I was wondering what peoples opinion were on the best surf movies and/or documentaries ever made? Maybe a favorite for each category?... I'd have to say "Riding Giants" is the best documentary I've seen and as far as a movie just because it still makes me laugh and wanna rob banks, "Point Break"....
I've posted this before, but. . . ''Surfing for Life'' is a real classic. Netflix has it available for rental and the rest of the information about the video can be found at http://www.surfingforlife.com/ Let me know what you think of it once you've seen it. The reparte' between VanDyke and Peter Cole is absolutely classic.
I thought point break was horrible. he drops in on this one guy and then wonders why all the "rowdy locals" are ganging up on him. it's a bad influence because people (those who are just learning how to surf) think that there is no etiquette in surfing.
I'll let you know Surfer Dude is a lot like Point Break, more about the characters and their questionable characters than it really is about surfing. It's only unlike Gidget in that it uses more graphic language and nudity, but then pretty much anything these days is a far cry from Gidget- and that had minimal surfing in it, and Surfer Dude has even less surfing, unless female bodysurfing counts. So, here's the skinny on it. It's a real goat. Literally. 1% of the film has any surfing in it- remember this is a story about the ''Dude's'' depression over there being NO waves, so there are literally NO waves. A lot like Gidget where you see surfers standing on the beach with their boards wistfully looking at waves, but clearly visible in the background of a cutaway angle, there's nothing ridable. Gidget all the way. Worse yet, it's a bad Gidget, combined with about 2,000-3,000 uses of ''Dude,'' ''Bro,'' ''Brah,'' et al. Fortunately, Matthew McConaughey's reputation as an actor is done more damage by this movie than is the sport of surfing. It's pretty much his project from start to finish, including the music direction and performances, and even Woody Harrelson can't rescue it from an appropriately watery grave. And that's a sad commentary. It portrays the quintessential surfer as a constantly flamed burn-out who's always got 30 scantily clad (or less) girls in bikinis to party with at a mansion overlooking Malibu (not really but they want you think it's Malibu). Suffice to say, it's a terrible movie- and for anybody who really likes it, well. . . ''Dude, I'm sure you can relate to it.''
you might also want to check out Surfwise which is about the truly strange guy doc paskowicz. Warning - its not really a surf flick - but man that Doc is out there
The Clay Marzo flick "Just Add Water" is good. It goes into some detail about Clay's autism and how it has made him the person he is in and out of the water. The surf footage is incredible. "Zen and Zero" is worth a look, too, but not necessarily for the surfing footage. It is about these five Austrians who drive from LA to Pavones. It's filmed in 8mm with this groovy jazz funk soundtrack--definitely has a cool vibe.
"Bustin Down the Door" is a must-see for anyone interested in the birth of the modern pro surf tour. Its a documentary so there is a lot of talk, but the ample in-water archival footage from the mid 70's is surprisingly sharp. The dynamic between the mellow Hawaiians and the cocky, upstart Aussies and South Africans keeps it interesting (especially when the not-quite-so-mellow "black shorts" [Da Hui] enter the picture). B+ "One California Day" is also a nice vid to keep you stoked especially if you're a logger (all Cali locations - up and down the coast). Tons of great footage with commentary from some of the best surfers from yesterday and today. Also B+. Both movies have great soundtracks (unless you're into metal/hardcore). Another great must-see documentary for (not-so-ancient) history buffs like me (or anyone with an appreciation for the roots of the fun stuff we all love) is "Dogtown and Z-Boys". If you haven't seen it then make it a priority. Stacy Peralta's (Riding Giants) award winning biopic about the Zephyr skateboard team and the origins of "extreme" sports. Another great (70's classic rock) soundtrack. A
Heard the exact same thing MD! Also heard its worth the watch because it is so stupid. What a bad movie for the surf community..
I really like Clay Marzo, Just Add Water for the same reasons that were posted earlier. Also, I love most of the Drive Thru Series. Some of course are better than others, and some are a bit on the short side.
One California Day I absolutley love this movie. Just got from a trip to cardiff and this movie makes it all come real. There is a great incorporation of the older guys histories ie. greg noll, yater, hobie and so on. It travels up the coast of california breaking it down into 7 different areas with a few surfers focused on in each. It is lengthy but man the surfing in it is great as well. Bustin' Down the Door is also a must see for any surfer, i agree with that to the fullest.
Timmy Turners-Second Thoughts Its basically about Turner and 2 of his friends who goes to indo and have some local fisherman drop them off at some desolate island. totally roughing it, in hope of finding untouched dredgers for themselves Seriously this movie is epic a must see. In my opinion it defines surf trips, roughing it with your friends living in total isolation with a couple of your friends, with no one dropping in and waves are abundant!
