Best Music Movies

almost-famous.jpgI’ve really been enjoying the Bruce Springsteen DVD I got for Christmas, which has inspired me to re-watch some of the Rolling Stones DVD I got for my wife’s birthday (Yeah, so I got her something I like too — is that so wrong?). 

As a result, I’ve been thinking about the best music movies. Which, of course, leads to a list:

My top ten:

10.) “Shine a Light.” Of course it’s good — Martin Scorcese directed it and it’s about the Stones. How could you go wrong? But, seriously, the direction, the camera angles — it really presented a concert the way no other movie has.

9.) “U2 3D.” Okay, let me amend that last statement. It presented a concert the way no other movie had — until this one came out a few months later. For this movie, 18 cameras were used to capture the Irish rockers in 3D. I especially liked the shots from the stage, where you felt like you were there, looking into your audience of adoring fans.

8.) “The Last Waltz.” Scorcese again, this time chronicling the Band’s farewell concert. Great interviews and great guests, including Dr. John and Van Morrison.

7.) “The Commitments.” I have to admit, it’s been a while since I’ve seen this one, but the one thing I remember is that I really liked it. The plot is about a group of white Dubliners who try to form a soul band. They have real promise, too — until the egos flare up. The band was led by 16-year-old Andre Strong, who has since gone on to tour with the Stones, Elton John and Prince, among others.

6.) “Yellow Submarine.” I love all the Beatles movies, but the psychedelic art in this one takes the prize.

5.) “Woodstock.” Aside from the great music, this was a well-done documentary that explored interesting angles (i.e., the problems setting up a massive outdoor concert, interviewing the guy who cleaned the portable toilets, etc.) and featured cool camera angles of acts like Hendrix and Santana.

4.) “Gimme Shelter.” Alas, all good things must come to an end, right? Whereas “Woodstock” glamorized the 60s, “Gimme Shelter” — like Charles Manson — showed the downside of the drug culture and the beginning of the end of the hippie movement. Oh, and by the way? It’s not a great idea to have a biker gang handle your security. The Hell’s Angels bullied members of Jefferson Airplane and killed an audience member while the Stones were performing. Unable to see exactly what happened, Mick Jagger says into the mic: “Who’s fighting and what for?”

3.) “That Thing You Do.” Tom Hanks isn’t normally known for writing screenplays — or songs. But he did both for this film, about a fictional band called the Wonders. Here we follow the Wonders as they just about make it but then break up to pursue normal lives.

2.) “This is Spinal Tap.” When I interviewed Jon Anderson from YES, he said this is one of his favorite movies. And many other famous musicians agree. Because so many of them say this funny fictional portrait of a heavy metal band nailed it. Cranking it to eleven entered the lexicon with this Rob Reiner flick about the crazy side of rock and roll, which features the band getting lost backstage and losing drummers.

1.) “Almost Famous.” As a teen, Cameron Crowe was better than most adult journalists who’d been at it for years. He also wound up being a pretty good screnplay writer. Here he chronicles his life on the road with 70s rockers. When I interviewed Greg Allman a while ago, he admitted that he and Allman Brothers bandmate Dickey Betts took Crowe’s interview tapes from him as a joke. (The Allman Brothers were Crowe’s first cover — and one of the bands that inspired the movie.)

“The poor guy’s face got so long,” Allman said. “Of course, the next morning . . . we woke him up again and asked him if he wanted to go have breakfast, and we handed him his stuff back.”

Crowe claims Allman mailed the tapes back to him — as a character does in the movie.

Either way — my favorite music movie.

Runners-up:

* “High Fidelity.” Gotta love Jack Black’s music snob - even if he disses Stevie Wonder.

* “Dream Girls.” Launching the career of Jennifer Hudson, with nice work from Eddie Murphy.

* “Ray.” A great impersonation by Jamie Foxx, who has his own musical chops.

* “Cash.” Yeah, the lead actors look nothing like the real people. But it was still a good portrayal.

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Best Music Movies

almost-famous.jpgI’ve really been enjoying the Bruce Springsteen DVD I got for Christmas, which has inspired me to re-watch some of the Rolling Stones DVD I got for my wife’s birthday (Yeah, so I got her something I like too — is that so wrong?). 

As a result, I’ve been thinking about the best music movies. Which, of course, leads to a list:

My top ten:

10.) “Shine a Light.” Of course it’s good — Martin Scorcese directed it and it’s about the Stones. How could you go wrong? But, seriously, the direction, the camera angles — it really presented a concert the way no other movie has.

9.) “U2 3D.” Okay, let me amend that last statement. It presented a concert the way no other movie had — until this one came out a few months later. For this movie, 18 cameras were used to capture the Irish rockers in 3D. I especially liked the shots from the stage, where you felt like you were there, looking into your audience of adoring fans.

8.) “The Last Waltz.” Scorcese again, this time chronicling the Band’s farewell concert. Great interviews and great guests, including Dr. John and Van Morrison.

7.) “The Commitments.” I have to admit, it’s been a while since I’ve seen this one, but the one thing I remember is that I really liked it. The plot is about a group of white Dubliners who try to form a soul band. They have real promise, too — until the egos flare up. The band was led by 16-year-old Andre Strong, who has since gone on to tour with the Stones, Elton John and Prince, among others.

6.) “Yellow Submarine.” I love all the Beatles movies, but the psychedelic art in this one takes the prize.

5.) “Woodstock.” Aside from the great music, this was a well-done documentary that explored interesting angles (i.e., the problems setting up a massive outdoor concert, interviewing the guy who cleaned the portable toilets, etc.) and featured cool camera angles of acts like Hendrix and Santana.

4.) “Gimme Shelter.” Alas, all good things must come to an end, right? Whereas “Woodstock” glamorized the 60s, “Gimme Shelter” — like Charles Manson — showed the downside of the drug culture and the beginning of the end of the hippie movement. Oh, and by the way? It’s not a great idea to have a biker gang handle your security. The Hell’s Angels bullied members of Jefferson Airplane and killed an audience member while the Stones were performing. Unable to see exactly what happened, Mick Jagger says into the mic: “Who’s fighting and what for?”

3.) “That Thing You Do.” Tom Hanks isn’t normally known for writing screenplays — or songs. But he did both for this film, about a fictional band called the Wonders. Here we follow the Wonders as they just about make it but then break up to pursue normal lives.

2.) “This is Spinal Tap.” When I interviewed Jon Anderson from YES, he said this is one of his favorite movies. And many other famous musicians agree. Because so many of them say this funny fictional portrait of a heavy metal band nailed it. Cranking it to eleven entered the lexicon with this Rob Reiner flick about the crazy side of rock and roll, which features the band getting lost backstage and losing drummers.

1.) “Almost Famous.” As a teen, Cameron Crowe was better than most adult journalists who’d been at it for years. He also wound up being a pretty good screnplay writer. Here he chronicles his life on the road with 70s rockers. When I interviewed Greg Allman a while ago, he admitted that he and Allman Brothers bandmate Dickey Betts took Crowe’s interview tapes from him as a joke. (The Allman Brothers were Crowe’s first cover — and one of the bands that inspired the movie.)

“The poor guy’s face got so long,” Allman said. “Of course, the next morning . . . we woke him up again and asked him if he wanted to go have breakfast, and we handed him his stuff back.”

Crowe claims Allman mailed the tapes back to him — as a character does in the movie.

Either way — my favorite music movie.

Runners-up:

* “High Fidelity.” Gotta love Jack Black’s music snob - even if he disses Stevie Wonder.

* “Dream Girls.” Launching the career of Jennifer Hudson, with nice work from Eddie Murphy.

* “Ray.” A great impersonation by Jamie Foxx, who has his own musical chops.

* “Cash.” Yeah, the lead actors look nothing like the real people. But it was still a good portrayal.

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Things Surfers Like: Surf Movies

seversonbest.jpgPrior to a surf session, the surfer will often achieve what is sometimes referred to* as a “pre-stoke” by watching videos of other people surfing. This gets the surfer in the mood, if you will, for the upcoming sesh.

These movies typically feature surfers who have no actual job, but rather, spend their days surfing, leading the common (a..k.a., “working stiff”) surfer to say things like, “What a life!” and “I’d be pretty good, too — if I didn’t have to work all the time!

Surf movies are clearly not created equal. The best ones will feature surf travel, a few quirky moments (say, a guy surfing a door or a surf board falling off a car top) and plenty of wipeouts because we surfers like to see other people wipe out - particularly if it’s a surfer who doesn’t have to work a real job.

In the best of all worlds, surf movies would also feature good music. But since most surf movies are made with low budgets – not enough to license songs from well-known artists — the music often sucks. But the surfer is a forgiving sort — as long as the crummy music is accompanied by the aforementioned wipeouts.

* By me

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At the movies with Michael Crichton

Remembering the man who brought us “Jurassic Park,” “The Andromeda Strain”

These days, it’s popular to describe a novel as being “cinematic.”

Such books usually boast thrilling action and compelling plots. They contain vivid descriptions, exciting twists and punchy dialog — if not necessarily the most subtle or fleshed-out characters.

Michael Crichton’s novels, and his movies, certainly fall under that criteria.

Michael Crichton, author of “Jurassic Park”Crichton, the author of “Jurassic Park” and “The Andromeda Strain,” died last week at age 66. An anthropologist, doctor and filmmaker who published his first novel while at Harvard Medical School, he pioneered the techo-thriller genre, wrote more than a dozen best-sellers and and created the hugely successful medical drama “ER,” which ends its 15-season run next spring.

His books invariably became box office blockbusters.

So what gives a movie that special Michael Crichton touch? Here’s a sampling of the his best-known film projects, starting with 1971’s “The Andromeda Strain.”

“The Andromeda Strain” (1971): Scientists scramble to find the cure to a deadly alien virus. This sci-fi classic was remade as a 2008 television special.

“Westworld” (1973): Killer robots (including Yul Brynner!) run amuck in a Wild West theme park. “Boy, have we got a vacation for you.”

“The Terminal Man” (1974): Brilliant computer scientist Harry Benson (George Segal) turns violent after a head injury.

“The Great Train Robbery” (1979): Two criminals (Sean Connery and Donald Sutherland) plan a daring heist in Victorian England.

“Runaway” (1984): In the near future, a police officer discovers a plot to create homicidal robots. Save us, Tom Selleck!

“Jurassic Park” (1993): Question: What could be cooler than real, live dinosaurs terrorizing kids and eating lawyers? Answer: Nothing. “Jurassic Park” is Michael Crichton at his most awesome.

“Rising Sun” (1993): When a woman is found dead in the offices of a Japanese corporation, it’s up to a police detective (Wesley Snipes) and a retired expert (Connery, again) to solve the crime.

“Disclosure” (1994): Crichton got in hot water for this sexual harrassment tale about an executive (Demi Moore) who sets out to ruin her happily married co-worker (Michael Douglas).

“Congo” (1995): Assorted oddballs in search of African diamond falls prey to vicious gorillas. Yes, “Congo” is a terrible film, but the movie’s quirky humor and goofy plot make it strangely enjoyable.

“Twister” (1996): Storm chasers follow record-breaking tornadoes across the state of Oklahoma. Pure fun.

“Sphere” (1998): A team of scientists exploring an ancient spaceship discovered on the floor of the Pacific Ocean get more than they bargained for.

“The 13th Warrior” (1999): A Muslim ambassador(Antonio Banderas) comes to the aid of Vikings battling unspeakable monsters in this retelling of the ancient “Beowulf.” Based on Crichton’s “Eaters of the Dead.”

“Timeline” (2003): Archeology students travel back in time to the 14th century, only to be trapped in a medieval war between England and France.

***

Above photo by Jim Cooper of The Associated Press.

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Halloween at the movies

Celebrate Halloween the right way with these terrifying films

More than Christmas, Easter or the Fourth of July, Halloween is a holiday made for movie lovers.

John Carpenter’s “Halloween”Theaters and video stores trot out their most horrific titles. Workplaces and classrooms morph into mad scientists’ labs, pirate ships, spooky lairs. Candy flows from the heavens. And everyone — I mean, everyone — dons face makeup and sequins.

Being a big fan of All Hallows Eve, I started prepping for the holiday back in August. The rest of you, on the other hand, might need some help.

Let’s start with Halloween costumes. Want to dress up in style? The movie mavens at Rotten Tomatoes have some ideas for you.

While some of these suggestions are pretty lame — I can’t imagine anyone wanting to dress up as Adam Sandler’s Israeli super-soldier in “You Don’t Mess With the Zohan” — pulling together an instantly recognizable, homemade version of Indiana Jones, Juno or Rambo should be a snap. Scour those thrift stores, people!

Not quite nerdy enough? Not to fear. Geek haven io9.com offers its version of “Halloween Costumes That Rule” as well as a Flickr group dedicated to the best (and worst) of science fiction-themed costumes.

Elsewhere in Blogland, SpookMaster has some killer pumpkin-carving patterns, including Darth Vader, Yoda and the “Batman” symbol.

The Lightning Bug invites you to check out “The Halloween Top 13″ — a baker’s dozen designed to delight the senses and scare the living daylights out of you. First up is “Friday the 13th,” a veritable Halloween classic.

Film School Rejects also has a list of top terror flicks, titled “31 Days of Horror.”

Invasion of the B Movies will be featuring reviews of the ever-popular”Halloween” series during the last nine days of October. (For those of you getting out your calculators, the list includes “Halloween: H2O,” “Halloween: Resurrection” and Rob Zombie’s 2007 “Halloween” remake, now available on Blu-Ray. That’s a lot of mask-wearing, knife-wielding psychopaths.)

Meanwhile, over at KillerFilm.com, Jon offers his excellent “Halloween Watch List”, Matt gushes over James Whale’s “The Bride of Frankenstein” and Topher shares “What I’ve Learned From American Psycho.” Apparently, this slick thriller about a Wall Street yuppie turned serial killer is actually a heartwarming lesson about “friendship and self-appreciation” — with an inspiring role model, no less! Who knew?

***

Movie poster courtesy of PosterWire.com.

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9-11 on film

What filmmakers want to tell us about Sept. 11

“The Elephant in the Room”Seven years after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, we’re still feeling the physical and psychological impact of those planes crashing into the World Trade Center in New York City, the Pentagon in Washington D.C., and a field in Pennsylvania.

Few places is that impact felt more than on film — where an ongoing conversation addresses why 9/11 happened and how it has affected us.

Tonight, HopeDance Magazine is screening one of two movies about 9/11 at the San Luis Obispo City-County Library.

One documentary, “The Elephant in the Room,” examines the effects of 9/11 on first responders, the Muslim community and the 9/11 Truth Movement, an activist group who challenge the U.S. government’s explanation of the attacks.

The film, by British director Dean Puckett, won best documentary at this year’s London Independent Film Festival.Another documentary is also dedicated to debunking the “official version” of the events leading up to the attacks.

“Zero: An Investigation into 9/11″ features interviews with author and politician Gore Vidal, Nobel Prize-winning playwright Dario Fo and others — challenging assumptions about 9/11.

“What results is a sequence of contradictions, gaps and omissions of stunning gravity,” reported the Italian newspaper Il Corriere de la Sera (Evening Courier).

Added Italy’s La Reppublica, “The importance of this film can not be overstated, if its thesis is correct, the justification for declaring the war on terror is built on a series of outrageous lies.”

***

The film chosen by online voters — either “Elephant” or “Zero” — will be screened at 8 p.m. at the library, 995 Palm St. in San Luis Obispo. A $5 donation is encouraged.

***

Since the Sept. 11 attacks, filmmakers have worked to capture the horror, magnitude and impact of the tragedy on film. Here are a few movies worth checking out.

“9/11″ (2002)

Shot entirely by New York City firefighters at Ground Zero, this insiders-view documentary is a classic case of cinema verite.

“Fahrenheit 9/11″ (2004)

What caused Sept. 11? How did it affect the world? Did President Bush and his administration use a national tragedy to push their own agenda? Those are the questions Michael Moore asks in this thought-provoking documentary.

“United 93″ (2006)

Director Paul Greengrass takes an intimate look at the events aboard United Flight 93, one of the planes hijacked on Sept. 11. Painstaking research, a largely unfamiliar cast and revolutionary “real time” storytelling make this an engrossing and deeply moving drama.

“World Trade Center” (2006)

Nicholas Cage and Michael Pena play two Port Authority police officers who become trapped in the rubble of the Twin Towers. Despite occasionally ham-fisted direction by Oliver Stone, “WTO” still offers an important perspective on the tragedy.

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Heeeeeere’s Bunny!

bunny-shining.JPGI must have Stephen King on my mind this week. Either that or I just can’t think of anything else to write about.

But after writing about King adaptations and debating Danny on which is better — “The Shining” or “Stand By Me” – I was reminded of Bunny Theater.

If you haven’t heard of Bunny Theater, it’s a series of animated shorts summarizing popular movies in 30 seconds — with bunnies. One of the first bunny productions I ever saw was a parody of “The Shining.”

Since then, numerous others have been added, from “Office Space” and “Borat” to “Brokeback Mountain” and “Superbad.”

Bunny Theater is the creation of Internet animator Jennifer Shiman, whose Bunny shorts have garnered over a billion page views — and a gig with Starz. Here’s a pretty decent interview with her.

The great thing about Bunny Theater is that the shorts are so . . . short. So it’s a perfect way to kill a little time at the office.

Not that I would ever recommend that you kill time at the office. In fact, if you’re reading this blog while at work, please stop and work harder.

Meanwhile, I’d recommend Bunny Theater’s versions of “Jaws,” “The Exorcist” and “Fight Club.”

For when you get home, of course.

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Top Ten Stephen King Adaptations

stephen_king.jpgI think it’s interesting how the literary world views Stephen King.

Some think he’s a trashy supermarket novelist who writes about monsters. Yet, many respected universities actually teach King, treating him like another Edgar Allan Poe.

No matter how you see it, you can’t deny King is the most popular novelist of our day. And no other author — except for, say, Shakespeare — has had a greater impact on movies.

In fact, there are currently six films being made based on King books.

While there have certainly been many bad ones (Think “Hearts in Atlantis”), the ones that stay true to the original source tend to be quite good.

As we debate the best King adaptation in this week’s Grudge Match, I’ve decided to take it one step further, naming my Top Ten Stephen King Book-to-Movie Adaptations. Here goes:

10.) “Cujo”

After this movie was made, people didn’t look at dogs the same way. In fact, 25 years later, if a canine looks intimidating, we still say, “Whoa — easy, Cujo!”

9.) “The Running Man”

In 1987, the idea of a guy competing for his life on a TV show seemed a little out there. But after some of the reality shows we’ve had in recent years, it no longer seems so far fetched.

8.) “It”

This wasn’t bad for a TV mini-series. The build-up was nice, and, of course, the clown gave you the creeps.

7.) “The Stand”

This one almost needed to be a mini series (which it was) in order to do justice to King’s tome on mankind’s final stand.

6.) “Pet Semetary”

Proving that little kids can be really creepy, this one proves why it’s sometimes good to let sleeping dogs lie.

5.) “Misery”

Terrific performances by James Caan and Kathy Bates, proving that movies don’t need monsters to be scary.

4.) “The Shining”

King didn’t like some of the changes director Stanley Kubrick made for the cinematic version of his book (which he later had remade into a TV movie), but I gotta side with the director on this one. And who better to play a crazy axe murderer than Jack Nicholson?

3.) “Green Mile”

Some of King’s non-horror stories are his best. When you hear Fred Astaire’s “Cheek to Cheek,” how can you not shed a tear?

2.) “Shawshank Redemption.”

The film managed to preserve the great characters and most of the key plot points King created for this novella. This came from the book “Different Seasons,” which also included “The Body,” which was named “Stand By Me” when adapted for film.

1.) “Stand By Me”

This is when Rob “Meathead” Reiner finally got some respect. As a director, he made a terrific adaptation of King’s novella about a group of boys out to find a dead body. When you think “coming-of-age tale,” this one has to pop into your mind.

Photo: www.stephenking.com

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From the Missing the Point Dept. - Building a darker Superman

superman.jpg

“The Dark Knight,” with its hundreds of millions of dollars in box-office monies, is easily the hit of the summer. And don’t think the suits at Warner Bros. and DC haven’t taken notice!

Displeased with the lukewarm reception for Bryan Singer’s “Superman Returns” a couple summers ago, Warner Bros. has decided to kick that continuity to the curb and start anew.

Says Warner Bros. Pictures Group President Jeff Robinov as per the article above: “”Had ‘Superman’ worked in 2006, we would have had a movie for Christmas of this year or 2009, but now the plan is just to reintroduce Superman. We’re going to try to go dark to the extent that the character allows it.”

Hooold it right there, bucko. Dark? Superman? No. That’s not what the character is about. And though “Superman Returns” had its troubles and shortcomings — it was kind of boring and not much happened — they weren’t related to its moral shading.

Let’s get something clear here: “The Dark Knight” has not succeeded simply by virtue of its darkness. It has succeeded because it is the single best rendition of the core of the character, his environment, and his friends and foes that has ever been put to celluloid.

The bleak tone of the movie is a necessary means to that end — Gotham is the sort of place where a scar-faced lunatic can use a talk-show phone call to whip up such a state of public panic that its citizens become willing to murder each other in a frenzy of self-preservation, and where Batman himself must wrestle with whether or not to put the Joker out of everyone’s misery at the cost of his own soul.

Metropolis is not that sort of place, and Superman is not that sort of character. He has already conquered his demons — he is a virtual god walking upon (well, soaring above) the Earth — and he uses his power to protect all that he can, not destroy and despoil. That’s what the character is about.

Besides, “Superman III” already explored the unpleasant aspects of the Last Son of Krypton, with Clark Kent splitting into good and bad versions of himself thanks to synthetic Kryptonite. But hey, the good Clark managed to strangle his doppelganger to death, so everything was OK in the end! Yeah, it was really dumb.

But making the next “Superman” movie dark for darkness’ sake — well, that’s downright dim.

(Image from Movieweb.com)

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Why Most Surf Movies Suck

endless.jpgThe formula for surf movies is pretty simple: Show us some waves, tell a few good stories and feature plenty of good wipeouts.

Seems easy enough. Yet, a lot of surf movies really suck. And there are a few reasons for this:

First of all, some meathead surfers figure they’ll  make films so they won’t have to get real jobs. Which isn’t a bad goal, except that untrained filmmakers usually make crappy movies.

Secondly, too many surf films feature wave after wave with no regard for story or ambience. Many refer to this as “surf porn,” which gets really old fast.

And finally, the music is often terrible. I realize the licensing makes it too expensive to get music from popular artists. But come on. There are plenty of good struggling musicians who could help. And we’re not talking about crummy nu metal bands that make you want to punch a wall.

Of course, San Luis Obispo has a special place in surf filmdom since Bud Browne – the godfather of surf movies – lives here. Yet, surf films tend to ignore this part of the Central Coast. (Which is okay with most surfers here so long as that keeps crowds away.)

Having told you what’s wrong about surf movies, here are some that got it right. My top five:

5.) “Endless Summer II.”

Three decades after “Endless Summer,” surf film pioneer Bruce Brown came out of retirement to help his son Dana launch his own career in the industry. As Dana Brown told me a couple of years ago: “He never says it, but I’m pretty sure it was him saying, ‘OK, we’ll show Dana the ropes by accepting this,’ I always tease him and say, ‘You did that because of me, and then I had to live with you forever complaining about coming out of retirement.’ “  

While not as fresh as the original, improved technology and great stories – surfing in Alaska, for instance – helped make this a great sequel. The music could use some work, though.

4.) “Riding Giants”

While this movie focuses on big wave surfers that most of us can’t relate to, it’s a well-done documentary by Stacy Peralta and Sam George. The movie focuses on three big wave riders – Greg Noll, Jeff Clark and Laird Hamilton. You’ve got to love Noll, the most quotable guy in surfing. A former film maker himself, he also provided great vintage clips for the film.

3.) “Sprout”

A more recent flick by artist Thomas Campbell, this is one of the few surf movies with a consistently good soundtrack. Plus, there’s lots of great longboarding scenes. There aren’t any great stories here – you just watch it and mellow out.

2.) “Endless Summer”

While Bud Browne was the first real surf film maker, Bruce Brown was the first truly successful one, this film making him a millionaire. His film about two guys who find waves around the world was a hit in landlocked Kansas and has continued to inspire surfers more than 40 years later.

1.)    “Step Into Liquid”

Dana Brown learned from the master, so it’s no surprise that he’d come up with a great surf flick like this, a movie – like “Endless Summer” – that played well before crowds in middle America. My favorite part is the segment about those Packers fans who surf Lake Michigan.

Honorable mentions:

“Five Summer Stories” – Featuring lots of good Beach Boys tunes (and, if you’re into them, Honk), this has one of the better soundtracks for a surf film. 

“Gidget” – Yeah, it was cheesy. But you can’t argue its impact on surf culture. A friend of mine recently ran into the real-life Gidget, Kathy Kohner, a couple of years ago working at a restaurant in Malibu. I read she recently started surfing again.

“Search for Surf” – A collection of Greg Noll films, this offers a nice historical perspective.

“One California Day” – A new surf flick by Jason Baffa, this features nice scenic video of California plus stories about surfers like Noll, Lance Carson, Joel Tudor and the Malloy brothers. And I’m pretty sure there’s a quick shot of Pismo Beach in here. (But sssssssh — we don’t want anyone coming here.) 

  “Single Fin Yellow” – It’s a story about a traveling longboard. How could you not like it?

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