Vital Forum Movie Club - Legacy MTB Feature Length Film Discussion

Cool thread idea, thanks for starting. 

Seasons is my favourite MTB movie of all time. I was in high school at the time and went to the premier in Kamloops, I still remember the crowd going crazy when Hunters Rio part started.  

Stevie’s Prevost segment was a standout, obviously more so now given the years that followed with him winning the overall and his tragic passing. I remember timing myself on the local hill wanting to be like Stevie, his impact and legacy is very alive in Canadian DH to this day

The vibes in the closing Whistler segment were also so good, probably my favourite part of the movie as it just made me want to get out and ride. 

Seasons is epic! Still rewatch it a lot to this day. Lots of memorable pieces to that movie. Mt 7 scene gives me jitters of stoke. Was surreal going to that race track last year after dreaming about it my whole childhood. The slo mo shot of peaty when all you see is his upper fork up to his eyes as he's making the turn in MSA. Would rewind that a million times. The Whistler scene always just made me feel good and think of all the times riding with friends and being in Whistler. Shandros segment just hit me in the feels as a California kid and how different BC must be. Peatys segment just made me want to ride in the mud  and have fun haha... and man oh man, the Stevie segment... always been the biggest fan of his. The way that guy treated me as a kid in the hotel parking lot as a kid too nervous to talk... the way he would answer every message I ever sent him on FB when I found him and added him as a friend ( I was so freaking young- yet he was so rad to me!). He was just a massive inspiration of a person and a rider.

Seasons hits the feels thats for sure.

How do I upvote twice

Starting seasons when you're trying to get stuff done in the garage is a good way to drink 2 beers and not get anything done. And I fully support this. 

While it was the Whistler section from Roam that first introduced me to mountain biking (watching that on YouTube) this was the movie that really hooked me. The Matt hunter segment is my favorite, but the Stevie segment still gives me chills.  For me, so much of these movies is the sound track, the songs still get me stoked, and that Wintersleep song from Stevie’s part goes hard.  I also think that these older full length films do a better job of selling the lifestyle of mountain biking, not that it’s absent from our current short form content, but the behind the scenes video from the Season’s whistler segment had a 16 year old me dreaming of big trips with friends. I’m excited to see where this thread goes!

I would also like to throw “Lemonade and Ducktape Stuffs” on the list for MTB film club someday…

Seasons changed mountain biking for me. It was on all the time at the shop I grew up working in, and it never got old. 
Hunters segment and the jump in particular is something that will never leave my mind.

Stevie’s part is so emotionally moving to watch now knowing what he accomplished.
I also love that Cove was such an amazing brand for helping up and coming riders at that time. 

The Mt. 7 segment is the number one for me though, and definitely claims the rent free title. Getting to ride the psychosis course about 8 years ago was one of the most  impactful moments of biking for me because of that segment. I watched it multiple times the day before and then had one of the funnest laps of my life. Need to get back up there and ride it again….

NWD 10 and Follow Me are the other two that I have fond memories tied to.

*almost slipped my mind. 3 minutes gaps is a pure hall of fame film.

Seasons and Roam are amazing, just can’t stand Rise Against on the soundtracks. 

Lifecycles was visually incredible. Elemental is an all time favorite. And if you haven’t seen Jib, get on it. 

NWD got better after all the big slow-mo boring hucks. It was just too much to see over and over, but that was also the era of freeride then. 

The Kranked series is great, my fave will always be Kranked 2. And if you haven’t seen any of the Earthed movies, those are very cool to check out. 

Anyone that makes a new Follow Me would win an Oscar.  

I always felt there was something special about only getting to watch your favorite riders in a full video segment once or twice a year. It created a sense of curiosity and anticipation that just doesn't exist anymore. With social media and constant short edits, it feels like there's simply too much content.

more recently, i really enjoyed Accomplice. 

Is physical media the rotary phone of our generation?

One of the biggest reasons I didn’t get a mountain bike sooner was the music in the videos. 

OG bike films were amazing and I wish they still existed.

Some of the smaller/regional ones were really cool. The ‘Run For Your Lives’ series, ‘Back in the Saddle’, and a host of others that I can remember but are in the cupboard at my Mom’s house.

Snowboarding has done a great job of keeping films that are true to the roots of the sport but have also evolved.

All that being said, the greatest mountain bike film of all time is ‘Ride To The Hills’ and if you don’t agree, you’re wrong. It’s also where the Collective was partially born from.

I think the biggest difference is the anticipation. Waiting for a new MTB film and watching the whole thing felt like an event back then.

Ride to the Hills is a pure banger.  It was constantly on at the house I was living at during the early '00's with three other MTB obsessed bike guys.

How has anything Clay Porter not been mentioned yet?  For me it's F1RST.  

I think we should go in chronological order but just my opinion. 

Seasons:It was released during my first year working in a bike shop. I haven't counted how many times I have watched it but it's a lot...I had already decided that my dream was to be on a world cup team and Seasons was fuel for the passion. The soundtracks are just as important to me as well. I usually drive one of our team vans across France for European rounds and will listen to Soundtracks. Almost all of the soundtracks are on Spotify, highly recommend listening and matching the songs with the segments.