Customer Reviews

Big Wednesday [VHS]

5 star:		(44)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

John ("Conan the Barbarian") Milius wrote and directed this underrated, but significant beach movie that is much more than first meets the eye.

What is most memorable is the terrific second unit big wave cinematography by famed Imax and surf photgrapher Greg MacGillivray. But the undercurrent (no pun intended) is a troubling tale that grew from Milius' memories about his own surfer buddy friendships on the day -- a big Wednesday -- when Watts was going up in flames and the surf was peaking.

Almost a great film that in retrospect was far and away more prescient than given credit at the time. Jan Michael Vincent, Gary Busey and William katt are perfect as the friends seeking meaning and purpose as they move through ten turbulent years starting in the mid-60s.

This title, like Monte Hellman's "Two Lane Blacktop" and Dennis Hopper's "Easy Rider" is a legendary film with a devoted cult following that looks at a specific time in America through the eyes of lost innocence.

"Big Wednesday" is finally available in a pristine widescreen DVD transfer with an insightful, witty, and at times almost poetic commentary by writer director Milius.

At the risk of sounding like a total pot-smoking burn out type who sits around all summer and eats cheetos and plays Nintendo I have to start out this review with a very loud and resounding "This movie rules!". Anyway if you are a surfer and are interested in a bit of history on a fictional level about some of the pioneers of the sport then this is the movie to see. Because this movie is unlike any of the other surf movies out there I can't really compare it to them in terms of whether or not it was better than them or not. It's in a class all it's own. From the first rate story-line to the spectacular big wave scenes at the end (spectacular for it's day that is), this movie holds much nostalgia from the 60's surf era. If you wanna go back in time a few decades for a couple of hours and get caught up in what it was like to be part of the surf scene "back in the day" then this is the movie to see. From the old wine cooler beach parties late into the night to the trips down the California coast to Tijuana searching for the right surf conditions this movie captures it all and freezes it in a time capsule in the from of a two hour cinematic documentry of sorts. Two thumbs up and then some is all I can say to end this review.

This movie is regarded as a surf classic and rightly so. Slickly produced, consisting of a series of vignettes over 13 years it gives a non-surfing person a revealing insight into the surf culture. The still-thorny issue of the Vietnam War is dealt with and the transition from the swinging sixties into the seventies is handled very well (a technique John Milius perfected in his 1983 classic Uncommon Valor which incidentally pre-dated the much hyped Rambo First Blood II by nearly two years). The climax of the film is the surf footage at the end depicting the legendary day of a lifetime, Big Wednesday. The only negative is the thought that the two stars, Jan Michael Vincent and Gary Busey threw away their lives after this movie due to drug addiction (Busey almost died from an overdose in 1994). Another negative is that some of the surfing terminology in the book didn't make it to the film. In the book, the car is referred to as "The Makeshift" - it isn't in the film. Still, if you cast these things out of your mind for 100 minutes you will experience something truly special. You won't be disappointed.

Words cannot adequately describe the emotional tug that this movie does to the heart. Growing up in a small coastal town in Southern California during the 60's is epitomized in this movie. Friendship, Vietnam, Surfing, Party Crashers, weekends in Tijuana, Friends gone off the edge - man, it's so well depicted and so accurate. This is Jan Michael Vincent's best work ever and he did it shortly before he lost control of his life through his addictions - the guy was an unbelievable actor! I know him through friends and as a young man he was notoriously sought after by hordes of women and was a phenomenal natural athelete. You've gotta get this movie!

This movie symbolizes the best time in every surfers life. The times when all you lived for was the biggest wave, the perfect wave, the empty wave. How many of us go out surfing and get flashbacks of all those good times when life was free and easy? The most important aspects of this movie is that no matter how much the circumstances of your life may change you can always head back to the surf to gain the inner strength and unspoken sense of of satisfaction which reminds you of just why we are on this planet, for friendship and the worlds natural wonders. This movie re-enforced the belief of standing by your mates and when it's time charge, don't hold back, a great movie and unreal surfing sequences for it's time.

The Muhammad Ali of surf films, this is the film which took surfing into the mainstream. Deeply moving and at times painfully nostalgic, this film chronicles the pleasure and pain of growing up. Consisting of four interconnected vignettes set at various times during the 1960s and 70s this film uses the surfing theme as a backdrop weaving between the bobbysox era, the Vietnam War (long before it became fashionable) and climaxing in the Big Wednesday which gives the film its title. The surfing footage is nothing short of spectacular, a triumph of film making. It is impossible to be unchanged after watching Big Wednesday, a film which has reached legendary status and which represented Jan Michael Vincent and Gary Busey's finest on-screen performances. The Bear logo used in the film was spun off into a successful surfing partnership making surfboards and other products and which sponsored the Big Wednesday 20th anniversary celebrations in 1998 (see http://bearsurf.com/accessories.htm). If you only ever see one surfing film it has to be this one. It is the surfing genre's finest hour.

This is the best surf film ever made. Great characters, great story, and in an era where surfing was still simple and getting started as a sport. This film is more about the culture than the surfing itself and was very well done. Definately worth watching and this would be a great gift to anyone who has ever surfed.

I just want to say one thing...Awsome. This is the movie that got me started in surfing. Not that I'm any good, but just sitting out there with your buddies shooting the breeze and catching waves together is what it's all about. I even have a 9' board made and signed by Billy Hamilton himself with the "Bear" logo on the nose. What a terrific story. One for the collection.

I'm sure I'll get some flack for declaring this the best surf movie. I don't intend to take anything away from Endless Summer, Step into Liquid, etc. But such movies are more documentary. Other examples such as North Shore, while entertaining, fall short of cinematic.

Big Wednesday is a semi-autobiographical story from director/writer John Milius. As many have made comments regarding the films philosophic take on life, surfing, and friends, I'll just make a few comments.

- The films pacing is slower and more deliberate than most films, giving it an almost literary feel. Admittedly, some would call it slow.

- The story is epic in scope, matching it's pacing.

- It seems to stay true to the surf culture.

- It holds great entertainment value if for no other reason than seeing Jan Michael Vincent and William Katt before their sitcom days (Air Wolf, The Greatest American Hero), and Gary Busey before....well, before his rehab days.

Big Wednesday is part of my movie library. If you enjoy thoughful, coming of age films, and surfing, buy the DVD.

This is an old favorite from my younger days. It is a movie written by John Millius about a group of young teens growing up in California and surfing. It starts with them in their teen years and deals with their parties, loves, friendship and of course riding the big waves. It is a simpler and nicer time in America in the early 60's. The Beachboys and surf music ruled the airwaves and everybody was tan, hair bleached by the sun, in bikinis and swimming trunks, surf boards, your best girl and late night camp fires on the beach. But then things start to change and the Viet Nam era comes into play. The boys have to make a decision on if they are going to serve, dodge the draft or scheme to come up with a way to get out of it. Also other things are changing. Things are getting more complicated simply because everybody is growing up and has to face more serious issues than when the next keg party is going to be and when the next waves are coming in.

Jan Michael Vincent stars and looks like he is cut out of a Michelangelo sculpture. He was the early 70's adonis and he and Willian Katt and Garey Busey round out the cast. They and their friends are a colorful bunch of characters and as they go thru the ups and downs of becoming adults their friendships are tested by time and by adversity.

I think this is a really good movie. The surfing footage is also very good and I think most of the guys do their own surfing. The guy that plays 'The Bear' is also very good in his role. I believe Millius wrote this about his own coming of age and surfing so it is dead on accurate and believable. Vincent is outstanding in his performance and you can't take your eyes off of him his charisma is that commanding.