Olympic Glory

This fine film documenting some of the events at Nagano, Japan during the 1998 Winter Olympics is essentially as celebratory as the Olympic Games themselves. It takes full advantage of the large-format medium of IMAX to capture things such as what the ski jump looks like from above, and the astonishing movements possible for a skilled snowboarder.

But the movie's real strength is that it doesn't just document Olympic success stories. It shows quite a few tumbles in the snow and falls on the ice. The best story may be that of the first Kenyan to participate in the Winter Olympics, a marathon runner who learned cross-country skiing from the Norwegian team only shortly before competing in the Olympics. He finished last, but he didn't quit. (Five other competitors did.) And he said he would go home as they all would: a champion.

Thus, the most powerful thing captured in this movie is something you never see at all: the glory of the human spirit.

This is the best Olympic documentary I have ever seen, and I have seen most of them. The technology, the artistry and the subject matter are well suited for each other. Having been to 12 Olympic Games ( every one since 1976), this film captures the excitement of the Games as no other.

Bud Greenspan has made a career of such films and he can now retire safe in the knowledge that his legacy is in safe hands. He can take a lesson in using the technology now available to tell the stories he has been telling for decades. His techniques are now outdated and tiring.

The Games are much more dynamic than ever. The IMAX system puts the viewer right in the action and excitement. The ride down the bobsled run is worth the price of admission alone. Having experienced the real thing, this may come too close to that for the faint of heart.

The stories of the athletes that make the Games special are told in nice tight segments. The only criticism I have is that the film is too short. Perhaps that can be corrected next time.