Hockey biopics you'd like to see

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Qui Gon Dave

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Aug 3, 2005
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Canadarocks said:
Are there any Russian hockey players that would be interesting subjects? I've always found Valeri Kharlamov fascinating.

That'd definately be one of my choices, along with Morenz. And one on Jean Beliveau would be good, great subject due to how good he was and the success he enjoyed but also because of the type of guy he was. Always respected, always respectful. With those kind of themes you could make a good film about him.
 

Flash Walken

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May 10, 2005
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I'd just like, maybe a 25 episode series where howie meeker, bob cole, dave hodge, ron mclean, someone who knows a sutter reasonably well, but isn't one and maybe john davidson tell me hockey stories for an hour.

That's it.

Just tell me hockey stories, and maybe have some game footage with the story as naration.

That would be maybe the best thing ever.
 

Canadarocks

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Sep 16, 2005
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I don't know how they'll be portraying the Summit Series but it may be hard to make the Canadians likeable. They were so cocky at the beginning that many people may relish the Russians blowing them away. Bobby Clarke's slash on Valeri Kharlamov wouldn't help. However I've heard it defended by saying the Russians played dirty too. Maybe they'll villainize the Russians a lot.
 

Marcus-74

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Apr 27, 2005
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ClassicHockey said:
The Czechs are big into film making now. Besides, they are the only ones that
can capture the emotion (or hate) from that time. There is video of those tense games (and the Russian invasion).
In case anyone wants to know why Jagr wears sweater # 68 - that's the reason.

ClassicHockey, this is slightly off-topic, but...

Have you seen any footage of Anatoli Firsov? If so, what´s your impression? For instance, could he have made any difference in the Summit Series?

It has been said that he was already past his prime in ´72 (he quit the team after the Winter Olympics in Sapporo; couldn´t get along with the new coach Bobrov, apparently) and that Kharlamov had surpassed him at this point, but I´m not so sure. Yes, Kharlamov did outshine Firsov in Sapporo, but he actually had a defensive role there (he played on the short-lived but very efficient line with Kharlamov and Vikulov = A Tarasov brainchild), and just a year earlier he had been the best forward in the ´71 World Championships.

PS. In the Canada Cup DVD there´s that French-language hi-lite film, which shows a few clips from ´69 WCs, but unfortunately not of Firsov; at least I can´t spot him anywhere...
 

ClassicHockey

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May 22, 2005
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I've seen Firsov play and I also have plenty of footage of Firsov playing against Canada and the Czechs right up to the 1972 World Championships.

If you compare Russian players like Kharlamov to Firsov, then Kharlamov would stick out more because of his speed and superior skills. That's not to say that Firsov wasn't skilled or dominant because he was - just not as flashy or viewed as much as Kharlamov was.

Firsov was a solidly built good skater who often played left wing although he was a right handed shot - think about Ovechkin and Kovalchuk. But Firsov never played against the NHL and so he can't be measured that way. But he was known as the top Soviet forward for those great Russian teams in the 60's, maybe the one forward that Canada feared the most.

I can't remember all the details of why Firsov wasn't on the Russian team in the 1972 series but I don't think it was his decision to leave the National team.

Could he have made a difference in the Summit Series? That's a good question that I'd have to think about. I had this great article about Firsov that I'll try to find if I can.

In late 1969, the Russian National Team played the Canadian National team in Toronto at Maple Leaf Gardens. It may have been one of the last games the Canadian National team played before it was disbanded. At that point, the Canadians were able to use ex-pro players. What is interesting about that game is an 18 year old goalie named Tretiak playing for Russia and a young Kharlamov playing and scoring for Russia in that game. The spare goalie sitting on the bench for Canada in that game was Ken Dryden. So, he at least, saw the capabilities of those 2 Russian young players up close. Its hard to believe that Team Canada could not have known how good Tretiak and Kharlamov were when they played them in game 1 in Montreal.



Marcus-74 said:
ClassicHockey, this is slightly off-topic, but...

Have you seen any footage of Anatoli Firsov? If so, what´s your impression? For instance, could he have made any difference in the Summit Series?

It has been said that he was already past his prime in ´72 (he quit the team after the Winter Olympics in Sapporo; couldn´t get along with the new coach Bobrov, apparently) and that Kharlamov had surpassed him at this point, but I´m not so sure. Yes, Kharlamov did outshine Firsov in Sapporo, but he actually had a defensive role there (he played on the short-lived but very efficient line with Kharlamov and Vikulov = A Tarasov brainchild), and just a year earlier he had been the best forward in the ´71 World Championships.

PS. In the Canada Cup DVD there´s that French-language hi-lite film, which shows a few clips from ´69 WCs, but unfortunately not of Firsov; at least I can´t spot him anywhere...
 

Marcus-74

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Apr 27, 2005
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ClassicHockey said:
I've seen Firsov play and I also have plenty of footage of Firsov playing against Canada and the Czechs right up to the 1972 World Championships.

If you compare Russian players like Kharlamov to Firsov, then Kharlamov would stick out more because of his speed and superior skills. That's not to say that Firsov wasn't skilled or dominant because he was - just not as flashy or viewed as much as Kharlamov was.

Firsov was a solidly built good skater who often played left wing although he was a right handed shot - think about Ovechkin and Kovalchuk. But Firsov never played against the NHL and so he can't be measured that way. But he was known as the top Soviet forward for those great Russian teams in the 60's, maybe the one forward that Canada feared the most.

I can't remember all the details of why Firsov wasn't on the Russian team in the 1972 series but I don't think it was his decision to leave the National team.

Could he have made a difference in the Summit Series? That's a good question that I'd have to think about. I had this great article about Firsov that I'll try to find if I can.

In late 1969, the Russian National Team played the Canadian National team in Toronto at Maple Leaf Gardens. It may have been one of the last games the Canadian National team played before it was disbanded. At that point, the Canadians were able to use ex-pro players. What is interesting about that game is an 18 year old goalie named Tretiak playing for Russia and a young Kharlamov playing and scoring for Russia in that game. The spare goalie sitting on the bench for Canada in that game was Ken Dryden. So, he at least, saw the capabilities of those 2 Russian young players up close. Its hard to believe that Team Canada could not have known how good Tretiak and Kharlamov were when they played them in game 1 in Montreal.

I have to say that I´m a bit surprised of some things you say, since I´ve never been THAT impressed by Kharlamov´s speed, but rather by his incredible strength (for such small man) and of course his many tricks. Anyway, I had the impression that Firsov was faster, but apparently not. It just that most Finnish players who played against both seem to favour Firsov...

Well yes, you´d think that he would have loved to play against the Canadian pros, so maybe he didn´t quit the team per se, but he was very unhappy that Tarasov was "let go" and did not have any love for Bobrov... but I don´t really know the details either, so...
 
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ClassicHockey

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May 22, 2005
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I'm not saying that Firsov wasn't fast and I think he compares to Kovalchuk & Ovechkin so that's pretty favourable. I'm not surprised that the Finns would say Firsov was favoured as there was no doubt that Firsov was one of the top Soviet player of the 60's.

One important factor is that we can't compare what Firsov did vs the NHL like we can with Kharlamov because Firsov didn't play in his prime against the NHL's best. Maybe he would have impressed more than Kharlamov in those games.

Another factor to consider is that maybe Kharlamov played better against the NHL style than he did when facing other teams in international hockey. Its a matter of a player's style. Maybe Firsov was more effective playing the Finns than Kharlamov was because of the way European teams defended against either player.

I always remember in 1972 when Canada was astounded how great Tretiak was after the Summit Series. Observers in Europe at the time said that Tretiak was not that impressive to them in the games that they saw him play. They felt that the Czech goalie at the time was better. As we know, the European game was much different than North American hockey at that time.

So, what I'm saying is that certain players will perform better against certain teams and styles of play. (European vs North American style) .But we can't compare Firsov to Kharlamov in that context because Firsov didn't play in the Summit series. But it might explain why the Finns thought that Firsov was the better player than Kharlamov in the games they played them in.



Marcus-74 said:
I have to say that I´m a bit surprised of some things you say, since I´ve never been THAT impressed by Kharlamov´s speed, but rather by his incredible strength (for such small man) and of course his many tricks. Anyway, I had the impression that Firsov was faster, but apparently not. It just that most Finnish players who played against both seem to favour Firsov...

Well yes, you´d think that he would have loved to play against the Canadian pros, so maybe he didn´t quit the team per se, but he was very unhappy that Tarasov was "let go" and did not have any love for Bobrov... but I don´t really know the details either, so...
 

Canadarocks

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Sep 16, 2005
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ClassicHockey said:
.

Bill Barilko - the rights have been bought by a U.S. producer and he's trying to 'sell'
the concept in Hollywood. So, its pending. Leafs TV did a documentary on Barilko

All you Americans here: How do you think a movie about Bill Barilko would do there? I know Americans are getting more into hockey but how would they feel about an old story about a Canadian? Besides being about hockey, it's not an exclusively Canadian story though, unlike Maurice Richard which is a lot about French/English relations.
 
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Hobey Baker

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May 27, 2004
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sabresprospects.com
Kirk Pedersen said:
I'd love to see anything revolving around the WHA. I just finished reading a book by Vancouver Province columnist Ed Willes called The Rebel League which outlined the short but crazy history of the league.

Also something about the turbulent life of Derek Sanderson would be neat.
I just got done reading this book. Great read, highly reccommended to anyone who loves the game. Not exactly based on the book, but you get the feeling this movie has already been made: Slapshot!
 

Marcus-74

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Apr 27, 2005
165
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ClassicHockey said:
I'm not saying that Firsov wasn't fast and I think he compares to Kovalchuk & Ovechkin so that's pretty favourable. I'm not surprised that the Finns would say Firsov was favoured as there was no doubt that Firsov was one of the top Soviet player of the 60's.

One important factor is that we can't compare what Firsov did vs the NHL like we can with Kharlamov because Firsov didn't play in his prime against the NHL's best. Maybe he would have impressed more than Kharlamov in those games.

Another factor to consider is that maybe Kharlamov played better against the NHL style than he did when facing other teams in international hockey. Its a matter of a player's style. Maybe Firsov was more effective playing the Finns than Kharlamov was because of the way European teams defended against either player.

I always remember in 1972 when Canada was astounded how great Tretiak was after the Summit Series. Observers in Europe at the time said that Tretiak was not that impressive to them in the games that they saw him play. They felt that the Czech goalie at the time was better. As we know, the European game was much different than North American hockey at that time.

So, what I'm saying is that certain players will perform better against certain teams and styles of play. (European vs North American style) .But we can't compare Firsov to Kharlamov in that context because Firsov didn't play in the Summit series. But it might explain why the Finns thought that Firsov was the better player than Kharlamov in the games they played them in.

Yes, like they say in boxing: "styles make fights" and that sometimes applies in hockey too. Ken Dryden and Frank Mahovlich, for instance, couldn´t really shine against the Soviets and Jiri Holecek and Alexander Maltsev are two good examples of European players who weren´t usually at their best vs. North Americans, for whatever reason.

I think that Kharlamov, though, was equally good both in European and North American style of hockey, but maybe he is considered in Europe more as a part of the Mikhailov-Petrov-Kharlamov line, whereas in Canada it seems to be just Kharlamov, Kharlamov, Kharlamov... But he was so exciting to watch and charismatic (in his quiet, modest sort of way) that I can understand it. I would still like to say that he wasn´t THAT much better than anyone else.

And I have no fixations about which one was better, Kharlamov or Firsov... I was basically questioning (in the first post) the "fact" that Firsov was past his prime -- like it has been said -- by the time of the Summit Series.
 

Form and Substance

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Jun 11, 2004
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A film about Mike Danton and his agent could make a decent thriller film.

A film about John Kordic would make for a very depressing experience.
 
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