Surf Film Filmography

Surf Film Filmography

This is a list of surf films filmed in 16 mm. or 35 mm. (not in video) from early XX century to the early 80s.
Historical oriented surf documentaries are omitted.
Additional information and corrections are welcome. 

1906:
WAIKIKI SURFERS (Thomas Edison Company): First images in motion of surfers in action.  Filmed by R.K. Bonine. Waikiki beach.



194?:

VARIOUS FOOTAGE  (Doc Ball): Doc Ball was one of the surf photography pioneers. He shot some yards of 16 mm. film showing the 1940s California surf scene. San Onofre is the high light, of course. This surf film jewel can be seen in the Bud Browne’s production “Cavalcade Of Surf” (1962).

1953:
HAWAIIAN SURFING MOVIE (Bud Browne): This is the first commercial surf film made by Bud. Actually Bud coined the “surf film” concept borrowing the idea from the ski films by Warren Miller. Since this film, Browne produced one film every winter, and then showing them during summertime.

1954:
HAWAIIAN HOLIDAY (Bud Browne): More vintage surf footage hawaiian style. The film it must be focused in the Oahu’s south shore, because the north shore it had to be discovered. Edennical Waikiki, with tourists, beach boys and mellow waves.



1955:

HAWAIIAN SURFING MOVIE (Bud Browne): Another chapter of the hawaiian saga.

1956:
TREK TO MAKAHA (Bud Browne): Makaha was the training ground for those hawaiians and californians who pioneered the north shore’s big surf.



1957:

AUSTRALIAN FILM ARCHIVES (Produced by Ampol): Archive footage showing the arrival of the California surfers that changed the australian surf scene in 1957 with the inbtroduction of the Malibu board. The oil company Ampol used to sponsor life saving events and produced this promotional film. Among those surfers who appear are the still thin Greg Noll, Tom Zahn and Duke Kahanamouku at the same Freshwater beach where he introduced surfboard riding in 1915.

THE BIG SURF (Bud Browne): Film that documents the beginnings of big wave riding at the famed north shore.

SEARCH FOR SURF (Greg Noll): There were like 4 or 5 different Noll films under the same title that were produced between 1957 and 1961. These films used to be a promotional help for the Greg Noll surfboard label. Classic Malibu, Manhattan pier, Hawaii and Mexico.

 

1958:
SLIPPERY WHEN WET (Bruce Brown): The firts title of one of the best surf filmmakers ever. The film’s budget came from the pocket of Dale Velzy. Starring the stylist Kemp Aaberg, the tough Henry Ford and Del Cannon among others. Great performance of hot-dogger Dewey Weber. Pre-foam board days in California and Hawaii. Great soundtrack by jazz sax man Bud Shank. Good flick to be the Brown’s first.

SURF (John Severson): First try in the surf film genre by this surf renaissance man. The best of California not forgeting Hawaii with Makaha, Ala Moana, the gnarly Yokohama bay and Waimea bay as a happy ending. Shame that most of the early sixties Severson’s film archive is lost, recycled or stolen.

SURF DOWN UNDER (Bud Browne): First time an american filmaker gets on film the aussie surf scene (and also New Zeland).

 

1959:
CAT ON A HOT FOAM BOARD (Bud Browne): Phil Edwards stars this production showing why he is considered one of the most stylists surfers of his era.  Some Dewey Weber stuff it’s shown too.

SUNSET SURF CRAZE (Walt Phillips): First film by Phillips that lacks the talent of Brown, Browne or Severson. Centered in Hawaii with Peter Cole, Ricky Grigg and Donald Takayama. Some segments can be a little bit boring.

SURF CRAZY (Bruce Brown): The mexican surfari with Mike Diffenderfer y L.J. Richards concludes with no great waves. Typical Hawaii footage. It’s a shame that the 1990 VHS edition added an eighties sounding and out of time soundtrack.

SURF SAFARI (John Severson): The big names of the era in classical California glass and the big stuff at Hawaii. Iconographic movie poster by artist John Severson.

SURFIN’ HIGHLIGHTS (Greg Noll): A “the best of…” compilation of previous films.

 


1960:

SURF FEVER (John Severson): Hawaii, California and México. There were a program edited for promoting purposes called “The Surfer”, that became the periodical surf magazine everybody knows.

SACRIFICE FOR SURF (Bob Bagley): Good amount of big surf.

SURF HAPPY (Bud Browne): A young Mike Doyle gets the attention in this film.

SURF MANIA (Walt Phillips): Another typical surf film. Lance Carson, Ricky Grigg, Mike Doyle and other California riders.

SURF TREK TO HAWAII (Bob Evans): A film by the aussie version of John Severson, the late Bob Evans. This man was a key element in the seminal australian surf media, being not just one of the most prolific surf filmmekers, but the founder and editor of the first surf mag from down under. Bernard “Midget” Farrelly shows in the water he is a Phil Edwards fan.

 

1961:
BAREFOOT ADVENTURE (Bruce Brown): Better flick than its predecessor. Wind’n’Sea, Laguna Beach, Steamer Lane, Waikiki and of course… the North Shore. Bud Shank and his combo rides again and scores a cool soundtrack released on World Pacific Records.

BIG WEDNESDAY (John Severson): This film inspired the title of the iconic John Milius movie. California, Hawaii and Peru.

BOTTOMS UP (James Perkinson): Focused in the California coast. The highlights: Lunada Bay, Redondo Breakwater and Malibu among other less known spots.

SPINING BOARDS (Bud Browne): The style of Browne is getting better and better. Centered on classic California, Hawaii and Australia.

SURF’S UP (Don Brown): Just footage of California hotdoggers. Narrated by big wave rider Peter Cole.

TOO HOT TO HANDLE (Grant Rohloff): California and Hawaii plus some silly humor.

 


1962:

CAVALCADE OF SURF (Bud Browne): Many of the pioneer surf film makers were so professionally exhausted in the early sixties that started to recycle old stuff. This film shows the best footage from Browne. Very interesting images from the 40s and maybe the only film of Bob Simmons in existence. Bodysurf in Hawaii and The Wedge.

DYNAMITE (Buzz Bailey): Typical film from the period with California glass breaks, Waimea plus some footage of what was considered “vintage” in 1962: surfriders in the 30s decade.

GOING MY WAVE (John Severson): Same spots from California, Oz and Hawaii. New Zealand and Peru were the exotic new surf paradises to show.

HOT DOG ON A STICK (Bill Stromberg): More California and México.

OUT OF CONTROL (Grant Rohloff): Filmed in California and Hawaii as usual, but adding the coast of Washington and Oregon.

PSYCHE OUT (Walt Phillips): Inferior quality if compared to the great men of the genre but not bad. Some Santa Cruz in the beginning and Hawaii as usual.

STANDING ROOM ONLY (James Perkinson): California classy waves plus typical north shore spots.

SURFING HOLLOW DAYS (Bruce Brown): Good and smooth film. The friendly duel between Mike Hynson and Phil Edwards in a little mellow peeler in Hawaii with Arthur Lyman vibraphon as soundtrack is one of the sweetest segments of the film.Edwards visits Australia, New Zealand and Hawaii. Brown shows us how good he was narrating his films.

SURFING IN HAWAII (Clarence Maki): Filmed entirely in Hawaii.

SURFIN’ WILD (Grant Rohloff): Guess which locations? California, Mexico and Hawaii.

 

1963:
ANGRY SEA (John Severson): Severson started to get real busy with his surfer magazine stuff, but still got the time to shot this flick with an almost surf beatnik beginning.

FOLLOW THAT SURF (Robert Conrad & Bill Singer): USA production.

FOLLOW THE SURF (Dennis Elton): One of the first aussie productions without the firm of Evans. The great aussie hotdoggers show us how to deal with the waves: Midget Farrelly, Nat Young, Scott Dillon, Mick Dooley… Not just australian points, Malibu, Rincon, Makaha and Waimea Bay got their share of footage.
Filmed almost in an amateur way in 8 mm. Duration: 45 minutes.

GUN HO (Bud Browne): Besides the common surfers of the era, there’s some segments of tandem surf and a Huntington Beach surf contest to the beat of the surfer’s stomp.

HAVE BOARD WILL TRAVEL (Don Brown): Usual spots of the time, plus footage of surf in Brazil. Another interesting ingredient is the big wave sessions in Lunada Bay and Redondo breakwater.

HAWAIIAN THRILLS (Bob Evans): Hawaiian surf under an aussie point of view.

INSIDE OUT (Dale Davis): Davis wasn’t a master editing films, but the variety of the surfers and locations makes this film real interesting.

LET THERE BE SURF (Jim Freeman): The first Freeman production. 90 minutes long.

MEN WHO RIDE MOUNTAINS (Grant Rohloff): Rohloff focused in filming the big hawaiian swells. This was his most famous title.

MIDGET GOES HAWAIIAN (Bob Evans): The film’s leitmotiv was the trip Bernard “Midget” Farrelly made to the islands. He entered the Makaha contest and won it, becoming the unofficial world champ.

NORTH SIDE STORY (Val Valentine): This film maker films the North Shore scene, getting on film the best swells. He was a lucky guy, his house was just in front of Banzai Pipeline. Guest star: Midget Farrelly.

NORTH SWELL (Grant Rohloff): Another californian centered in the North Shore. He used to film the big swells of Sunset, Waimea and Pipeline.

ONCE UPON A WAVE (Walt Phillips): Typical Phillips production.

PIPELINE (Bruce Gibson): Centered in Pipeline, wich become the ultimate challenge in 1963.

RIDE ON THE WILD SIDE (Ed De Priest): USA production with Butch Van Artsdalen, Midget Farrelly, Greg Noll and others.

THE SURF SCENE (Dale Davis): Pilot for Tv purposes. Surf footage from Davis combined with the Laurel & Hardy of surf music, I mean Jan & Dean. Their hit “Surf City” is featured here.

SURF STOMP (Dennis Milne): Another aussie amateur short film. It was projected along with “Follow The Surf”.

SURFING THE SOUTHERN CROSS (Bob Evans): Evans produced and filmed this film in which Mifget Farrelly is the main attraction.

WATERLOGGED (Bruce Brown): Brown was in strong need of time to work in his masterpiece “The Endless Summer”, so he make a compilation type of surf film with old footage.

 


1964:

A COOL WAVE OF COLOR (Greg McGillivray): Ignoring the Oahu’s North Shore, this film shows the small and glassy waves from California. Pure hotdoggin’.
First film made by the future Jim Freeman’s partner.
Greg took a good couple of years to finish his first effort in the surf film genre.

ALWAYS ANOTHER WAVE (Don Wolf): Ricky Grigg is among the cast surfing the big stuff. There’s a good share of Mickey Muñoz footage too. Some clips from the 30s and 40s scene in California. Some surf contest segment and some skateboarding. Narrated by Eddie Albert.

THE BIG SURF (Norman L. Buick?): Rare surf film. Soundtrack by The Hawaiian Surfers.

BRUCE BROWN SPECIAL TV (Bruce Brown): This is a Tv special. A generic view of the sport. Corky Carroll and Phil Edwards are interviewed. Ths waves of Japan are discovered by Del Cannon and the young grommet Pete Johnson (12 years old).

THE CALL OF THE SURF (Val Valentine): Pure island surf. Makaha, Yokohama, Sunset, Waimea, Ala Moana, Laniakea and of course Banzai Pipeline.

THE ENDLESS SUMMER (Bruce Brown): What can I say about the most famous surf film from the sixties? Around the world surf trip with arrogant Mike Hynson and clean cut Robert August. Senegal, Ghana, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Tahiti and Hawaii. The story of the trip is combined with sequences of bodysurf in The Wedge, Miki Dora and Lance Carson at Malibu, casual surf in Oahu’s south shore and gigantic Waimea. The India footage never got in the final edit due to lack of good waves.

FOR SURFERS ONLY (Grant Rohloff): Typical film with California and Hawaii stuff.

GONE WITH THE WAVE (Phil Wilson): 80 minutes of California, Mexico and Hawaii, plus some skateboarding. Soundtrack performed by the great Lalo Schiffrin.

LOCKED IN (Bud Browne): Typical Browne film with big wave riding and humor segments with Hevs Mclelland.

THE NEWEST AMERICAN SPORT (Bruce Brown): Short film about skateboarding. Skateboarders in the 13-14 range of age. Main theme by the same instro surf band who performed the “Theme From Endless Summer”: The Sandals.

THE NOMADIC SURFER (John Raymond): Another mediocre product filmed in California, Mexico and of course, Hawaii.

OUTSIDE THE THIRD DIMENSION (Jim Freeman): Filmed with a sofisticated camera system. Never got to much attention even with the 3-D gimmick.

RIDE THE WILD SURF (Don Taylor): Juvenile drama about surf produced by Columbia Pictures trying to avoid the “beach party” film pattern.
The action shots were filmed in the 1963-64 winter at the North Shore. The stunt double for the main star (Fabian) was Miki Dora, who surfed Waimea for the first time just for a few bucks. The stunt double for James Mitchum was Greg Noll, and the other surfers who did the actual surf scenes were aussie Dave Jackman and Phil Edwards. I think Mike Hynson was involved too.

STRICTLY HOT (Dale Davis): Davis style 100%. Around fifty of the best surfers from that era appear in the flick. The Wind’n’Sea Surf Club and the Malibu Surfing Association competing in a surf contest, plus some silly humor.

SURF CLASSICS (John Severson): Like many surf film makers from the period, Severson was pretty tired of delivering one surf film per year. Surfer Magazine absorbed much of his time so like Bruce Brown or Bud Browne, he edited a “best of the best” surf film with old footage.

VIVA LAS OLAS (John Williams): American production. Locations: California, Australia and South America.

THE WAVES (Walt Phillips): Walt uses the common spots to film one of his lasts efforts. Hawaii, Malibu y Huntington.

THE WET SET (Bruce Brown): A promotional film for the then born surf fashion industry. California go-happy surf session with Mickey Muñoz, Billy Hamilton, Bobby Patterson and a young Herbie Fletcher.

THE YOUNG WAVE HUNTERS (Bob Evans): Among other surfers, Nat Young starts to show his impressive style. Filmed in the east coast of Australia.
 


1965:

THE BEACH GIRLS AND THE MONSTER (Don Hall): B-grade Hollywood production. Mix of “beach party” genre with cheap drive-in horror movies.
Dale Davis provided the surf footage, filmed in Sunset and Pipeline mainly.
Black and white.

FIBERGLASS JUNGLE (J. Arnold)

THE GLASS WALL (Jim Freeman): Last Freeman film before joining forces with Greg McGillivray.

THE LAST WAVE (Grant Rohloff): USA production.

THE LIVING CURL (Jamie Budge)

LONG WAY ‘ROUND (Bob Evans): The surprise in this film is the Peru shots, one of the surf world centers of the 60s.

THE PERFECT BOARD (Bob Evans): Aussie production. Maybe a short film.

THE PERFORMERS (Greg McGillivray): Noserider Richard Chew and Bob Limacher, surfing in Hawaii, Baja, Florida, Mexico and California. Beautiful poster art.

SOME LIKE IT WET (Brad Page): It’s quite possible this film is the same that was released in dvd a few years ago with the same name. Recycled footage from other films plus some homemade segments. Fos surf film onanists only.

STOP THAT WAVE, I WANT TO GET OFF (Jim Wilhoite): The Maui waves are ridden by Butch Van Artsdalen and Mickey Muñoz. Footage from California too.

SURFING AUSSIE (Val Valentine): This production was just shown a few times in Oahu.

SURFING ROUNDABOUT (David Price): Wit narration by Richard Neville.

WALK ON THE WET SIDE (Dale Davis): Davis keeps on his style. Rincon, Malibu, Hawaii and the aces of the period.

THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF SURFING (Grant Rohloff): Santa Cruz, twelve feet waves in Redondo breakwater, Mazatlán and Waimea closing the film.
 


1966:

A LIFE IN THE SUN (Paul Witzig): Australia (Queensland area) and California just at the time when things started to change. The Sunsets are the combo who recorded the soundtrack.

A NIGHT OF SURFING, SKATEBOARDING & MOTORCYCLING (Grant Rohloff): Filmed in Kodak-color. Documents the “extreme” sports of that era.
Seems out of place, but dirt track motorcycling was linked with surf more that we can imagine. Surfers like Bruce Brown, Hobie Alter or Mickey Muñoz were firm motorbike aficionados.

A PLACE CALLED MALIBU (Dale Davis): Filmed in the California hotdogger’s epicenter.

ANOTHER WAVE (Barry Mirandon & David Kay): USA production.

BOARD RIDERS (Bill Fitzwater): Aussie production shot for the ABC tv station. Vivaldi’s musical pieces are used in the soundtrack.

DR. STRANGESURF (Walt Phillips): Last Phillips production.

THE ENDLESS SUMMER (formato 35 mm.) (Bruce Brown): This is the blown up 35 mm. version for commercial showing. It was shown in Kansas, just to test the inland public reaction. It was a real success, so it started to get disbribution along the U.S. Even it was released in several south America countries and Japan.

HIGH ON A COOL WAVE (Bob Evans): Evans concentrates in the future guru shaper Bob McTavish. Others who appear: Nat Young, Peter Drouyn, Midget Farrelly and the hawaiian David Nuuhiwa.

LET’S GO SURFING (?): Actually, this was a 13 episode series made for tv, every episode lasting 30 minutes. Starring Nat Young in each one.

OUTSIDE (Val Valentine): All the usual North Shore stuff plus Yokohama bay and the Duke Contest.

SKATER DATER (Noël Black): Fiction skate short film. Soundtrack by Davie Allan and his musical partner Mike Curb.

SUMMER SEARCH (Clifton & Ryan): Australian production.

THE SURFING YEARS (Peter Thompson): Another australian documentary made for tv network ABC.

 


1967:

BLUE SURFARI (Milton Blair): Rare surf film with a fiction plot. Starring Ricky Grigg and Greg Noll. Dale Velzy appears driving a dune buggie. The surf band the Blazers (not the Fullerton ones), appears on film. Teens stompin’ at the beach, bikini blonde girls… even released in 1967, it was actually shot in 1963 or 1964.

THE CHILDREN OF THE SUN (Andy McAlpine): New Zealand production. Shows the beginning of the contracultural revolution.

COME SURF WITH ME (Rodney Sumpter): English production.

EDEN CRIED (4028 Productions): American film.

THE HOT GENERATION (Paul Witzig): A good picture about the begining of the shortboard revolution. The best australian surfers: Nat Young at the San Diego world contest of 1966, Bob McTavish like one of the brains behind the revolution, the thin and stylish Bobby Brown, the yet to be discovered Peter Drouyn and Midget Farrelly, who was losing his kingdom as a style master.

HUH? (Grant Rohloff): Action sports documentary based in surf and dirt track motorbiking.

MONDO MOD (Timely Motion Pictures): Mondo genre movie. Shows what made the youth of the era in their leisure time. Obviously, surf riding had to be present. A vocal surf music piece appears in the soundtrack: “The Last Wave Of The Day”.

TO RIDE A WHITE HORSE (Bob Evans): Seems like this film is just some old footage mixed together. Sountrack composed by Sven Libaek.

SUMMER OF 67 (Bill Yerkes): This is a compilation of homemade footage shot in 1967. Good chance to see the east coast surf scene, with Corky Carrol, Dewey Weber and Mike Doyle appearing as guests away from their California turf.

THE WAY WE LIKE IT (Bob Evans): Introducing the surfer girl Tanya Binning.

WORLD CHAMPION WAVEMEN (Bob Evans): More recycled stuff by the prolific Bob Evans.
 


1968:

COSMIC CHILDREN (Hal Jepsen): Psychedelic Malibu beach party introduction.
First Jepsen film. Shows the California surf scene of that era pretty well. For the soundtrack, Jepsen took some rock hits from the era and put’em in the film without asking permission, gettin’ legal rights problems afterwards.

FREE AND EASY (Greg McGillivray & Jim Freeman): Masterpiece of the surf film genre. Nice and creative surf photography (aerial takes, super slow motion, big angulars…). Lots of Beatles tunes in the “101 strings” style in the soundtrack. Billy Hamilton, Mark Martinson and Herbie Fletcher among others star in the film.

THE GOLDEN BREED (Dale Davis): The best Davis film. Produced for a general audience aproach, ignoring the underground path took by other filmmakers. Sountrack by Davie Allan and Mike Curb.

HAWAII 68 (Paul Witzig): Aussie production.

THE MOODS OF SURFING (Greg McGillivray & Jim Freeman): This two filmmakers released this short film using footage from “Free & Easy”.

NOMADS (Dennis Cuyler): It’s possible in this film are footage from Spain, France, Portugal and Morocco.

OUT OF THE BLUE (Tim Murdoch): New Zealand production.

SAN DIEGO SURF (Andy Warhol & Paul Morrisey): Never released film showing some glimpses of the San Diego surf scene in the usual Andy Warhol style. Some will say this is more artsy fartsy stuff by Warhol messing with the popular surf culture of the era.

WITH SURFING IN MIND (Rodney Sumpter): English production.

 


1969:

ECLIPSE (Chris Young): Australian film.

EVOLUTION (Paul Witzig): The title says it all. Wayne Lynch was a very influent australian surfer. He’s the film’s star along with Nat Young. No narration.

THE FANTASTIC PLASTIC MACHINE (Eric Blum & Lowell Blum): The idea of this film originated at the Wind’n’Sea Surf Club. Some members of the club went on a surfari throught Down Under, trying to recover their lost pride, after the world contest winning of australian Nat Young in 1966.
When they hit Oz, they found the kind of performance that could be made with the V-bottoms. The last part of the movie makes a weird twist when they forget completely the “Endless Summer mood” USA expedition and changes
to an underground-zen format. Soundtrack edited by Epic Records.

FLUID JOURNEY (DES Films): Low budget production.

FOLLOW ME (Robert E. Petersen Production): This is a not so brilliant “Endless Summer” rip-off. Starring the California dark haired rider Bob Purvey, the blond eastcoaster Claude Codgen and finally the female surfer Mary Lou Higgins in order to have every kind of audience happy.
They travel around the world surfing mainly in mediocre conditions through the coasts of Morroco, Ceyland, India, Portugal, Japan (including an artifical wave at a swimming pool with some japanese Beatles look-a-likes) and the Soth Shore of Oahu. Lotsa of silly humor. Shines the initial California segment and the final big wave riding in Hawaii. When the cheesy sunshine pop music of Dino, Desi & Billy is not sounding, Stu Phillips charges with its sophisticated arrangements.

INNERMOST LIMITS OF PURE FUN (George Greenough): As you may expect, what really works in a Greenough film is its photography. The inside the tube sequences filmed in super slow motion fits in that lisergic era.
Soundtrack improvised while seeing the film projected by the band The Farm, in wich played Denny Aaberg (stylish surfer Kemp Aaberg’s brother). In the soundtrack appears the vocal tune “Crumple Car” that was used another time in the Hollywood surf epic “The Big Wednesday”.

THE LAST OF THE SKI BUMS (Dick Barrymore): This is a ski film documentary actually. Dick Barrymore, besides being a devoted skier was a surfer who made the mandatory pilgrimage to the North Shore in the 50s.
In the Bruce Brown film “Surfin’ Hollow Days”, there’s a ski clip by Barrymore.
To add more links to the surf film genre, the Sandals (the sames of the “Endless Summer” soundtrack) composed and performed the music for this film.

WHO’S BEST (Greg McGillivray & Jim Freeman): 15 minute short film comparing the styles of David Nuuhiwa, Corky Carrol, Wayne Lynch and Nat Young.

 

196?:
AS WE LIKE IT (?)

LET’S GO SKIING WITH WARREN MILLER (Warren Miller): Ski film with a hawaiian surf sequence.

WORLD OF WAVES (Nick Beck)

 


1970:

FREEDOM (Rodney Sumpter): British film with Sumpter catching some waves.

GETTING BACK TO NOTHING (Tim Burstall): Tv made documentary dealing with the national championships of 1970 at Bell’s Beach.

THE NATURAL ART (Fred Windisch): Surf film through a psychedelic filter.  Lotsa visual effects. Footage of 1968 world contest at Puerto Rico.

OVER UNDER SIDEWAYS DOWN (Ken Anderson): Starring the australian top surfers of the era.

PACIFIC VIBRATIONS (John Severson): One of the few Severson films in existence today. Psychedelic hornaments (just take a look at the bus painting sequence with Rick Griffin). Most of the film deals with the pacifist and easy going surfer life style. Some hints of ecological conscience. Very good soundtrack.
The great 1969 swell was caught on film. Jock Sutherland tube ridin’ Hono Wa.

SEAWEED SANDWICH (Merrill-Hammond Productions): Hollywood produced film that reflects the beach scene at San Diego. It is supposed to get inspiration from the Thom Wolfe book “The Pump House Gang”.

THE SOLID GLASS TUBE (Ray Cassidy): Low budget Aussie production.

SPLASHDOWN (Bob Evans): 1970 World Contest footage. A very young Terry Fitzgerald rips the waves at Narrabeen.

TOTAL INVOLVEMENT (Bill Kaiwa): Rarely showed outside Hawaii. The film stars a couple of riders soon to be legends: Gerry Lopez and Reno Abellira.

TRACKS (Bob Evans): Australian production.

WAVES OF CHANGE (Greg McGillivray & Jim Freeman): One of the master pieces of the genre. The ahead of its time photography gets even more richer with the stylish surf of Billy Hamilton, Mark Martinson, and the aussie Keith Paul. Beautiful waves in France ridden with V-bottom boards. Pretty soundtrack too with tunes by the Moody Blues among others.
 


1971:

ANIMALS (Paul Witzig): Australian production.

ECSTASY (Colin Turner): Australian production.

FAMILY FREE (Bob Evans): Surf riding at the west and east coasts of the australian continent.

OCEANS (Rodney Sumpter): British film. The most interesting: Brad McCaul in a huge Jeffrey’s Bay and Pipeline ridden by one of the masters, I mean Rory Russell.

ON ANY SUNDAY (Bruce Brown): The other Brown passion besides surf, was motorcycling. He made this documentary with his classic style translated to the two wheels. A very acclaimed film.

RAINBOW BRIDGE (Anpahkarana Productions): Sort of cheap hippie movie with the highlight of Jimmi Hendrix playing his Stratocaster in a Maui hill. Mike Hynson and David Nuuhiwa appear briefly surfing at Maalea.

SEA DREAMS (Curt Mastalka & Peter French): Rory Russell, Randy Becht, Bill Lacy and the new hawaiian generation.

SEA OF JOY (Paul Witzig): Soundtrack edited by Harvest Records, Australia.

SUNSHINE SEA (McGillivray & Freeman): Due to the quality of “Waves Of Change”, the film was updated, blown to 35 mm. format and retitled to be projected in commercial cinemas.

SURF DREAMS (David Lourie): Australian production.
 


1972:

A SEA FOR YOURSELF (Hal Jepsen): Like all the Jepsen’s films, it’s not just surf, you can see the beach scene too. Spots: Hawaii (lotsa Pipeline footage), California, France with le belle Biarritz and Peru with its high class surfers.

BLUE COOL (John Bennet): Australian production.

DIRECTIONS (Bruce Walker): Released in Super-8 format. Good images of Florida and Huntington Beach.

EXPRESSION SESSION II (Hal Jepsen): Several surfer’s styles compared in breaks like Pipeline and Sunset.

FIVE SUMMER STORIES (Greg McGillivray & Jim Freeman): One of the most famous surf films from the 70s. The best of the best worked on this one. Combined old stuff with the new breed aproach. Bud Browne shot some good stuff at Pipeline. The stars: Corky Carroll, ShaunThompson, Rory Russell and obviously Gerry Lopez.

FREEDOM RIDERS (Bruce Dowse): Australian production.

IN NATURAL FLOW (Steve Core): Good water photography of Kirra.

INVISIBLE TRACKS (Bob Evans): Australian production.

MOVING OUT (Bob Evans): Australian production.

THE ISLANDS (Paul Witzig & Tommy Taylor): Australian production.

ISLAND MAGIC (John Hitchcok): Filmed entirely in Hawaii. Jim Lucas and Joey Cabell surfing at the beatiful Hanalei bay. Interview segment with Owl Chapman and the guru shaper Dick Brewer.

MORNING OF THE EARTH (Albert Falzon): No narration in this film, just pretty surf footage with well chosen music. Filmed mainly in Australia, with some Hawaii and Bali.

NIRVANIC SYMPHONY (Murray McIntosh): Mr muscle Jeff Hakman is the lead piece in this document. Filmed in France and Hawaii, the two surf locations Hakman liked the most.

OUR DAY IN THE SUN (Sheppard & Usher): Australian production.

THE SURF MOVIE (Greg McGillivray & Jim Freeman): Maybe we are talking about some promotional short film.

SURFIN’ ODYSSEY (John Phillips): This footage was destined for the C-10 network corporation. Showing of the 1972 Smirnoff of Hawaii.

ZEPHYR (Yuri Farrant): Hawaiian surf. Water shots of Waimea bay. Surfers: Gerry Lopez and Rory Russell.
 


1973:

A WINTER’S TALE (Sheppard & Usher): Michael Peterson and Simon surfing many hollow pointbreaks in the australian coast. Some Pipeline y Jefrreys bay stuff.

BETTER DAYS (Jim Clark): Hawaii and California in Super-8 format.

COLD LINES (Paul Gillane & Greg Huglin): More films on Super-8 format. Santa Barbara and San Francisco waves with some hawaiian stints.

CRYSTAL VOYAGER (David Elfick & George Greenough): George Greenough portrait as a surfer, fisherman, sailor, watercraft designer and builder.
Nat Young and Ritchie West got their share of sequences. Filmed in California and the Channel Islands.
The final sequence it was used later in the Greenough film “Echoes”.

ECHOES (George Greenough): Beautiful and surrealistic. Inside the tubes shots, underwater shots… A very abstract surf film. What really matters here is the beauty of the wave more than the act of surfriding. At first, it was conceived as a clip for the Alby Falzon film “Crystal Voyager”.
Rincon and Lennox Head appears on the screen. Footage recycled from “Coming of the Dawn”-“Innermost Limits of Pure Fun”. Music by Pink Floyd.

IN NATURAL FLOW (Seteve Core): Australian production.

INSPIRATION (Larry Bennet): George Greenough again and his personal vision of tube riding. Larry Bertleman shines in Ventura (California).

RED HOT BLUE (Curt Mastalka): American production.

REFLECTIONS (Rodney Sumpter): English production.

ROLLIN’ HOME (Paul Witzig): A very few stints of surf in this film: Reno Abellira in peninsular Eyre, South Australia and Margret River.

SALT WATER WINE (Alan Rich): Malibu being surfed by the hawaiians Ben Aipa and Reno Abellira. Sam Hawk talks about Pipeline and then ride it.

SUMMER BREEZE (Allen Maine): Larry Bertleman surfing in San Diego. Gerry Lopez and Michael Ho riding at Ala Moana.

THE THIRD REEL (Greg McGillivray & Jim Freeman): Maybe a shortfilm.

WAVES SEEN (Paul Gross): California surf filmed with australian lenses.
 


1974:

A FLUID DRIVE (Scott Dittrich & Skip Smith): High energy surf. Billy Hamilton showing how stylish he is.

AUSSIES IN THE ISLANDS (Alan Rich): A bunch of aussie surfers rippin’ the hawaiian waves.

CRYSTAL VOYAGER (David Elfick & George Greenough): Updated version.

DROUYN (Bob Evans): Peter Drouyn, a solid australian surfer goes to Japan and Uluwatu among other places.

FORGOTTEN ISLAND OF SANTOSHA (Larry Yates): Easy going film.
Joey Cabell shines in the film. Surfer Magazine gave to this film a good amount of publicity.

GOING SURFIN’ (Bud Browne): One of the most complete surf films from the 70s. The best of the Browne archive plus new footage. No undergroung/hippie stuff. 60’s clip of Phil Edwards and Miki Dora surfing like the stylists they are.

LIQUID SPACE (Dale Davis): Starring Mike Purpus, Jeff Hakman, Owl Chapman, Rory Russell, David Nuuhiwa… well, the kings of their era.
Pipeline at its best. Original soundtrack by the band Truckin’.

ON ANY MORNING (David Sumpter): Australia, New Zealand, Kuta and Uluwatu are the locations.
The personnel this time are Nat Young, Wayne Lynch, Kim ‘Fly’ Bradley, Gerry Lopez, Jeff Hakman, Drouyn, MP and Fitzgerald. The 1974 Coke contest are included along with some old ski sequences.

ROOM TO MOVE (Steve Sonderberg): USA producction.

SURFABOUT (Albert Falzon): Filmed in 35 mm. Shortfilm about the Coca Cola contest of 1974.

 

1975:
CIRCUMFUSION (Neville Brown): Australian production Michael Peterson, Maurice Cole, Terry Fitzgerald… Some hang gliding and dirt bike riding.

LIQUID GOLD (Harry Hodge): Australian production.

OCEAN RHYTHMS (Steve Core): Australian production.

SUPERSESSION (Hal jepsen): Another great 70s film. Interviews with Gerry Lopez. Lotsa skate stuff with some silly skate contests.

TALES FROM THE TUBE (Bob Cording & Jerry Humphries): Pipeline, Haleiwa, Rocky Point, Velzyland… ridden from a christian point of view.

WAVES (Gene Bagley & Bill Gellatly): USA production.

 


1976:

A MATTER OF STYLE (Steve Sonderberg): Great performances. Comparing the styles of Gerry Lopez, Shaun Thompson, Terry Fitzgerald and others. California and Hawaii.

A WINTER’S TALE (Sheppard & Usher): Updated version of the 1973 film.

CYCLES OF THE NORTHERN SUN (Chris Klopf): A lot of northern California secret spots.

DRIFT AWAY (Richard Bradley): Australian production. Premiered in Sydney’s Opera House.

FIVE SUMMER STORIES PLUS FOUR (McGillivray & Freeman): Updated version of the 1972 classic. The film was projected until 1978.

FREE RIDES (Bruce Walker): Some Florida footage with surprising Miami Beach clip.

HARMONY WITHIN (Doug Swenson): Another hippie-bound surf film. Mexican waves for everybody.

HIGHWAY ONE (Steve Otton): Australian production with skateboard segment. Soundtrack edited by Infinity Records.

HOT LIPS AND INNER TUBES (Yuri Farrant): Lopez at Uluwatu. Hakman and Abellira at Maalea.

THE LAST RIDE (Dennis McDonald): Australian production.

MOTION (Fowler Brothers): Typical film dealing with period action sports.
Besides jet skiing, hand gliding, speedway on icetrack there is a good day at Honolua Bay.

OCEAN RHYTHMS (Steve Core): Updated version.

OUT OF BLUE (Aarong Chang): Good water photography at Hawaii. In Super-8 format.

PLAYGROUNDS IN PARADISE (Alan Rich): 80 minutes of film shot all over the world. Mexico, France, Great Britain among other places. Ski and skateboard clips.

SUN DANCE (Curt Mastalka): USA production.

VISIONS (Steve Bissel): Central America central and California. 

 

1977:
AHOO! (Warner Wacha)

IN SEARCH OF TUBULAR SWELLS (Dick Hoole & Jack McCoy): Typical film from the era: lightnin’ bolts surfing at Pipeline and empty swimming pool skating. Great shot of Gerry Lopez deep riding a tube in Uluwatu.

IN THE MIST OF SUMMER (Rick Jorgenson & Gary Pennington): Russell Short ripping at Mexico with Bonzers along with Dan Flecky.

JEFFREY’S BAY DREAM (Dick Hoole & Jack McKoy): Australian production.

THE NEW GOING SURFIN’ (Bud Browne): Updated version.

ROOM TO MOVE I (Chris Bystrom): Super-8 format. Katin Pro-Am contest in Big Rock, San Diego.
 


1978:

A DAY IN THE LIFE (Dick Hoole & Jack McKoy): Australian production with Nat Young and Wayne Lynch.

BIG WEDNESDAY (John Milius): Included in this filmography because some surf filmmakers worked on it, like Bud Browne and George Greenough.
The stunt riders were Bill Hamilton and Pete Towned. Lance Carson was supposed to work as a stunt rider too but due to his alcohol problems never did actual work in the movie.
The stars, Jan Michel Vincent, Gary Busey and William Katt really surf in the film.

FREE RIDE (Bill Delaney): Another masterpiece of 70s surf filmmaking.
Shaun Thompson doing tube rides and Wayne Bartholomew at Off The Wall.

GO FOR IT (Wilt Chamberlain & Hal Jepsen): Jepsen Style. Soundtrack by the usual Jepsen’s musical partners.

HAWAIIAN SAFARI (Rodney Sumpter): English production.

JUST CRUISIN’ (Alastair Waddell): Australian production.

MANY CLASSIC MOMENTS (Gary Capo): Located in Hawaii, but focused in small waves. Surfers: Buttons Kaluhiokalani, Mark Liddell and Dane Kealoha. Very good soundtrack by Kalapana.

NAS ONDAS DO SURF (Livio Bruni Jr.): Brazilian film. Skate and hand gliding stuff. Contest: Rio de Janeiro Smirnoff and the Pipe Masters.
Gerry Lopez, Reno Abellira, Mark Richards, Rory Russell plus the best brazilian surfers from the era.

ROOM TO MOVE II (Chris Bystrom): USA production.

STANDIN’ ROOM ONLY (Allen Main & Hugh Thomas): USA production. Nothing to do with the 1962 film of the same name.

STYLE MASTERS (Greg Weaver): Super-8 format. Mark Richards, Buttons, Michael Ho among others.

WAVE MASTERS (Grant Young): Shows the australian pro competition circuit of 1978. There’s a segment of others surf filmmakers.

 

1979:
APOCALYPSE NOW (Francis Ford Coppola): Included by popular demand.
Good ol’ John Milius was one of the co-writers, so he couldn’t help to add a surf stint. Cool surfwear fad: military t-shirt with your favorite shaper’s label.

OCEANS IN MOTION (Mike Moir): USA production.

WHITE WAVES (Rodney Sumpter): English production.

 

197?:
CITY SLICKERS (Fred Windisch): USA production.

TIME TUNNELS (Chris Klopf): USA production.

 


1980:

FALL LINE (Nat Young): A comparative study between skiers and surfers.

FANTASEA (Greg Huglin): Centered in Australia. Mark Richards, Chris Byrne, Bobby Owens and Mark Foo dancing to disco music before enter the water. Nice final segment of George Greenough surfing on air mat.

FOLLOW THE SUN (Scott Dittrich): Tom Curren at the North Shore. Shaun Thompson en super slow motion. Dane Kealoha appears too. South America footage with Cheyne Horan surfing a 5’8’’ single fin. 85 minutes.

HAWAIIAN MAGIC (John Fisher): Australian production.

NEW WAVE (Steve Otton): Australian production.

SEAFLIGHT (Bob & Ron Condon): USA production. 

 


1981:

BALI HIGH (Stephen Spaulding & Alexis Thomas): Great Padang Padang ridden by Peter McCabe.

BAND ON THE RUN (Harry Hodge): Australian production. A bunch of surfers tell us about their all around the world surfari. They start in South Africa, in J-Bay, and then go to France, Spain til Hawaii. After some crowded conditions, they go to the South Seas. Starring: Paul Neilson, Wayne Bartholomew, Bruce Raymond and Brian Cregan. Music by Paul McCartney and JJ Cale among others. 60 minutes aprox.

CRYSTAL EYES (Yuri Farrant): Good sruff of Hawaii, plus some windsurf footage.

PACIFIC DREAMS (Chris Bystrom): Joe Ropper shines at Big Rock, San Diego and Buttons rips Velzyland.

TALES OF THE SEVEN SEAS (Scott Ditrich): Shot around the world. Bali, Brazil, Oregon…

THUNDER DOWN UNDER (Chris Bystrom): Lotsa uncrowded breaks in the Australian coast.

WE GOT SURF (Hal Jepsen): Simon Anderson started with his thruster thing. Shaun Thompson glides on Swami’s peelers.

WIZARDS OF THE WATER (Alan Rich): Australian production.
 

1982:
ADVENTURES IN PARADISE (Scott Ditrich): Maalea at its best. First footage of Nias. Poster artwork by Rick Griffin.

STORM RIDERS (David Lourie, Jack McCoy & Dick Hoole): Much of the 1981 action is shown in this australian film. Gerry Lopez at Grajagan and Wayne Bartholomew at Burleigh. Monster swell comes at the Bell’s Beach contest. Lots of contest footage.

SURF ATTACK (Jack & Clark Poling): Centered in the USA east coast.

 


1983:

BLAZING BOARDS (Chris Bystrom): Sprout the new 80s generation of surfers.
Terry Fitzgerald, Wayne Bartholomew, Tom Carroll, Tom Curren, Martin Potter and Marvin Foster. The film starts with contest stuff and ther’es something of bodyboarding.

FREE RIDE (Bill Delaney): 1982 reedition of this classic with some added stuff.
Michael Ho at the Pipe Masters is just spectacular.

FULL BLAST (Curt Mastalka): Look at the new generation of hawaiian surfers.

OCEAN FEVER (Steve Sonderberg): USA production.

SEAFLIGHT II (A Condon Production): Reissue of Seaflight with new segments with Marvin Foster, Buttons, Bertleman, Michael and Derek Ho in Ala Moana.

STORM RIDERS (David Lourie, Jack McCoy & Dick Hoole): Another reissue with and added bonus about Gary “Kong” Elkerton.

WIZARDS OF THE WATER (Alan Rich): Updated version of the 1981 original film.

 

1984:
HISTORY OF AUSTRALIAN SURFING (Nat Young): First documentary focused in the history of australian surfing. Rare footage by Bob Evans.

 

1986:
LONGBOARDER (Hal Jepsen):
First film of the renaissance of the now called longboard. Classic stuff compilation by John Severson and other filmmakers plus some stuff shot by Jepsen, like the longboard contest in Malibu with guests Gary Busey and John Milius.

 

Written and compiled by Didac Piquer Puigdemont.
©Copyright de Didac Piquer Puigdemont