In the old days-these were not the fabled “good old days”-the main reason people went to the movies in the summer was NOT to see Arnold Schwarzenegger in a new action flick. It was simply to be cool.
A movie theater was the place to go to cool off in the delicious, icicle freshness of air conditioning. It was one way of surviving the worst part of the season-the dog days of summer.
This was when AC was a luxury that few could afford in their own homes.
Nowadays, you still can cool off in those little rooms that pass for movie theaters in the ’90s.
But with ever more videos at the local rental place, you also can choose a movie that was shot in an icy locale to keep you cool at home. And, if you watch it in your air-conditioned bedroom, living room, rec room or from a Jacuzzi filled with ice cubes-you can enjoy a double dose of the frigids.
Frozen tundra. The Arctic Circle. North Dakota. Any place in Chicago between November and March. All of these are chilled movie locales that will either keep you cool or make you HAPPY that it’s August in the big city.
Even the expression “dog days of summer” suggests you should go to the movies. It comes from the position of the dog star, Sirius, which rises and sets with the sun in the hottest days of July and August. And aren’t stars what the movies are all about?
So, here’s a dozen flicks with cold locales that can help you beat the heat. Some are dogs, but that’s part of their charm.
–“Never Cry Wolf” (1983) makes the list on the basis of sheer geography: A Canadian author braves Arctic blasts to study the behavior of wolves. But talk about spine chilling! The guy tries surviving on a diet of mice.
Speaking of strange dietary habits in snow-capped settings, pick up –“Alive” (1993) for the kind of goosebumps only cannibalism can provide.
The saga of –“Doctor Zhivago” (1965) makes snow seem romantic. Try selling that concept to anybody who has worked a salt truck for Streets & San in January. But there are acres of the white stuff to gaze at as Omar Sharif romances Julie Christie. (More Russia, more snow in –“Gorky Park” (1983).)
–“Ice Station Zebra” (1968): Rock Hudson and an all-male cast are on a submarine, headed for the North Pole. They didn’t call it the Cold War for nothing.
–“Avalanche” (1978): Rock Hudson must have gotten into the cold-weather scene from the above film. This movie pairs Hudson with Mia Farrow. The curiosity factor alone makes this one leap off the shelf.
The twice-Oscared –“Fargo” (1996) demonstrates that even blood-colored snow can be funny. Sort of. Less realistic but scarier is –“The Thing” (1951), where alien James Arness is thawed out in the Arctic.
Robert Redford in –“Downhill Racer” (1969) makes skiing look easy. And along with the mountains, the young Redford is no slouch in the scenery department.
No listing of cool screen delights would be complete without at least one Sonja Henie ice skating pic. Here’s two: –“Wintertime” (1943) with Cesar Romero and –“Iceland” (1942). The latter was a must-forget, but the song it introduced, “There Will Never Be Another You,” endures.
Hum a few bars of that as you stroll over to the video shop to fetch the all-time icicle classic, –“Nanook of the North,” a 1922 documentary on the daily life of Eskimos.
Nanook is the original cinematic cool dude.
COOL SITES ON THE LINE
Looking for creative ways to beat the heat? Try chilling out at some of the coolest sites on the Web.
Virtual travelers can plunge to the icy depths of the ocean floor, explore the frigid landscape at the South Pole or climb to the bone-chilling heights of K2.
Wherever you decide to go, relief is never more than a couple of clicks away.
Virtual tour of the South Pole
www.astro.uchicago.edu/cara/vtour/pole/
Take a journey to the coldest places on Earth. Feel an antarctic chill as you read about how temperatures can drop down to minus-110 degrees. Aerial photos allow you to take a close look at the South Pole station. While you tour the South Pole, don’t forget to take the virtual tour of Antarctica.
The Penguin page
www.vni.net/(tilde)kwelch/penguins/
This site contains all the information you’ll ever need on penguins. Learn about their predators and the origins of these flightless birds. Go to the Penguin Showcase to see them swimming in the frigid waters of Antarctica. Site also contains refreshing images of penguins on ice.
OCEAN98
www.ocean98.org/
Take the plunge and celebrate the Year of the Ocean. Find out about educational programs, expeditions and special events designed to promote and protect the world’s oceans, seas and coastal waters. Check out the great photography while learning about the world’s fragile oceans.
Ben and Jerry site
www.benjerry.com/
Nothing is cooler than ice cream on a hot day. Get the scoop on the Ben & Jerry philosophy or buy Ben & Jerry’s book. You also can order six pints of the politically correct ice cream, packed in a reusable cooler, by mail for $59.95. While you’re cooling off at their site, check out Ben & Jerry’s new Phish Food and play the Phish Wave Game.
Trekkers Diary
www.doe.carleton.ca/(tilde)kashif/trek/trek.html
Join a team of trekkers on their seven-day journey to the K2 base camp. Site contains a well-written story of their adventure and lots of great photos. The visuals alone make the journey to this site worthwhile.
— Michael McGehee
