Here's The New Trailer For ICE GUARDIANS, A Doc About Guys Who Fight In Pro Hockey For A Living
Five years ago, THE LAST GLADIATORS, using West Roxbury’s most famous lunatic Chris Nilan as a proxy, gave viewers a warts-and-all, in-depth look at hockey fighting and the toll it takes on its participants. It’s an excellent, underseen doc in which the profanely hilarious Nilan speaks openly and candidly about both his Ogelthorpian NHL antics as well as the addiction and pain that came to the surface in his post-hockey life. But it’s not just about Nilan; the work from noted documentarian Alex Gibney also has several interviews with many of Nilan’s peers and guys who came after he retired. It’s currently on Amazon Prime and definitely worth a watch for a regular Joe or Jill but it’s a must-watch for puckheads.
And judging by the trailer of the ICE GUARDIANS, America’s fourth most-famous sports fans will have another flick that captures the essence of the beloved-but-dwindling enforcer to enjoy and watch multiple times. From the YouTube page…
Exploring one of the most controversial and provocative positions in the history of sport, ‘Ice Guardians’ journeys into the lives of those who perform what is undoubtedly the toughest job within the National Hockey League today, the enforcer. Very few understand this position and even fewer appreciate what is involved in becoming one. It’s a punishing profession unlike any other, holding little mercy for its candidates on or off the ice. Born out of self policing a game where 200 pound men fly towards each other on metal blades with sticks, the role now finds itself facing the scrutiny of national newspapers, on-line blogs and TV news casts. Due to its violent nature, it has drawn opinions from both fans and critics alike. But what do we really know? What led to its spectacular rise? What purpose does it serve in the eyes of its beholders and what drives them forward in the face of adversity? Ice Guardians steps beyond the hype and heads directly to the source of the debate… the players themselves. Through their eyes, tough exteriors are shed to reveal the humanity behind a role that struggles to maintain its existence.
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Exactly how much it will differ from its predecessor, I don’t know. Nor do I give a shit. Because it’s a documentary about goddamn hockey fighting. I’m all in, guy. Best part of that clip is seeing the likes of Dave Semenko, Todd Fedoruk, Kelly Chase, and Wendel Clark then all the sudden my boy Jay Baruchel’s mug pops up outta the blue in the middle of all of them. Hilarious.
It’ll debut at the world-renowned Toronto Film Festival before getting a theatrical release across North America.
For the hell of it…
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