Teton Gravity Research has been at the forefront of ski movie making since 1995, and their newest film, Legend Has It, shows why. With an emphasis on aesthetic shots which show both the scenery and skier, cheer-worthy sends and drops, callbacks and mentions of past “ski lore”, and a variety of different locations all around the world, TGR’s 2023 addition to their already robust catalog could be one of the best ski films of the year.
Just like last year, the Wilma hosted the Missoula screening, and it continues to be the perfect venue for the job. The ski community showed up in full force, and it was confirmed to be the most people at a Missoula TGR screening ever. The stoke was high and the room was buzzing with skiers and snowboarders of all ages.
The night started off with a live raffle hosted by a Gull Ski employee and a surprise appearance from Parkin Costain and Maggie Voisin, two skiers from the film. People walked away with TGR merch and skis from Line and Volkl. Costain and Voisin also signed posters and talked with fans.
After a couple trailers, including one for TGR’s first ever snowboarding-exclusive film, it was finally time. Energy was high, and the Wilma went crazy as TGR’s symbol appeared on the screen. The film has a stacked cast, from consistently good older skiers like Tim Durtschi and Sage Cattabriga to legends in the making such as Marcus Goguen and TGR favorite Kai Jones, there wasn’t a lack of talent in any shot.
Because it was shot in the record breaking snow season of 2022-23, the film is full of crazy powder clips and face shots all around. One of the first edits shows a 44 inch day at Jackson Hole, which is quintessential TGR. There’s even a point when Costain gets stuck in snow up to his chest and has to do a summersault to get out of it, drawing lots of laughs and whoops from the crowd.
The film is divided up by location. It’s shot in stunning places like Patagonia, Jackson Hole, Alaska, Palisades Tahoe, and even Pakistan, and the beauty of each of these places, both in mountains and culture, is highlighted in every segment. You get a feel for the people and vibe of whatever place they’re skiing, which is something not a lot of ski movies do and this one does wonderfully.
Towards the end of the film, we see sixteen year old Kai Jones hit a gigantic cliff, land horribly, slide down the mountain, and stop in a pile of snow screaming. He gets evacuated by helicopter and we get to see his full recovery from two broken legs. It’s a snap back to reality for skiers, and a reminder that the possibility of injury, even for the best of us, is always there. The film ends with an inspiring edit of some of Kai’s highlights over the years of his young and talented career.
TGR continues to pump out the best of the best in ski films, and Legend Has It was a particularly good one. Stoke for the 2023-23 season was already high among the ski community, and thanks to this amazing and inspiring ski movie, it’s even higher.
