Product Details

• Actors: Bruce Brown-Golden Years of Surf Collection
• Format: Color, Original recording reissued, NTSC
• Language: English
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: Image Entertainment
• VHS Release Date: May 23, 2000
• Run Time: 74 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B00004STV4
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #74,480 in Video (See Bestsellers in Video)

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Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
The grandfather of surf movies, Bruce Brown introduces his third film by showing off the microphone he would use onstage while narrating Barefoot Adventure when he would show it in the early 1960s in auditoriums around southern California. He notes that a tape recording of his original narration couldn't be found in his attic, so he and his son have written a new narration for the film. That seems unfortunate at first, but the necessity of coming up with new commentary allows Brown to speak wistfully of surfing days gone by. Most of the film was shot in Hawaii in 1960, when the islands were already a magnet for tourists, but visitors were mostly content to take hula lessons and lounge around their hotels. Fanatics seeking the perfect waves of Hawaii were still a relative rarity, and Brown reminisces about traveling the islands, seeking out incredible new surfing spots in rattletrap cars that could be purchased for $45. The film shot by Brown, who would encase his camera in a watertight Plexiglas box, is often gorgeous, though the footage does show some scratches and other minor flaws that speak to its authenticity. While the camera never strays too far from showing surfers riding spectacular waves, there are some quirky comedic bits, generally playing on the dangers of going barefoot or the problems surfers faced living with virtually no money. This is a beautiful document of the earliest days of the surfing craze. --Robert J. McNamara

Product Description
This film from the Bruce Brown Collection explores the trials and tribulations of the barefoot adventurers from the Wedge to Waimea, Honolulu to Huntington, Santa Cruz to Kaui. This film features a Bud Shank musical score, brand new narration and some of the biggest surf ever ridden, including the legendary Point surf at Makaha.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars charming, great footage, and what a soundtrack!, May 5, 2001

By	John Hintlian "all the best, John" (MA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Barefoot Adventure (DVD)

If you longboard, or are into classic west coast jazz, then this movie is a must.

The featured surfer is Del Cannon, the "Sir Lawrence Olivier" of the surf movie. This movie has it all, great vintage south shore fun, rare point break at Makaha, rare footge of some fabulous surfers of the 60's (what style!). I loved "an early Donald Takayama doing an early wipeout".

Plenty of Bruce Brown shenanigans as well, like when Del Cannon tries to make his own blank. That's as funny as any episode of 'Jackasss'.

A charming view into a simpler day and age.

And the soundtrack!! WOW!! Bud Shank & Co. provide cool west coast jazz that is both sophisticated and appropriate for the film. Like a cool sea breeze, and then like a powerfull ride down the Banzai Pipeline, Shank provides memorable music.

Better then 'Slippery' and 'Hollow Days', and in my opinion, 'Endless'. A true gem! Buy it.

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Golden Age of surfing, June 14, 2000

By	John M. Schultz (Long Beach) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Barefoot Adventure (DVD)

One the great surfing films of the fifties and early sixties, Bruce Brown's "Barefoot Adventure" is 100% fun. Made during what many consider to be the greatest era in surfing, the film has incredible footage and a nice jazzy soundtrack. Back then, the standard surfboard was, on average, 9 to 10 feet in length. Nowadays, these boards are known as "longboards". Older surfers will appreciate the stylish surfing, while the newer breed of "retro" longboarders can get a chance to see some of the legends in action. A simpler time and a prelude to Brown's masterpiece, "The Endless Summer".

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great DVD, December 31, 2003

By	drew (Connecticut USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Barefoot Adventure (DVD)

This is a great DVD! It was produced in the '60's, but this doesn't take away from the DVD. Great classic longboard surfing through hawaii and california. Narrated by Bruce Brown, who gives a short history of each surfing spot shown and footage of big name surfers in the 1960's. A great movie for anyone, big surf and small surf as well as humerous pass time activities. I suggest you buy a copy!