# The Endless Summer **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 5, 2003, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-endless-summer/205646 "2003-10-05T02:31:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2003, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-endless-summer/205646/1 "2003-10-05T02:31:22Z")
I’m not a surfer. I wanted a surf board when I was a kid in San Diego, but I never got one. But _The Endless Summer_ is considered a classic of independent filmmaking. The film follows two Southern California surfers as they travel around the world to surf in summer climes year round. They surf in Senegal, Nigeria, South Africa, Australia, Hawaii… anyplace where it’s “summer” (at least weather-wise). It’s part surfer’s eye-candy, part travelogue, and an entertaining documentary. Having been released in 1966, it does have some narration and footage that would make it non-PC in today’s self-conscious world. Most of the non-PC stuff had to do with Africans “who had never seen a surf board before”. There were also some bits that remind the view of price inflation over the past four decades. Our surfers were shocked that they were required to stay at a government-authorized hotel and had to pay _thirty dollars each_ for their room. A friendly cabbie offered to drive them around for the cost of gasoline alone. A good deal, they thought; until they found that gasoline in Senegal cost _almost a dollar (US) per gallon!_ I was attracted to this film for two reasons. First, was that I like Warren Miller’s skiing films. Second, that I work on low-budget films and some of my equipment is contemporary to _The Endless Summer_. The film was shot on 16mm, and without sound. This led me to assume that it had been filmed on a Bolex H16 or something similar. There was a long (time-wise) shot early in the film. I counted about 24 seconds. Yup, that sounds like a spring-would camera. The narrator (filmmaker Bruce Brown) mentions of the waves at the Cape of St. Francis, “The rides were so long I couldn’t capture them on one piece of film… I timed one ride at 45 seconds.” Again, this points to a spring-wound camera. I have a Bolex H16-M5 and a Krasnogorsk-3 sitting in my living room. I shot some footage with the Bolex on my recent trip to Canada, but I haven’t had it developed yet. _The Endless Summer_ and Richard Kern’s _Hardcore_ collection really have me wanting to expose some film in the old-school, low-tech way. Anyway… _The Endless Summer_ is composed mostly of people surfing, with some travelogue shots to mix things up a bit. The narration is entertaining. Quite a decent film… even if, like me, you’re not a surfer. ---
**Author:** ![stylize](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c67d28/32.png) [@stylize](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stylize)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2003, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-endless-summer/205646/2 "2003-10-05T02:46:44Z")
I love this movie so much but I always forget how much I love it. I think it is one of those movies that reminds you of a more innocent, carefree time. These two guys are basically the luckiest guys in the world to get to do what they love and you can tell they just enjoy life. I love surfing and surfing today does have a certain culture but _The Endless Summer_ is truly the essence of surfing to me. Plus, the whole thing is beautiful. Thanks for this thread. I’m going to buy the DVD now! ---
**Author:** ![Coriolanus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/coriolanus/32/18769_2.png) [@Coriolanus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coriolanus)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2003, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-endless-summer/205646/3 "2003-10-05T04:02:15Z")
**Endless Summer 2** (1994) is pretty good, too. Of course surfing had changed a lot in 30 years, like shifting to shortboards and getting towed by jet-skis (even helicopters!) out to the monster waves. Once again, Bruce Brown follows two surfers - a longboarder and shortboarder - around the world in the quest for perfect waves. They visit some of the same locations as the original. One place in Africa, I remember in particular, had been developed with beach condos that ruined the break. ---
**Author:** ![Equipoise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/equipoise/32/151_2.png) [@Equipoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Equipoise)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2003, 7:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-endless-summer/205646/4 "2003-10-05T07:47:54Z")
I’m old now, but even in my youth, if it had ever crossed my mind to even _THINK_ about surfing, the gods would have laughed so hard a global earthquake would have shaken everybody off the planet. Not to mention, I hate the sun. That said, I love **The Endless Summer**!! It’s fascinating and absorbing, and has some really really nice scenery. I also like the sequel. I missed out on **Step Into Liquid** , directed by Dana Brown, Bruce’s son, but I hear it’s very good too. I have a feeling that when it’s on DVD, I’ll be very sorry I missed it on the big screen. ---
**Author:** ![jackelope](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a6a055/32.png) [@jackelope](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackelope)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2003, 8:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-endless-summer/205646/5 "2003-10-05T08:11:37Z")
_The Endless Summer_ is the only movie I’ve ever bought. It’s not the greatest film I’ve ever seen, but it’s the one that I can watch over and over and not get tired of it. ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2003, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-endless-summer/205646/6 "2003-10-05T15:17:50Z")
“One place in Africa, I remember in particular, had been developed with beach condos that ruined the break.” Yep, beach armoring changed the sand flow pattern. ---
**Author:** ![jeanster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9fc348/32.png) [@jeanster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jeanster)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2003, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-endless-summer/205646/7 "2003-10-05T16:13:12Z")
When I read the thread title I pictured Dream, Death, Delirium, Despair, Desire, Destruction and Destiny building sandcastles and collecting seashells. Carry on.