FS documentaries and books

[cto888]

I only started following figure skating recently and, while it has been a joy to watch it during this unique season, its become clear to me that FS is a sport with a complex history that can't be easily captured just by watching the most recommended programs. Sometimes, when watching an old interview or reading a forum, I find references to events or thoughts that are no longer talked about. What are your favourite books and documentaries on FS? What athletes have shared their impressions and left a mark on you? What events have been captured by media and how has the viewpoint changed since they happened?
There's also the fact that I don't live in a country where figure skating is mainstream, and many of these media pieces are hard (if not impossible) to find, so if you have any ideas on where to find those books/documentaries/media, please share them!

it's my first time creating a thread in here, so if I should have done it differently or if there's already a similar thread, please tell me!

 

[ladyjane]

I don't think there is or maybe in "Le Cafe?"

I'll start off with three general books that might be useful to you. I have set up links to Amazon.com, so if you like you can order them but there is always a small description included. The only problem is, the most recent years aren't included. One dates from 2006, another from 2009. and the most recent one from 2013. The most recent general book I know of is called 'Skating to Sochi'.

There are of course multiple (auto)biographies both by recent and earlier time skaters, not always in English though.

https://www.amazon.com/Figure-Skati...story+of+Figure+Skating&qid=1622467883&sr=8-1

Amazon.com

www.amazon.com

Amazon.com

www.amazon.com

 

[GoneWithTheWind]

Sometimes, when watching an old interview or reading a forum, I find references to events or thoughts that are no longer talked about. What are your favourite books and documentaries on FS?

One book I really enjoy is 'The Second Mark' by Joy Godwin, which focuses on the pairs competition (and following scandal) at the 2002 Winter Olympics. It gives a really in-depth background on the 3 teams which were competing for gold, as well as insights into the technical side of pairs skating, but is really readable.
Amazon link: https://www.amazon.com/Second-Mark-Courage-Corruption-Olympic/dp/1416578323/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2FLG5UABY4XUH&dchild=1&keywords=the+second+mark&qid=1622470900&sprefix=the+second+mark,stripbooks-intl-ship,214&sr=8-1

What events have been captured by media and how has the viewpoint changed since they happened?

I recently watched the 13 episodes of Olympic Ice, which was shown during the 2006 Olympics, and provides highlights from all the events, short interviews with skaters/coaches and other information. I'd never watched 2006 Torino, so I found it really interesting.
YouTube playlist link: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLA9GOAs5v33L-7d6alrGRWd--WmJ8TsqB

What athletes have shared their impressions and left a mark on you?

I really enjoyed a 3-part interview series with Barbara Fusar Poli, in which she discusses her career highs and lows (including the infamous 'stare' at the 2006 Olympics), as well as her coaching role and impressions of the current ice dance field (technically from 2016). She's very charismatic and great to listen to.
YouTube link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JJHXN6w9GnQ

 

[el henry]

You did well creating a thread, @cto888, please post more.

I don’t know how helpful this will be, because they are no longer in print and selling for higher prices, but for “ancient history” you can’t go wrong with Toller Cranston ( and these books are in his voice and definitely written by him, )

Zero Tollerance: An Intimate Memoir by the man who revolutionized figure skating

and

When Hell Freezes Over, Can I Bring My Skates?

https://www.amazon.com/Zero-Tollerance-Intimate-Revolutionized-Skating/dp/0771023340

 

[CrazyKittenLady]

I second @GoneWithTheWind's recommendation of "The Second Mark", it is really well-written, entertaining but at the same time informative.
Another must-read for figure skating fans would be "My Sergei" by Ekaterina Gordeeva, about her partner on and off ice, Sergei Grinkov, who passed way too soon but will always be remembered fondly among skating fans. There is also a documentary based on the book which pops up on youtube now and then, currently here: https://youtu.be/Rb0yXE11Qn0

Of course, I cannot but mention one of my favourite skaters here, Evgeni Plushenko. He is one of the most successful male singles skaters ever and pretty much dominated men's skating in the early to mid 2000s. You can find a documentary about his career on youtube in Russian with English subs: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL5FAAC66C5AA6A30D.

I recently also enjoyed watching "The Ice Diaries", a documentary that follows four up-and-coming US figure skaters (Beatrisa "Bebe" Liang, Alissa Czisny, Danielle Kahle, and Sandra Rucker) through the 2005/2006 Olympic season as each tries to make the 2006 Olympic team. Episode 1 of 5 can be found here: https://youtu.be/Yg71THWaEFM, the others should then just pop up on the right side in the previews.

And if you are looking for more recent stuff, a short documentary about Evgenia Medvedeva and Alina Zagitova and their season leading up to the 2018 Olympics in Russian with English subs is available here: https://youtu.be/_ZNz_sjH-DQ.

Hope you have fun reading/watching these! And if you are interested in a particular skater or era of figure skating, just let us know, I am sure between all of us here on Golden Skate we can come up with some material.

 

[ladyjane]

This is also rather nice, about Ashley Caine-Gribble/ Timothy LeDuc and Natalia Zabiiaco/Alexandr Enbert training for the WC of 2019. It's called 'unbroken'.

- YouTube

Auf YouTube findest du die angesagtesten Videos und Tracks. Außerdem kannst du eigene Inhalte hochladen und mit Freunden oder gleich der ganzen Welt teilen.

www.youtube.com

 

[cto888]

Woah! Thanks for all your replies! I'll be adding them to my list (it has grown almost overnight, and it will take me a while to go through all of them) and looking forward! The recommendations were very insightful and covered all disciplines, so I'll be getting a very solid base!
I hope this thread is helpful for others who want to learn more, and that people continue to share!

 

[Weathergal]

I really liked "Beautiful on the Outside," Adam Rippon's autobiography. Adam is quite candid and rather funny. It also gives some insight into what's it's like before a skater joins the elite ranks and the sacrifices made not just by the skater but also their family.

 

[Mathman]

If you have any interest in the controversial aspects of skating, Sonia Bianchetti's book "Cracked Ice" gives a lot of deltails about ISU politics, crooked judging, etc ., from times past, A lot of fascinating detail, but one-sided.

Amazon.com

www.amazon.com

My favorite take on the feminist critique of the "pretty girls on display" aspect of figure skating is "Culture on Ice" by Ellyn Kestnbaum. (A little dated now.)

Amazon.com

 

[Imagine]

I really love this documentary about the night of the ladies FS at the 2006 Torino Olympics. I wish they had produced documentaries for 2010 & 2014 as well.

 

[iluvtodd]

Welcome to Golden Skate, cto888! Let me add to the list my favorite figure skating book to date, Skate Talk, by Canadian author Steve Milton. It's a collection of interviews with skaters, coaches, & others involved with figure skating through the years (published in the mid 1990's).

I see you're from Spain, homeland of the fabulous Javi Fernandez!

 

[sadya]

There are many videos, documentaries, interviews, old programs as wel as new programs on http://fsvids.net/forums/.

Some of these documentaries are also on YT:
Reflections On Ice: A Diary of Ladies Figure Skating

Reflections On Ice: A Diary of Ladies Figure Skating

A documentary on the history of ladies figure skating.

www.youtube.com

A great channel on YT is also: https://www.youtube.com/user/floskate
Every time you read about great skaters from the past and their skating style, you can immediately look them up and will find many of them on this channel.

 

[CrazyKittenLady]

One of the wildest figure skating documentaries out there is Pop star on Ice about Johnny Weir. It even features an interview in a bubble bath. There's a lot of shade and side-eye, so beware if you don't appreciate snark.
And if you are interested in Theatre on Ice, you might want to give this a try: https://youtu.be/xZV_Q1bjY1I (about LA Ice Theatre)

 

[moonvine]

I love Adam Rippons autobiography and Dick Buttons book.

 

[iluvtodd]

Push Dick's Button is hilarious! I've read it three times & have bought several copies to give to friends who love figure skating!

 

[noskates]

Unfortunately I think the book and video are out of print, but Kurt Browning had an autobiography called "Jump!" I believe it was printed after his 3rd World Championship and it talked about how he was just a kid from a rural area of Canada who never expected to end up an elite figure skater. He talks about the aftermath of his first World Championship and how it was all so overwhelming with press, etc. He also mentions the first time he landed a quad and how he was shocked!!! Anyway, if you can find it it's a good read and the video is great.

 

[sadya]

Jump! Documentary is available on FSVIDS website, as are many other great documentaries.

 

[noskates]

Sadya - thanks. I had a VHS tape - which shows you how long ago I saw this documentary.

 

[tommybuffano12]

Benoit Richaud has a documentary: link

 

[sadya]

noskates, I will never forget the days of VHS tapes! FS was nothing in the Netherlands, so I couldn't buy nor record most of the skating. I read about competitions and shows online (internet was just becoming avalaible to everyone) and wanted to watch everything, but only Eurosport FS competitions were available, so quite limited skating. (Looking back, I used to think that was not enough, well, at least they showed the entire Europeans and Worlds and many GPs once these became a thing.)

I bought a special VHS player which could also play tapes from the US and France in colour and sound, just so I could watch FS I used to make copies of tapes I bought and received for other skating fans in the Netherlands and in France for free. I just loved sharing FS. The first ever documentary I ever bought was from a supermarket in France (The Road to Glory). I was pleasantly surprised when I could download it in English too from fsvids.net website! I am more happy now with digital sharing. It's faster, cheaper, more available, takes up less space. Yet, I become nostalgic thinking about VHS tapes.

I found The Road of Glory on YT, but it's in Russian:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CUV_F6X_Pyo