'The Ice King' DVD Review

Documentary Director James Erskine brings us the story of the late figure skating champion John Curry.  John Curry was born in Birmingham Warwickshire, England. Curry studied dance at an early age but his parents disapproved so he began studying figure skating. Curry was able to bring his study of dance into his skating routines. He was able to transform ice skating into an art form. It was also his study of dance that would help with the physicality of the ice skating.

Curry had a troubled past since his father died when he was only 16. His father died of tuberculosis which is usually not a pretty way to go. It affected Curry greatly. Another aspect of Curry’s life was that he was a homosexual. It was at the Olympics at Innsbruck in 1976 when Curry would come out of the closet so to speak. It was also the same night of his Olympic win. Curry had been outed by a German publication a few days before but it wasn’t until he came out himself did the world know for sure. Curry would continue skating  for some years but it was in 1991 when all would come full circle with the announcement he had AIDS.

In 1976 Curry would become the first British citizen to win gold for Ice Skating. When he announced he was gay it caused quite a stir in Europe. Coming out of the closet so to speak was not something that happened every day. He would take some grief about it but it never stopped him from living. Curry was emotionally aloof and an elitist at heart. He was needy but ambitious and he was always running from his fathers death, his own self and even his country.

Curry was a troubled man but through his own efforts he found fame. The documentary gives us a good look at the ice skating champion to the simple man who would die of AIDS. Film Movement brings us this story of a complicated man to DVD on October 8th, 2019. The quality of the DVD is excellent and the sights and sounds are superb. The ice skating scenes are beautiful and amazing. This is definitely one that you will want to add to your personal library. You will watch this over and over because it shows you the art of ice skating as well as the life of a man who died young.