Copper Mountain (film)

Copper Mountain (a Club Med Experience) (also known as just Copper Mountain) is a 1983 Canadian comedy television film, written and directed by Damian Lee and David Mitchell,^[1] produced for CTV Television Network, that premiered on First Choice TV network.^[2] Starring Jim Carrey and Alan Thicke, it is a "thinly-veiled"^[3] quasi-commercial for the now-defunct Club Med^[4] ski resort^[5] in Copper Mountain, Colorado. The majority of the runtime consists of rom-com plot interspersed with performances by country and rock and roll musicians, Ronnie Hawkins, Rita Coolidge and Chicago frontman Bill Champlin, with whom TV theme song writer Thicke co-wrote the song "Sara".^[6]

Copper Mountain
DVD cover
Written by	Damian Lee David Mitchell
Directed by	David Mitchell
Starring	Jim Carrey Alan Thicke
Music by	Brian Bell
Original language	English
Production
Producers	Damian Lee David Mitchell
Cinematography	Alar Kivilo
Editors	James Lahti Mairin Wilkinson
Running time	60 minutes
Original release
Release	July 7, 1983 (1983-07-07)

Plot

Two friends, Bobby Todd (Carrey) and Jackson Reach (Thicke), travel from their hometown of Grimsby to the Club Med village^[7] in Copper Mountain.^[8] Jackson intends to hit the ski slopes and compete in a ProAm, while Bobby comically struggles to connect to women, with impressions and routines. Eventually, Jackson wins a ProAm challenge race, and Bobby finds companionship by being himself.^[1]

Cast

• Jim Carrey as Bobby Todd / Sammy Davis Jr. impression
• Alan Thicke as Jackson Reach
• Jean-Claude Killy as himself^[9]
• Richard Gautier (credited as Dick Gautier) as Sonny Silverton, ski event promoter
• Ziggy Lorenc (credited as Ziggy Laurence) as Michelle
• Rod Hebron as Yogi Hebadaddy
• Jean Laplac as Chef de Village
• Damian Lee, the film’s co-writer and co-producer, appears as Helicopter Guide

Musicians

The film has on-screen song performances, by Ronnie Hawkins, of songs written by John Fogerty, for Creedence Clearwater Revival, including Lodi.

Bill Champlin sings the Alan Thicke—Bill Champlin song, "Sara".^[10]

The musicians, appear alone, and together in groups, singing on a hillside stage and in the facility’s nightclub. The musicians include:

• Ronnie Hawkins – vocals
• Rita Coolidge – vocals
• Tamara Champlin – vocals
• Bill Champlin – guitar, vocals
• Steve Sexton – keyboards
• Mike Utley – keyboards

Reception

"a ski resort infomercial dressed up as a buddy comedy" — Night Flight ^[11]

"30 minutes of musical performances" — McElroy^[12]

"regrettable" — The Denver Post^[13]