| Ice Castles | |
| Director: | Donald Wrye |
| Producer: | Michael Mahoney |
| Screenplay: | Donald Wrye Gary L. Baim Karen Bloch Morse |
| Starring: | Taylor Firth Rob Mayes |
| Music: | David C. Williams |
| Cinematography: | Eric Cayla |
| Editing: | Robert A. Ferretti |
| Studio: | Stage 6 Films |
| Distributor: | Sony Pictures Home Entertainment |
| Runtime: | 95 minutes |
| Country: | United States Canada |
| Language: | English |
Ice Castles is a 2010 American direct-to-DVD[1] sports romantic drama film directed by Donald Wrye and starring Taylor Firth and Rob Mayes.[2] It is a remake of the 1978 film of the same name,[3] which was also directed by Wrye.[4]
Lexi Winston lives on an Iowa farm with her father. She has a boyfriend named Nick who plays hockey in college. Lexi's skating talent attracts the attention of a coach who wants to take her to Boston and train her to win championships. Lexi works hard and comes in second in regionals, but she misses Nick. However, her coach considers the boyfriend a distraction and won't even let her mention him to the press. In sectionals, Lexi wins the competition and is ready to go the nationals, but she takes a break from an event where she is supposed to meet with those who can further her career, going outside to just skate for fun. She falls and hits her head, which causes her to go blind. Miracles do happen, she is told, but this is her life for now. Nick has quit the hockey team because the professional teams are not interested in him, and comes back to Iowa to spend time with Lexi. Lexi's condition is kept secret from the public, and while she doesn't believe she will skate again, her father and her boyfriend have to urge her just to get out of bed. Eventually, Lexi is willing to try skating again. After some training, she is actually capable of competing again, and she goes to the national competition, with the public unaware she is blind.
Taylor Firth, who had no prior acting experience, earned her role when she impressed executives at Sony Pictures after they saw a 2007 YouTube video of her ice skating.[5]
The film was shot in Halifax, Nova Scotia.[6]
Notable figure skaters Sandra Bezic and David Wilson served as choreographers for the skating scenes.[7]
Lynn-Holly Johnson, who played as Lexie in the original movie, filmed a cameo in the remake, but her scene was cut.[8]