Thicker Than Water Surf Film

[Novella Poinsett]

Forthe last several months, I have been lamenting the loss of the full length surf film. It was a slow, quiet death... but the instant gratification of social media has cut the legs out from under what was once the heartbeat of surf culture.

I googled where to stream Chris Malloy and Jack Johnson's co-directed, 2000-flick Thicker Than Water, and unsurprisingly, the full film is available on YouTube. I still have the DVD in the drawer of our TV cabinet at home. Pretty sure I have the soundtrack on CD somewhere too. In the early 2000's, I bought every Malloy/Johnson/Moonshine/Brushfire film and record that came out. Listen, I get that in 2020 we're far too jaded for JJ Casual, but twenty years ago this film was like lighter fluid for my developing passion for surfing.

Skip ahead to the 19:37 mark of the film. This segment is often the first one that comes up in conversation, and many of my peers know immediately which board/scene you're talking about when you say "you know, the green board from Thicker Than Water".

Upon a rewatch all these years later, the board actually seems a little clunky and has an unusual amount of nose rocker. It's a great reminder of how far things have come in surfboard design in the last twenty years that the green singlefin was so unique and memorable at the time. Nowadays, you'd see eight boards more interesting than that just walking from your car to the waves. In the late 90's and early 00's, we were at the peak of the shortboard era, anything longer was either a "fun board" for learning or a "high-performance longboard".

There is no doubt about it, the internet has revolutionised the world like nothing before it. It has become a mechanism for collaborations and a strong medium for interactions between individuals and their digital devices, regardless of geographical location. But what has this done for surfing? Surfing was built off the back of an aspirational lifestyle that was initially only shared through word of mouth, early surf movies and the images being printed in surf magazines.

The internet has definitely helped raise the level of surfing at both a competitive and free surf level. Surfers are able to share media content, immediately see what is happening in every corner of the surfing globe and study techniques, training methods and access whatever information is required to lift their own game. So, what has the internet taken away from surfing?

At the time surf films would tour towns and cities with money being made through charging entrance fees. Surf fans were more than happy to pay to see their favourite surfer on screen (or perhaps be introduced to a new surfer) before taking what they witness to their local break to emulate. The producers desire to maximise these takings also led to thinking what else were the surfers prepare to outlay their cash on during the movie, a program perhaps?

But what did this mean for surfing? It meant the rebirth of many Surf Movies that had proceeded the conception of the home video system. Meaning a new channel of global distribution for surf movies to the ever growing and hungry surf industry. All of a sudden surf movies could be watched in any home with a VCR, at any time and as many times as they like. Being able to have you favourite surf movie on repeat allowed the everyday surfer to study their idols and envisage waves they had only seen once before. It also increased the desire to travel and explore. All of a sudden, these waves that were only reserved for the big screen single viewing, became an accessible dream to every surfer.

A film by Albert Falzon and an absolute master piece of surf cinematography and one of the greatest surf movies ever made. Featuring waves from Bali, Kirra, Oahu and many more the movie is way more than what you see on the screen. It also included a 48 page book of photos and writings.

An absolute classic movie from Universal Pictures. Starring in this Hollywood classic were surfers such as Gerry Lopez, Laird Hamilton, Occy alongside Matt Alder and Nia Peeples. Basically an Arizona surfer, laughed at by the Hawaiian locals, finds a girlfriend that teaches him to surf better and helps prepare him to ride the giant waves of Oahu. This one is so bad its good, defo worth a watch.

We've searched high and low for the very best surfing documentary on the planet. The good news is that you don't need to grab a plane ticket or leave the comfort of your home to view them. The bad news is that we couldn't narrow it down to just one - these surfing documentary movies are perfect for spending a weekend, or a few evenings, in front of the TV. So, sit back, relax and enjoy our picks for top surf documentaries.

This Andy Irons surf documentary is a must-watch for any surfing fanatic. Following the late, great surfer, follow the rise of the American, his rivals, three world titles and battles with drug addiction and mental health issues. Raw and real accounts from his closest companions make this an interesting insight into the life of a professional surfer.

Few surf documentaries online can boast that theyƒ??ve been narrated by an oscar winning actor. In the case of Bra Boys, Australian actor, Russell Crowe, tells the tale of the notorious Bra Boys gang, particularly the Abberton family, and the contrast between their daily lives and the joy of the surf. This surfing documentary is directed by the eldest of the brothers, Sunny Abberton. While you might not find a subjective viewpoint here, as a viewer, youƒ??re given a level of intimacy rarely found in other documentaries.

As one of the best surf documentaries on Netflix, Unstoppable tells the tale of Bethany Hamilton, a teenager who hit the headlines when she lost an arm in a shark attack. This inspiring surfing documentary shares Hamiltonƒ??s dedication in aiming for surfing glory, as well as a close look at her personal life beyond the waves. The winner of several filmmaking awards, including best feature at the Hawaii International Film Festival, even your non-surfer friends will relish this watch.

Focusing on several coastal areas of California, this film is ultimately one of the best surf documentaries that are easy to watch. A celebration of life on the water, One California Day captures the experiences of surfers, including a young Alex Knost and Tyler Warren - two people who have already made a significant impact on surfing culture. Despite only being just over a decade old, the super 16mm shot camera footage presents an air of nostalgia which gives a nod to the top surfing documentaries of old.

This Irish surfing documentary portrays a year in the life of Lahinch, County Clare. This Atlantic surf town has become Irelandƒ??s hot bed of the surfing community since 2000 and this film highlights its transformation from sleepy small town to one of Europeƒ??s prime surfing locations. While an interesting story filled with many characters, the real highlight here is the epic footage of breathtaking waves set amongst a backdrop of craggy Irish scenery.

Indie Bornhoft is a personal trainer and watersports coach, who encourages her clients to make movement their mantra. She has coached every ability in wakeboarding, paddleboarding, SUP fitness, and windsurfing for over ten years, and is highly qualified in all disciplines. Discover more about her drive to just keep moving and be inspired to connect to the raw power of body & spirit through fitness.

Surfers have an image of being laid back and relaxed, but set foot onto their beaches or try to ride their waves uninvited and you might see that mellow, Zen-like mentality melt away in an instant. You may even become the next victim of surf rage.

Just last weekend, a celebrity photographer experienced this firsthand as he tried to capture actor Matthew McConaughey on film while he surfed at a beach in Malibu, Calif. Within minutes, more than a dozen surfers surrounded the photographer and began screaming at him and his fellow paparazzi to leave the beach.

Though the video and subsequent cyber-threats were jarring to watch, the incident was not altogether uncommon. At the best surf beaches, the limited number of waves and occasional pack mentality of local surfers, who feel entitled to the territory, can mean bad news for newcomers.

Last spring, a surfer was beaten and killed by what some considered a \"surfer gang\" in La Jolla, Calif., and earlier this year, a local Hawaiian surfer was killed during an early morning fight, according to local reports.

Documentaries, such as Russell Crowe's 2007 \"Bra Boys,\" which boasted a tagline that read \"blood is thicker than water,\" and the 2005 film \"Lords of Dogtown,\" both illustrated how violent surfer life can get. In \"Dogtown,\" for example, one surfer, who feels threatened by intruders, goes so far as to drop another's carburetor into the ocean.

\"I was once surfing out in a break near Santa Barbara, and the surfers there wanted me and my friends to get out of the water because the sleeves on my wetsuit were blue,\" said George, who believes he was asked to leave because his suit didn't fit the \"code of that spot.\"

The Endless Summer is one of the first and most influential surf films, creating and defining an entire category of cinema, which has endured and evolved in the decades since its release in 1966. Director Bruce Brown follows two surfers, Mike Hynson and Robert August, on a surf 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 Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Tahiti and Hawaii 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 around 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 around the world.

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