Review of THE CALIFORNIANS - a film by Jamie Budge
Feigel
Just published. Just in time for Christmas. My review of Jamie Budge's
latest classic surf film: The Californians.
http://www.surfwriter.net/thecalifornians.htm
When you've seen as many surf films as I have since the 1950's
you tend to lose count. I've even forgotten the names of the early
Australian surf films I made a couple of bucks showing at Pier Avenue
School in the early-60s.
Some films I liked, although quite a number were pretty mediocre. But
there have been a few I've really loved.
That's the problem I'm having with writing a review for Jamie Budge's
latest film, "The Californians." I really loved it, but I've already
used every superlative I can think of on my review of his last film,
"The Living Curl."
I'll try anyway.
For some, a good surfing film should be all about surfing shots and
nothing else. For my money, however, a good surfing film should also
tell a story.
It takes a really great surfing film to make that story entertaining,
informative and humorous. But only a really, really, REALLY GREAT
surfing film combines that story with riveting surfing, delightful
visual effects and the kind of background music that flows like honey
over a hot rock.
Long story short: "The Californians" isn't just a great surfing film.
It's a really, really, REALLY GREAT surfing film.
Like Budge's "The Living Curl," "The Californians" captures a pivotal
era in surfing's past and makes yesterday's fun, today's fun.
While Budge's last film documented the post-Gidget period to the
mid-60s, "The Californians" takes up where "The Living Curl" left off.
It traces the people, influences and social changes that led to a
virtual revolution in surfing styles, attitudes, performance and
surfboard designs.
The film features many of surfing's top stylists, including Miki Dora,
John Peck, Bob Cooper, David Nuuhiwa, Corky Carroll, Midget Farrelly,
Dewey Weber, Nat Young, Dru Harrison, Dale Dobson, Mike Purpus, Bob
Baron, Jay Riddle, Angie Reno, Brad McCall, Rolf Aurness, JoJo Perrin,
Davey Hilton, Jerry Lopez and Clyde Beatty Jr. And it shows how their
styles and performance developed and changed with the times.
This film also gives viewers the special bonus of additional footage
from Hal Jepson, Craig Stecyk (of Dogtown and Z-Boys fame), Janice
Barberi, David Mellin and one James Arness (aka Marshall Dillon). And,
as usual, Jamie Budge's youthful, lighthearted narration is one of the
film's highlights.
Of "The Living Curl" I wrote: "The Living Curl is a "must see" for all
those interested in surfing's rich history or anyone wanting to enjoy
a surfing film that combines all the elements needed to make it a
classic."
Since I've run out of superlatives, the same can be said for "The
Californian." It is really, really, REALLY GREAT!
--
"One thing I like about surfing, you don't have to win to be a winner." - Terry "Tubesteak" Tracey
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Wax-up and drop-in on Surfing's Golden Years: http://www.surfwriter.net
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rodndtube
Probably a good film, I will reserve judgment until it is actually
viewed by me. But the name and premise causes me to wonder. For one
thing, the Southern California surf center and industry was resistant
to all the changes sweeping across rest of the surfing world. There
were a a few small enclaves of change in San Diego (Steve Lis, a
kneeboarder) and Central Calif (Greenough, a kneeboarder and the
Campbell Bros with the bonzer) but these folks are not featured in the
film. Second, at least two to the featured surfers are not even
Californians, but Aussies, McTavish and Young.
My take is that The Living Curl should have been named "The
Californians" since California was a center of innovation in the
industry -- moving to the foam/fiberglass boards, the Malibu board and
noseriding and hotdogging.