Ski Troop Attack, 1960 film

This is another film from the 20 movie collection I have been recently reviewing. The title alone should give you ample warning you are dealing with a rather plump turkey here. That it is a Roger Corman production ought to be a second big clue. The plot, a small US patrol of GI's on ski's are scouting behind the lines on the eve of the Ardennes offensive, led by a 'green' officer and battle hardened Sargent they encounter various enemy patrols (also mounted on ski's), a fanatical German frau out to kill them and a 'railroad bridge' they decide to blow up.

Hoo boy, where to begin? Shot in black and white so that extensive footage from the Eastern front can be spliced into the film to pad its over all content, the actual historical content is probably the most interesting by far. The actors are trying but the script and production values don't give them much to work with. The German woman's accent seems to come and go during her short period on camera and the enemy soldiers are nothing but cardboard cut outs. The rail bridge looks like what it is, a tram bridge, far too rickety to handle a full sized train. The US patrol are all issued with M-2 carbines, which they fire off on full auto, never seeming to have to reload.

Looking it up, according to wiki it was shot in 7 days as part of a double feature, probably destined for a drive in populated by horny teenagers looking for a place to make out. Joe Bob Briggs , the noted fill critic , called it the best film ever made in Deadwood South Dakota which is saying something since it was one of two films made at the same time so that Corman could write off a ski vacation while filming. Small trivia bit, the lead actor was a guest actor in the classic Star Trek episode 'Who Mourns for Adonais?'.

 

Sounds similar to the sort of 'spaghetti war movies' a certain channel over here keeps showing.

 

Roger Corman the king of drive-in "B" movies and monster fest conventions...still kicking at 94...good review there belastar.

 

7 days? just enough for the credits and the climax

 

Good find. I'll have to watch that. I started skiing around 1960 on 1940's gear. Ski commando operations were envisioned when the 10 Mountain, FSSF and 99th Inf. were formed. And none ever used their skis after training at Ft. Hale.

 

stop it 12...your brittle bones will only cost taxpayers more.
i have some good ski resort stories.
worked mid station.

 

Thanks for caring. First I learned to walk, then to ski I learned to ski. Ill be fine. And it's not your government, $$ eh?

 

got my first concussion tobogganing.
thats where the black eye photo came from.

 

edit- sorry