Hollywood has long used surfing as shorthand for ultimate coolness and adolescent recklessness; but too often it’s been handled more as an accessory to the likes of Keanu Reeves than a demanding sport and lifestyle. True hard-boiled surfers would bitch-slap Gidget back to the Pasadena Valley if she ever so much as giggled in their direction. For the real surfer, the wave is the church and seriousness, commitment, and balls-out audacity are the commandments. This is my wave, Kate Bosworth!
• Big Wednesday (1978)–The ocean is the primary character in
this coming-of-age film. With all of its moods and beauty, it even dwarfs the
greatness of Gary Busey (no relation to yours truly), who plays one of a trio
of surfing amigos. The story hopscotches across five summers, ultimately spanning
a time from 1962 to 1978. Each summer corresponds with a great wave, a great
ride, and some milemarker in the development (and non-development) of the three
buddies. The crashing California surf sets the stage for the unfolding drama
of their lives, and in the background, the Vietnam War lurks and eventually
moves through like a storm cloud.
• Endless Summer (1966)--The gold standard for surfing movies.
Made at a time when globetrotting (especially with long boards) was no easy
feat, two young surfers search the world’s oceans for the perfect wave. Although
some of the lingo and attitudes have since become cliché, Big Kahuna Brown
offers a thrilling, self-effacing narrative that captures the mellow, ride-it-on-out
mindset.
• Surfing For Life (1999)—This one-hour documentary kicks
sand in the face of Ken Burns. The Greatest Generation never saw the likes of
these ten old geezers. Narrated by Beau Bridges, the camera follows ten men
between the ages of 70 and 90–former mavericks and still surfing. It includes
remarkable archival footage and tells the story about what was truly the first
generation of American surfers. This film is as much about surfing as it is
about aging defiantly, if not gracefully.