Surf films: Inclusive list of Australasian films in which surf/surfing is involved in some way
Any Morning (David Sumpter, 1974) 89 min.
As Time Goes By (Barry Peak, 1988) aka The Cricketers; Nique Needles; Surfy in the desert meets Alien who helps him to be reunited with his father who's lost his memory and thinks he killed his son with a six at cricket; there's also a wicked bloke who wants to shunt off sheep to run cattle, make the outback green and use the greenhouse to advantage; there is also a band of sheep killers on old BMW motorbikes
Betrayer, The (Beaumont Smith, 1921) Production Company: Beaumont Smith's Productions. Producer, Screenplay, Scenario, Script: Beaumont Smith. Photography: Lacey Percival. 5500 ft. Cast: Stella Southern (Iwa), Cyril Mackay (Stephen Manners), John Cosgrove (John Barris), Marie D'Alton (Mrs Manners), Mita (Hauraki), Bernice Vere (Eleanor Barris), Maggie Papakura, Herbert Lee, Raymond Hatton, Dunstan Webb. "The settings range widely, from the NZ hot springs and mountain scenery at Rotorua, to the Australian outback, the surf at Coogee, and a fashionable ballroom at Sydney's Wentworth Hotel." (Pike & Cooper)
Blackrock (Steven Vidler, 1997) prod. David Elfick, Melanie Ritchie, Globe Film Company, wr. Nick Enright; Linda Cropper, Laurence Breuls, Simon Lyndon, Rebecca Smart, David Field, Boyana Novakovich, Chris Haywood, Jeannette Cronin, Jessica Napier, Justine Clarke, Essie Davis, Heath Ledger; loosely based on real life events surrounding the rape and murder of Newcastle teenager Leigh Leigh at a surf club party
Bra Boys (Sunny Abberton, 2007) Australian release 15 March 2007; DVD available 16 August 2007; doco
Breaking Loose (Rod Hay, 1988) wr. Rod Hay, prod. Phillip Avalon; Peter Phelps (Ross), Vince Martin (Robbie), Abigail (Helen) , David Ngoombujarra (Davie), John Clayton, Tom Richards, Angela Kennedy, Gary Waddell, Sandra Lee Patterson, Sharon Tamlyn, Kris Greaves, Kate Grusovin, Dee Krainz; "Peter Phelps ... as a teenager who heads along the coast to visit a mate only to run into all sorts of confrontations, including the inevitable aggressive motor bike gang. ... [H]ybrid film ... that combines elements of the road movie genre with the more colloquial Australian surf movie." See also: Jim Schembri in Murray 1995: 245; sequel to Summer City
Bungala Boys (Jim Jeffrey, 1961) Jimar Productions, [British] Children's Film Foundation; from the novel, The New Surf Club, by Claire Meillon. "Brian, a newcomer to Bungala Beach, near Sydney, forms a new surf lifesaving club; after several exciting rescues his club wins first prize in an important surf-boat race. ... The chief location was Bungan Beach, which Claire Meillon had named Bungala in her original novel, and extensive co-operation was received from lifesaving associations and surf clubs." (Pike & Cooper)
Coolangatta Gold, The (Igor Auzins, 1984) aka The Gold and the Glory; iron-man event; Joss McWilliam, Nick Tate, Josephine Smulders, Colin Friels, Robyn Nevin, Grant Kenny, Melissa Jaffer; Rocky formula
Crystal Voyager (Albert Falzon, 1973) documentary; surfing
Dust off the Wings (Lee Rogers, 1997) prod. Lee Rogers, Bombshell Films, Zinc, Winning Post Production, wr. Ward Stevens, Lee Rogers; Kate Ceberano, Lee Rogers, Ward Stevens, Phil Ceberano, Rash, Felix Williamson, Simon Lyndon; ; Bondi surfing saga." "In Dust off the Wings, first-time film director, Lee Rogers brings to the screen a fresh, energetic and raw look at the hedonistic lifestyle of Sydney's Bondi Beach." 77 min.
Going Vertical (David Bradbury, 2010) surfing; Cannes
Morning of the Earth (Albert Falzon, 1972) documentary
Oz: A Rock and Roll Road Movie (Chris Lofven, 1976) shorter version released in USA as 20th Century Oz; prod. Lyne Helms, Chris Lofven; dp Dan Burstall, design Robbie Perkins, ed. Les Luxford; Joy Dunstan (Dorothy), Graham Matters (Wally/the Wizard/record salesman/tram conductor/doorman/face at party), Bruce Spence (bass player/surfie), Michael Carman (drummer/mechanic), Gary Waddell (guitarist/bikie). "Oz is a 'rock'n'roll road movie' with the narrative structure of The Wizard of Oz (1939). Dorothy is now a groupie in search of the king of rock performers, the Wizard; the Straw Man is a vague and gentle surfie, the Tin Man a country car mechanic, and the Lion a timid and self-pitying bikie dressed in fearsome black leather." (Pike & Cooper), colour, 35mm, 103 min.
Palm Beach (Albie Thoms, 1980) prod. Albie Thoms, wr. Albie Thoms, dp Oscar Scherl, music Terry Hannigan, design Dave Fennell, Abe Follington, ed. Albie Thoms; Albie Thoms's only feature film; notable for use of sound; Nat Young, Ken Brown, Amanda Berry, Bryan Brown, Julie McGregor, Lyn Collingwood, John Flaus, David Elfick; Eastman colour, 35mm, 88 min.
Personal History Of Australian Surf, Being The Confessions Of A Straight Poofter, A (1981)
Puberty Blues (Bruce Beresford, 1981) prod. Joan Long for Limelight Productions, wr. Margaet Kelly, from book by Kathy Lette, Gabrielle Carey, dp Don McAlpine, music Les Gock, Tim Finn, design David Copping, ed. William Anderson; Nell Schofield, Jad Kapelja, Jay Hackett, Ned Lander, Tony Hughes, Sandy Paul, Geoff Rhoe; girls want to surf too; Lesley Speed, "You and me against the world: revisiting Puberty Blues", Metro, 140, 2004: 54-60; Eastman colour, 35mm, 90 min.
Should A Girl Propose? (P. J. Ramster, 1926) Production Company: P J Ramster Photoplays. Producer, Screenplay, Scenario, Script: P J Ramster. Photography: Jack Fletcher. 4000 ft. Cast: Cecil Pawley (Ellis Swift), Thelma Newling (Esma), Rex Simpson, Joy Wood, Norma Wood. "... rescue of the heroine by rope from the surf and rocks at Bondi." (Pike & Cooper)
Sidecar Racers (Earl Bellamy, 1975) aka The Team; prod. Richard Irving, Universal Pictures; wr. Jon Cleary, dp Paul Onorato, music Tom Scott, ed. Robert Kimble; Ben Murphy (Jeff Rayburn), Wendy Hughes (Lynn Carson), John Clayton (Dave Ferguson), John Meillon (Ocker Harvey), John Derum (Pete McAllister), Liddy Clark, Peter Graves, Peter Gwynne, Serge Lazareff, Arna-Maria Winchester; "A young American surfer visiting Australia drifts into the world of sidecar motorcycle racing. He forms a close friendship with a dedicated rider and his girlfriend, and the two men form a champion racing team. The simple formula of the plot, designed to allow a maximum of racing, resembled the sort of teenage sports movie (usually about surfing) that Universal had produced in the 1960s." (Pike & Cooper) 100 min.
Summer City (Christopher Fraser, 1977) prod. wr. Phillip Avalon, Avalon Films/Summer City Productions, dp Jerry Marek, design Jann Harris, music Phil Birkis, ed. David Stiven; John Jarratt (Sandy), Phillip Avalon (Robbie), Steve Bisley (Boo), Mel Gibson (Scollop), Debbie Forman (Caroline), James Elliot, Abigail, Ward Austin, Sydney, colour, 35mm. "Conceived as a 'road movie' with both action and comedy for the teenage market, Summer City was set in the rock-and-roll era of the early 1960s, complete with clips from Brian Henderson's television show, Bandstand, songs by Australian rock-and-roll stars on the sound-track, and an appearance by the disc jockey Ward Austin. Four young men set off up the coast in their old Chevy for a weekend of surfing and fun." (Pike & Cooper)
Surf Movies (Albie Thoms, 1981) documentary
Surfer, The (Frank Shields, 1988) low-budget action-thriller
Sunshine Sally (Lawson Harris, 1922) Production Company: Austral Super Films. Producer: Lawson Harris, Yvonne Pavis. Screenplay, Scenario, Script: John Cosgrove. Photography: Arthur Higgins. Assistant Director: Clyde Marsh. 5000 ft. Cast: Yvonne Pavis (Sal), Joy Revelle (Tottie Faye), John Cosgrove (Spud Murphy), Dinks Patterson (Skinny Smith), Mrs Hutton (Katie Smith), J P O'Neill (Bill Smith), Sheila Moore (Mrs Constance Stanton), Lionel Lunn (Basil Stanton), Mervyn Barrington (James Stanton), Maude Ranier (Salvation Army woman). "Sal is rescued from the surf at Coogee by a bronzed lifesaver, Basil Stanton, and is taken to his wealthy Potts Point home to recuperate." (Pike & Cooper)
Tall Timbers (Ken G. Hall, 1937) prod. Ken G. Hall, Cinesound Productions, wr. Frank Harvey from Frank Hurley story, dp George Heath; 89 mins., 35 mm.; Frank Leighton, Shirley Ann Richards, Aileen Britton, Campbell Copelin, Letty Craydon, Peter Dunstan, Frank Harvey, George Lloyd, Joe Valli, Ronald Whelan; "... opening scene of a surf rescue at Palm Beach ..." (Pike & Cooper)
New: 23 April, 2002 | Now: 5 July, 2010 | garrygillard[at]gmail.com