YouTube - Faces Theme by Eric Henderson from Surfers the Movie

1989/90 was a bizarre time period for surfers as the day-glo excess of the 80's prepared to hit a wall of hardcore black and white backlash that would ultimately define the next decade. Surfers: The Movie was the perfect capper to the 80's.

Stylistically based on the 1987 Rolling Stone documentary, "20 Years of Rock and Roll", it was a wonderful encapsulation of the professional slickness we'd gorged on for 10 years. 4 generations of pro surfers - everyone from Kelly Slater (who had not yet begun his incredible domination of pro surfing) to the late Micky Dora - were interviewed in front of painted backdrops, with their soundbites interspersed throughout the usual medley of great surfing action.

The soundtrack also featured an unprecedented lineup of major label music, which included U2 and Neil Young. Eric Henderson who did the opening piece, "Faces" provided an emotional powerhouse of a medley glimpsing hundreds of beloved faces from surfing's history, and arguably the film's most amazing segment. The film included an exciting recap of the current pro scene scored by U2's "Out of Control", - Micky Dora (making his first film appearance in over 20 years) and the then current world champ, Martin Potter surfing together down in Baja.

Not only was it incredible to see Da Cat after so many years of hiding, but to listen to him praising Pottz - "He sure looks unique to me" (the ultimate compliment from the original king of style) - combined with Potter's tail-sliding power session...well, let's just say that any surfer worth his wax was blown away.

I actually saw the film 3 times in 3 different cities (Santa Cruz, Santa Barbara and Dana Point), and there was only one scene that had people going more apes*** than Potter putting on his preview of the new school style - and that was Tom Curren's slow motion barrel at the beginning of the movie. Never have I seen an audience hoot the way they hooted that tube...he just got TUBED, and just when you thought he couldn't get any deeper in the tube, he fell of his board and preceded to bodysurf that tube 'til the end. Every person in the audience hooted himself hoarse for the duration of that wave.

So strip away the gloss and it was still a great surf flick. It was also the end of an era in surf film-making style, as just a year later Taylor Steele released "Momentum", the official passing of the baton to the new school generation of tail slides, big airs, black wetsuits, white boards and stripped down punk rock.

Because of that Surfers: The Movie has been largely forgotten. But for those of us that were there, it was a lot of fun and a rejuvenation of the surf movie as an "event". As Neil Young sang at the end, "Long may you run."

Author: Tom Parker from Huntington Beach, CA

Website: http://www.erichenderson.org
My Space: http://www.myspace.com/erichenderson
You Tube: http://www.youtube.com/user/EricHende...

Category:

Music

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• Johnny
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• Gomes
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[tonymeister]

best song/best surfing movie ever. I remember sleeping over at friends house, watching this and waking up super early to surf the next morning, thanks for uploading this, brings back great memories of a great time to be a surfer: late 80's early 90's

[ftopp1]

best surf movie of all time . its just a pitty it was a gotcha promotional stunt an none of the surfers got paid for there involvement ...

[WindEffected]

Johnny boy gomes made the pipe look like a half pipe ...........after he finished with it

[TOTVSTVVSMARIA]

!989/1990 was when I got my first good thruster and really was when I really learned to surf and was the most influental time for me. I was in Junior high and going into hghschool and this movie was all the rage, especially Martin Potter. This video clip is so special and beautiful to me with tht music that it really touches me. We as groms still knew about the old guys.

[pattie059]

Absolutely love, love, love this!!! My favorite surf movie of all time!! I believe I saw it at Laguna Beach High School Theatre!!

[tjamesblue1]

I watched this movie so many times I think I wore out the vhs tape. Please somebody release it on DVD!

[cpsrfr11]

same thing,....literally got goosebumps. One of the best movies ever.

[cuervojoe13]

DVD me!  Please!

[4eva2cool]

This seriously needs to come out on DVD. Hands down one of the BEST Surf documentaries ever made.

[deyoungparker]

I can't believe this finally made it on YouTube. I wrote that description. This gives me goosebumps. I'll never forget the hoots and cheers in those packed auditoriums when this segment played. Everyone always hooted when they saw Butch (2:04). Seeing the young Michael Ho...and Gerry (then and now)...Pat Curren...Buzzy Trent looking like he could bend a crowbar in half. Wow. Right on, Eric. Amazing song.