The Endless Summer
| The Endless Summer | |
|---|---|
Theatrical release poster
|
|
| Directed by | Bruce Brown |
| Produced by | Bruce Brown |
| Written by | Bruce Brown |
| Starring | Mike Hynson Robert August Miki Dora |
| Narrated by | Bruce Brown |
| Music by | The Sandals |
| Cinematography | Bruce Brown |
| Edited by | Bruce Brown |
| Distributed by | Cinema V Monterey Media |
|
Release date
|
|
|
Running time
|
95 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $50,000 |
| Box office | $20 million |
The Endless Summer is a seminal 1966 surf movie (the initial release was in 1964, world-wide release was 1966).
Filmmaker/narrator Bruce Brown follows two surfers, Mike Hynson and Robert August, on a surfing trip around the world. Despite the balmy climate of their native California, cold ocean currents make local beaches inhospitable during the winter. They travel to the coasts of Australia, New Zealand, Tahiti, Hawaii, Senegal, Ghana, Nigeria and South Africa in a quest for new surf spots and introduce locals to the sport. Other important surfers of the time, such as Miki Dora, Phil Edwards and Butch Van Artsdalen, also appear.
Its title comes from the idea, expressed at both the beginning and end of the film, that if one had enough time and money it would be possible to follow the summer up and down the world, making it endless. The concept of the film was born through the suggestion of a travel agent to Bruce Brown during the planning stages of the film. The travel agent suggested that the flight from Los Angeles to Cape Town, South Africa and back would cost $50 more than a trip circumnavigating the world. After which, Bruce came up with the idea of following the summer season by traveling up and down the world.
The narrative presentation eases from the stiff and formal documentary of the 1950s and early 1960s to a more casual and fun-loving personal style filled with sly humor. The surf rock soundtrack to the film was provided by The Sandals. The "Theme to the Endless Summer" was written by Gaston Georis and John Blakeley of the Sandals. It has become one of the best known film themes in the surf movie genre.
When the movie was first shown, it encouraged many surfers to go abroad, giving birth to the "surf-and-travel" culture, with prizes for finding "uncrowded surf", meeting new people and riding the perfect wave. It also introduced the sport, which had become popular outside of Hawaii and the Polynesian Islands in places like California and Australia, to a broader audience. In addition, it set the style for later surf-and-travel movies, including Momentum, (These Are) Better Days, and Thicker Than Water.
...
Wikipedia