Bruce Brown, 80, Dies; His ‘Endless Summer’ Documented Surfing(nytimes.com)
nytimes.com
Bruce Brown, 80, Dies; His ‘Endless Summer’ Documented Surfing
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/12/obituaries/bruce-brown-documentarian-of-surfing-is-dead-at-80.html
21 comments
"Endless Summer" is a classic. It's up there with "A Sunday in Hell" (paris-roubaix cycling race) and "On Any Sunday" (motorcycling) for quality mid-century documentary sport films.
Total classic. I would recommend even for non-surfers. "Dogtown and Z-Boys" too..
Also, "Step Into Liquid", "Riding Giants" and just about any Jack McCoy film.
Brown also apparently made "On Any Sunday". TIL.
Wonderful film, but for the non aficionado you have to get past the first 20 minutes.
More than document surfing, he documented a spirit and passion.
Do not watch the movie if you are feeling restless and have wanderlust. You will end up quiting your job and traveling the world.
Do not watch the movie if you are feeling restless and have wanderlust. You will end up quiting your job and traveling the world.
Just hearing the name of the film, that I last watched 10+ years ago in a completely different point of my life and mindstate makes me start to wonder how I got to this. Today is going to be a slow day.
My thoughts exactly. Well put.
and if you have a time machine... I'd love to go back to mid-60's southern California.
Experimental guitarist Fennesz classic track Endless Summer:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lGcPwGqPHO0
> "With enough money from his filmmaking and investments, Mr. Brown did not work after making “The Endless Summer 2.” He pursued hobbies like target shooting, collecting old cars and racing rally cars."
Every time I watch that movie I want to retire and chase waves. It's an extraordinarily quaint piece of mid-century nostalgia.
I grew up near a beach town. I remember seeing Endless Summer when I was about 13/14. From that point forward, I loved the idea of finding a "new break" somewhere around my small stretch of A1A. This guy really poured some passion into it. Thanks Bruce.
Similar. In my mind, I always pair this with "Morning of the Earth" another classic surfing movie.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morning_of_the_Earth
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morning_of_the_Earth
The article mentioned how Brown rented out the Kip's Bay cinema in NY to try to get distribution. That is where I in fact saw it as a small boy with my sister and parents. I never surfed myself but relatives in California did and I always remembered the line about "the dirty Wedge" somewhere near LA. Fond memories... I'll have to see it again.
Just watched this with my wife a couple of weeks ago. Made me nostalgic for the state of the world 50 years ago (before I was born...)