mike Myers has to be on this list somewhere. He always seems to work hockey into his movies, even if it's something small like Dr. Evil and Mini Me wearing Leafs jerseys, or his new movie The Love Guru (which looks awful, by the way). But the best hockey moment Myers has given us is Wayne and Garth playing the Canadian pastime of road hockey in Wayne's World (Je suis désolé, c'est en français) throw in a reference to Tim Horton's and you've made many hockey fans happy.
Dumb and Dumber - This movie has nothing to do with hockey as you may realize. But it does contain possibly the best performance by a hockey player in a movie. Boston's favourite son Cam Neely turns in a tour de force performance as Sea Bass. He also appears in "Stuck on You", "What's the Worst That Could Happen?" and "Me, Myself and Irene" but he'll always be Sea Bass to us.
Happy Gilmore - The few scenes of the movie that have Happy playing hockey are extremely entertaining. Would have been nice to have a bit more in the movie focussing on Happy's failed hockey career but we'll take what we can get. Extras points because, according to imdb.com, Joe Sakic was one of the skaters in the try-out scene.
But the best is easily...
Slap Shot - Real life minor league players the Hanson Brothers (although only two were actual brothers) ended up being the unexpected stars of this classi. The Hansons' cult following can still be seen to this day. They have been over-exposed the last 10 years which kinda ruins the original in some small way. Sometimes you just wish the original was left to be, but then things like this and this get made. Even still, the original Slap Shot is a work of sport movie art. Made in 1972, it set the standard for movies like Major League and countless others. From Denis Lemieux to Dave "Killer" Carlson to player-coach Reg Dunlop (played by Paul Newman) the movie is filled with excellent characters some of who can actually act.
Think we forgot something? Leave a comment and tell us. We'll definitely add to the list if we get enough interest.
We still can't believe that the road hockey scene from Wayne's World isn't on YouTube (in English anyway). That needs to be fixed ASAP.
Think we forgot something? Leave a comment and tell us. We'll definitely add to the list if we get enough interest.
We still can't believe that the road hockey scene from Wayne's World isn't on YouTube (in English anyway). That needs to be fixed ASAP.
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9 comments:
Jay,
How could you have forgotten the classic scene from Mallrats, where the character played by Jason Lee (Brodie Bruce) refuses to have sex with his girlfriend because he is in the middle of a Stanley Cup run with the Hartford Whalers currently beating the Canadians!
I forgot about Mallrats but I suppose we should give a shout out to Kevin Smith as he's has a few other movies with hockey content. In Dogma there were the three little demon hockey players and in Clerks (which almost made the list) there was the rooftop ball hockey scene.
Dante: "You got any balls down there?"
Jay: "Yeah, about the biggest pair you ever seen.... dingleberry"
agreed...excellent hockey content in kevin smith movies...but the Whale?!
Ananth,
Everybody loves the Whale:
http://beta.sports.yahoo.com/nhl/blog/puck_daddy/post/Ex-Hartford-Whalers-NHL-s-most-endearing-endang?urn=nhl,86719&cp=2
mighty ducks!! Come one! the flying V!
And yes, Mallrats is awesome.
Alison,
How can you cal yourself a hockey fan and like the Mighty Ducks? You're not a 12 year old boy are you? I didn't think so.
That's three comments now for Mallrats. One more pro-Mallrat comment and I'll add it on the site.
For the record, i was the original comment...just couldnt figure out how to get my name on the post the first time out...
Dammit I was hoping I had a mystery reader.
I know I'm late to the game on this post, but you have to see "Hockey Night". It's a Canadian movie about a teenage girl who moves to Parry Sound, Ont. and plays goalie for the boys team. Super cheesy, but also awesome. I highly recommend it.
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