Customer Reviews

North Shore

5 star:		(74)
4 star:		(18)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Turtle: Stay loose, Howlie.
Rick: What's a Howlie?
Turtle: A tourist, a mainlander, like you.
Rick: I'm not a tourist.
Turtle: Whatever, Barney.
Rick: What's a Barney?
Turtle: It's like Barno... Barnyard... a Howlie to the max, a kook in and out of the water. Yeah?

and so the world is a better place because of the 1987 movie "North Shore". The acting isn't that great, but the surfing is great. it is such a great b-surf movie from the 80's. the one liners are great! my friends and i have watched it since we were little, over and over. it is a great movie! buy it right now on amazon.com...and watch it over and over and laugh and enjoy the waves!

Cool waves and shaka-to-ya-frada-cause-you're-nothing-but-a-bradda.

"could i use burkhardt's board...in the contest" - rick kane
"go ahead. go shread" - chandler

"you one bad shredder, yeah? Yeah, he shred so hard he broke his stick"

"North Shore" tells the story of Rick Kane (Matt Adler), a naive Arizona boy who dreams of competitive success surfing the big winter swells which thunder onto the North Shore of Oahu in beautiful Hawaii. What Rick lacks in experience (Arizona is not exactly an international surf Mecca), he makes up for in outright ignorance of the danger. In the words of one distinctly unimpressed Hawaiian kid, Rick is "J.O.J." - "just off the jet!" It seems Hawaii is not quite ready for Rick Kane and he is certainly unready for the challenge of the North Shore.

Thus, Rick embarks upon a struggle for self-knowledge and acceptance every bit as challenging as learning how to survive those magnificent waves that pound Waimea Bay and Sunset Beach. Nor is it just the water which threatens to rearrange his anatomy. The Hui, a local Hawaiian surf club and Vince, their laconic, tough guy leader (played by Hawaiian surf legend, Jerry Lopez) take a thorough dislike to him. This enmity is further intensified by Rick's (very understandable) interest in Vince's cousin, the lovely Kiani (Nia Peeples).

Kiani proves to be a good friend, as does the likeable Turtle (John Philbin), a local surfer whose heart is as big as his smile. And then there is Chandler (Gregory Harrison). As Obewan is to Luke Skywalker, Chandler is to young Rick. He mentors Rick into big wave surfing - a decision which, for a time, he lives to regret. Rick has his heart set on the competitive surfing Chandler hates because, as he says, it "brings out the worst in the human animal." Thus the stage is set for a ripping little surf drama, made on location at the splendid North Shore.

In this movie, the egotistical pursuit of material gain at any cost is represented for what it is: a game for professional losers like Lance Burkhart (played by giant wave rider and highly respected North Shore identity, Laird Hamilton). In a world immersed in materialism, superficiality and televised violence, a kid could do worse than take on board the true aloha spirit which pervades this engaging narrative.

If you already have the VHS version, get the DVD for your collection. The additional features (especially the interviews with the cast) are well worth it. And remember that you don't have to be a surfer to enjoy "North Shore." Ignore the cynical criticisms of the ignorant; see it for yourself.

Maybe, like this reviewer, it will cause you to go see the actual North Shore for yourself too. The old heiau (sacred site) where Kiani and Rick go walking is still there in all its ruined majesty and, down below in Waimea Bay, there are real surfers riding very real, incredibly powerful waves, just like in the film. As Kiani says in fond farewell, "You [will] come back to the North Shore!" Just press "play" and this cool DVD will take you there - again and again and again.

I've long been a fan of this movie. It's the typical 'teen, summer, gotta win the contest and the girl' coming of age story, and yet, it somehow transends the genre.
The story, as you might have guessed from the other reviews is fairly standard,'boy comes to hawaii to surf the season before college..meets kooky characters, falls in love and enters the big surfing competition...but that is what the genius of the movie is built on..
on top of that basic premise, the movie offers
* charming memorable characters,
* more quotable lines than even 'swingers'..and that's saying alot..
* a cute love story...
* some of the best surfing footage ever shown in a theatrical release...including recent fare like 'blue crush'

now..this is a dvd review....
the new dvd release has some GREAT interviews with the cast. Not old file footage either, but new, as of last month type stuff...excellent interviews...you can see what the cast looks like today...and WOW...unbelievable how young they all still look....
very enjoyable extras like the interviews, deleted scenes...and my fave...a very awkward alternative ending with the original casted female lead...lets just say you can tell why she was let go...pretty, and most likely a good actress, but wow..ZERO chemistry with matt adler...and hey...for gods sakes..would someone cast him in a new movie?...i heard he's friends with george clooney...come ON george..get this dude a role!...

anyhow..this dvd is absolutely fantastic, and for all of you fans, this is a MUST OWN....the quality is first rate, the transfer and clean up really blows me away, the sound is crystal, and wow..seeing it finally in wide screen was worth the wait...absolute perfection...

a 10!

SHAKA!

Similar storylines: 1) Clueless rookie arrives at new place and gets into trouble with locals. 2) Jaded, reclusive master pities said rookie and takes him under his wing, thereby turning rookie into expert.

The similarities with Karate Kid end there. I would have never predicted the outcome of this movie.

I don't surf, but this movie teaches many invaluable life lessons for anyone, from the effects of competition on human nature to what makes a marriage happy.

I write this review because my 7 year-old has started to surf and I got him this movie so he may learn what (I figure) a real surfer's attitude ought to be. I saw this movie once almost 20 years ago and I was amazed at how much detail I remembered. In other words, this is a movie that will make a positive impression on you for a lifetime.

North Shore. Simply a classic. My friends and I have watched this movie religously since its release, and will continue to for years to come. Rick Kane is the ultimate weasel and luckiest man alive! Here is a guy who goes to the NS with nada, and leaves a legend? Only in the movies from the 80's could this happen.

Five stars for the classic dialouge, decent surfing, and sketchy plot line. The old school boards and surfers are enough to take you back. "So check it out...kook!"

...and that old guy from TRAPPER JOHN, M.D.

Ok, so this movie is from the Hot Tuna era of surfing when Billabong was lost in neon colors. So what? It's brilliant. Featuring some of the best surfers of the time, and the best surfers of our current time...with epic Pipeline surf. Get it just to have the chance to see Laird Hamilton decades before he became the big-gun town-master of Jaws Maui or TO' Tahiti.

Slightly cheesy lines...yes. Turtle...he's the man...the greatest...movie moved him so much he became a surf instructor. I'm so glad to finally have this movie on DVD. My tape version of it wore thin years ago.

It's simply a great movie that even non-surfers can appreciate. Even though I've surfed for over 20 years now, I still find this movie enjoyable despite it's "Gleaming the Cube" vibe....it's truly far better than that.

Also...when the heck are they gonna release Endless Summer 2 on DVD??? Every single Bruce Brown film ever made is on DVD but that one! What gives!?

Sorry for that...get this movie, get this movie, get this movie. You'll thoroughly enjoy it and get to capture a period of surfing not captured many other places.

I LOVE this movie...got introduced to it by some Hawaiian mates at Uni, and now I've seen it about a gzillion times...got my friends Down Under hooked on it, too...and my sister...anyone who watches it likes it. Don't own it yet, but it's on the 'to do' list I didn't surf before I watched it, and now-I'm learnin'! Anyone who has an appreciation for it should read all the reviews: you'll crack up and 'relive' the movie reading peoples' quotes. Also, I must say, it's not "we treat friends mo betta on the North Shore", it's "here on the north shore, we treat friends mo betta", then Turtle tosses his hair and drives off. However, Vince and Chandler are my favorites...awesome guys! Rick Kane is a weenie kook, and Chandler was SO right when he said, "you got a lot to learn, so why don't you just shut up and watch." also, there is a North Shore line for every occasion. Watch it. Love it...Learn it. use it.

Ahhh, so many North Shore fans out there. I love it! I must say that myself and older brother have got to be the ultimate fans. Not to many people I'm sure can say they have taken surf lessons from John Philbin (Turtle). I don't say this to brag or boast, but that's how much this movie meant to a couple of guys from the West Coast of Florida. Like so many have said, North Shore touches your soul. It's hard to say what it is, but this movie is an absolute classic! No vulgarity, nudity, or violence. Just an all-around great "feel good movie." With of course, so many memorable quotes. No doubt my favorite movie of all time!

Anyways, we found out that Philbin is now teaching surf lessons in Southern California. After finding this out, we jumped at the chance to have him teach us. We packed our stuff and flew out from the east coast to Cali. What a great experience! I loved this movie as a kid, and to be paddling out in the Pacific Ocean with Turtle was an absolute thrill! Philbin's a very cool guy and an excellent surf instructor. If you have the means and are going to be in So. Cal, or live in Cali, and REALLY want to learn to surf, look up Philbin for surfing lessons. - Nice little plug for my boy John!

Laters Brah

"Paddle Yo!"...John Philbin

This movie is great for surfers (five stars), but only so-so for the rest (three stars). The surf scenes are really good and they let them play out (ala "Endless Summer") instead of doing cut/thrash/spin like many modern-day movies. Almost all of the shots are of Pipeline, which is great for that, but I would have liked to have seen more shots of other areas (I would have liked a five-hour movie, too, but there wouldn't be many Hollywood viewers then).

The "plot" is very thin (think of a watered down "Karate Kid"). Fortuntately, the "romance" is toned down although it is a factor. The ending seemed to go a little too fast, possibly due to budget constraints, but it works. Yes, the one-liners and names are great and really give a warm fuzzy feeling to the movie.

Although this was low-budget, it is still pretty good. There are a couple scenes with poor dubbing, but most of the other editing is very good. The water shots are great. The acting is very good, except for a few instances (they probably didn't have the budget for reshoots).

The transfer to DVD is excellent. I had seen it when it first came out and several times when it came out on video. The DVD version is excellent quality and could easily pass for a very good quality film today.

Definitely a feel-good movie, enjoyable alone, with a date or with family.

Every time this movie is shown on TV the critics slam it terribly. I wonder why? Probably snobbery towards anything to do with surfing. Along with Big Wednesday, this is one of the greatest surfing films ever made. It captures the atmosphere of the North Shore perfectly from the Hawaiian gangs ("the Hui") to the local idiom ("Hey haole", "howly to you too!"). The inclusion of Mark Occhilupo in an acting role perhaps wasn't the best casting decision. As far as acting is concerned Occy is a good surfer. But the story and the surfing scenes are well worth the cost of admission. Everybody can identify with this movie. It gives a nostalgic insight into the last carefree summer of our lives before life decisions such as choosing a career and "settling down" change life's compass permanently.