Customer Reviews

Bustin' Down the Door

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The surfing documentary "Bustin' Down the Door" focuses on the Australian and South African surfers that pioneered pro surfing back in the 1970s. Filled with beautiful original footage as well as open, honest, and sometimes emotional interviews, the movie successfully conveys the challenges that Shaun Tomson, Mark Richards, Peter Townend, Ian Cairns, Wayne "Rabbit" Bartholomew, and Michael Tomson faced in their quest to bring surfing to a worldwide, professional level. Overall the movie is well worth watching and is not your typical surf movie as it deals with much more than just the sport.

As the film progresses, we learn about the lives of each surfer and what drove them to go to the North Shore of Oahu at the advent of pro surfing. One surprising yet refreshing aspect the filmmakers included was the conflict the surfers faced with native Hawaiians. By presenting each viewpoint in a balanced yet frank fashion, we become witness to how the situation escalated to a point where neither side was right and where each had lessons to learn about respect, humility, and the true meaning of Aloha.

This film can easily be watched and enjoyed by anyone even if they aren't involved with the sport. The surfing is awesome - of course - but the depth at which the filmmakers explore the athlete's personal lives as well as the inclusion of the historical background of the Hawaiian people relative to surfing make this movie satisfying to watch on many levels. Five stars.

I went to the theaters and saw this, and it was amazing, just as good if not better than Endless Summer or Step Into Liquid

This movie was introduced the summer of 2008. It's an excellent journal of how the US surf culture evolved and has changed for the better through the decades with the gradual inclusion of surfers from So. Africa and Australia. There's three different versions included, the movie itself, the commentary version, the movie w/only a soundtrack, as well as outakes.
Great soundtrack remenicent of the 60's & 70's garage-band sound.
Our friends both in and out of the surf community have been riveted when we've played this movie at home.

I saw this on an overseas flight coming from Europe, and I was so happy as I would have never heard of it otherwise!

As someone who surfed in the late 70s/early 80s, guys like Mark Richards, Shaun Tomson and Wayne "Rabbit" Bartholomew and crew were our heroes. I was especially a huge fan of Richards, and even had his iconic "MR" superman logo on the bottom of my board. They are and remain legends today, and this movie provided not only a greater insight into the development of pro surf; but also showed where these wave-riding gods are today.

I could hardly wait to get home to buy a copy of this movie, as it is definitely one that every surfer of that generation will want. I have a copy of "Step Into the Liquid" which is a great surf flick; but "Bustin' Down the Door" is old school surfing and a documentary I can better relate to. These guys still look good nearly 30 years down the road, and their story needed to be told. Thank you Jeremy Gosch for doing so!

By the way, not a spoiler but at the end of the movie where they transform the guys surfing today into them surfing back in "the day" was a pure cinematic masterpiece!

I managed to catch this on a plane out of Los Angeles, sadly, returning to London NOT my home, Australia. It is a wonderful insight into the brotherhood that grew up between the surfers at a time when surfing was just about waves and mates. Inevitably, it had to become commercial and there were many benefits to that. The interviews with the now older and wiser surfers are incredibly moving and that brotherhood still shines through. To step back in time with original and rare footage is an incredible gift. Cameras weren't all that common in the hands of amateurs back then, especially young, broke, salt-encrusted surfers, but there's a great collection here. Sure, the waves are great to see but they have been there for millions of years and will, hopefully keep rolling in, but the human story shines through. Young, sometimes arrogant young men ( weren't we all at some time ? ) getting into scrapes and paying the consequences. All lessons in life leave a few scars if they're worth learning. Amazing to see how life was back then, it is so hemmed in these days. You couldn't do what these guys did now without a job, tax number, roadworthy car, and lots of cash. They seemed to survive on borrowed burgers and a foam mattress. We could weep for that loss of freedom now. Every tube looks like The Time Tunnel, taking us back to a lovely period of history. A brilliant production.

My 12 year old son and I starting surfing 2 years ago and now own about 7 surfing movies. We have now watched this movie about 5 times in one month! I don't just consider "Bustin' Down the Door" my favorite surf movie, it's just one of my favorite movies period.
Being 47 years old I used to read about "the bronzed aussies" in the surf mags, therefore I had a "one-up" on my son as to who these guys were, but my son is in agreement that this movie takes the cake.
Everything about this movie is solid, the opening song sequence is beautiful, the surfing is perfectly inter-spliced with the interviews,the story itself is absolutely key and brings together the legends of Hawaii with the "invading" south africans and austalians. There is much, much more to this story-you just gotta see it!
The ending scenes showing Shaun Tompson, Rabbit and (who was the 3rd guy?) surfing together currently, then blending into the young versions, was just fantastic!
Beautiful job, well done!

My one and only attempt to learn to surf at a La Jolla, CA beach gave me a new respect for this sport and its talented surfers. This film was a fun overview.

Wow! GREAT on so many levels. I surfed in the 60s and enjoy watching true story documentaries so I was prepared for a good hour and a half. This is a great story line for a movie and I wouldn't be surprised to see that similar to Dogtown and Z Boys which also started as a documentary.

The basic story is these non-Hawaiian surfers come from South Africa and Australia and struggle for entry in contests but later dominate the sport with their new style. But after this build-up to their greatness and advancement of the sport it takes a highly unusual twist that had me spellbound. The Hawaiians felt their culture was disrespected as the Aussie's self-marketed themselves with some derogatory comments. Then it is game on and not concerning surfing which eventually culminates in a bizarre meeting arranged by the famous Eddie Aikau. I'll let you rent to find the results but lives are at risk.

Also, I would add that there is a closing montage where the surfers thirty years later venture into the water and surf before overlaying to surfing in their youth. Very well done. Also, there are some good songs in the documentary. I can't recommend this documentary higher!

Great movie! If you surf and want to know the history of how the sport got to where it is today buy and watch this.

Received quickly and condition as described. Have not played it yet - if any problems, will update this review.