Daniel's Review of The Endless Summer

From: hinojosa@pa.itc.hp.com (Daniel Hinojosa)
Newsgroups: alt.surfing
Subject: daniel reviews 'the endless summer'
Date: 5 Jun 1995 21:55:40 GMT
Organization: H-P, PGIS - Palo Alto
Keywords: movie review

It was surf movie review weekend! If you hate reviews, move on now...

*** SPOILER ALERT! ***
I reveal all there is to this movie. If you have not seen it, and plan on it, but don't want to know all there is to know about the movie, move on.

Of course, understand that there is no real plot to this movie. mostly just stoke. So... Use your own judgement.
*** SPOILER ALERT! ***

With that said - off to the movies!

The Endless Summer a film by Bruce Brown - 1964
With: Robert August and Mike Hinson
Original music by The Sandals - The Endless Summer (theme)
Photographed, Edited, and Narrated by Bruce Brown

Simply put, this is the original stoke surf film. It is the photo journal of 2 guys on a journey to find the perfect wave, via following the summer around the globe. It shows, "the thrill and the fun of the sport of surfing".

It starts out with footage from around california (santa barbara), then off to (what appears by this movie) the mecca of surfing, Hawai'i.

Our heros, the surfers (Robert & Mike) start off from their home base, California. I must say that I really enjoyed this movie. Bruce has a great sense of humor and uses it. Like when the guys are packing. One of them is shown reading about sharks, the picture cuts to them packing, and they include 1 Band-Aid... In case of injury.

From California they hit the following spots (in order):

• Dakar - Senegal (coffee, ~$1 u.s.!)
• Ghana
• Lagos - Nigeria
• South Africa - Cape Town, Durban, Cape St. Francis
• Australia - Melbourne (Bells) Sydney
• New Zealand
• Tahati
• Hawai'i

What a trip! Literally. Great surf these guys found, except for in Australia, where they were told, more than once, "you guys really missed it. you should have been here yesterday!" Which in the end, translated into, "you guys really missed it. you should have been here last winter!"

Pure stoke, is surfing. How do I know? When these guys went to some beach in Ghana, where white folks had not really been seen, they surfed in front of the home crowd. A bunch of folks from this fishing village. After watching the heros for a bit, the kids take parts of their homes, planks, and start trying to surf them.

Even the village big boys take a shot at it on the guy's boards. I think there is no clearer picture of what surfing, and pure stoke means.

Actually, all along the way, they seem to fall into the hands of folks who just want to tag along. One chap in South Africa picks them up along side the road, and takes them all about, showing them the sites, and getting them to the surf spots. He was a wild game animal trapper of sorts. He pulled some 'fun' tricks on the lads, like telling them to pet the zebra. Of course he didn't tell them about the lion in the bush, until after they get back from being unsuccessful with the zebra.

These guys *do* find the perfect wave in South Africa, at Cape Saint Francis. A bitchin wave that goes right forever. Bruce could not get all of 1 ride on film. Perfect barrels. Most spots they surfed, did have great waves. Ins and Outs was great. What a deal, surf out to the break, then surf on back in. Sort of like going somewhere downhill, and walking back... downhill!

Of interest to me was one thing Bruce says, "in surfing, the object is to stay in the curl. All goes towards that." This he says, as Lance Carson is strolling his board. Up to the nose, on back, slough a bit, back up to the nose. Lance was having a great time! I don't know what segment of the film Bruce was watching as he narrated that segment.

Lance was a legend from a cast of many. the likes of:

• Mickey Dora
• Phil Edwards
• Greg Noll
• Corky Carol
• Butch Van Artsdalen (sp?)
• Henry the Seal (Henry who? this seal surfing the lane in only the suit God gave him. Cool.)

There were lot's of others, I just don't enjoy a movie much when I'm transcribing.

All in all, this is a great film. Still among the legends of surfing. See it the night before you go out surfing next. It'll make your session that much better!

d.

--
      daniel hinojosa. email -=> hinojosa@corp.hp.com | Palo Alto, CA
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