Taglines: The search for the perfect wave.
The Endless Summer movie storyline. They call it The Endless Summer the ultimate surfing adventure, crossing the globe in search of the perfect wave. From the uncharted waters of West Africa, to the shark-filled seas of Australia, to the tropical paradise of Tahiti and beyond, these California surfers accomplish in a few months what most people never do in a lifetime…
They live their dream. Director Bruce Brown creates a film so powerful it has become a timeless masterpiece that continues to capture the imagination of every new generation. When it first played in theaters, audiences lined up to see it again and again, spellbound by its thrilling excitement and awesome photography. But in fact, what’s most compelling about the film is the sport of surfing itself, and once you’ve seen it, you’ll never forget why.
The Endless Summer is a 1966 American surf documentary film directed, produced, edited and narrated by Bruce Brown. The film follows surfers Mike Hynson and Robert August on a surfing 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 Australia, New Zealand, Tahiti, Hawaii, Senegal, Ghana, Nigeria and South Africa in a quest for new surf spots while introducing locals to the sport along the way. Other important surfers of the time, such as Miki Dora, Phil Edwards and Butch Van Artsdalen, also appear.
The film’s 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 up and down the world (northern to southern hemisphere and back), making it endless. The original concept was born through the suggestion of a travel agent to 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 up and down the world.
The narrative presentation eases from the stiff, formal documentary of the 1950s and early 1960s to a more casual, fun-loving and personal style filled with sly humor. The film’s surf rock soundtrack was provided by the Sandals, and the theme song was written by Gaston Georis and John Blakeley of the Sandals; the theme has since become one of the best known film themes in the surf movie genre.
When The Endless Summer premiered on June 15, 1966, it encouraged many surfers to travel abroad, giving birth to the “surf-and-travel” culture, with prizes for finding “uncrowded surf”, meeting new people and riding the “perfect wave”. It also introduced the sport, which had become popular outside of Hawaii and the Polynesian Islands in places like California and Australia, to a broader audience.[citation needed] In 1994, it was followed by the sequel The Endless Summer II, which was later followed by Step into Liquid, directed by Brown’s son Dana, in 2003.
The Endless Summer (1966)
Directed by: Bruce Brown
Starring: Robert August, Michael Hynson, Lord James Blears, Bruce Brown, Terence Bullen, Lance Carson, Roy Crump, Chip Fitzwater, Chuck Gardner, Fred Hemmings, Wayne Miyata
Screenplay by: Bruce Brown
Cinematography by: Bruce Brown
Film Editing by: Bruce Brown
Music by: The Sandals
MPAA Rating: None.
Distributed by: Cinema V
Release Date: June 15, 1966
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