Watch it at Amazon
21 out of 22 people found the following comment useful :- Awesome, 14 March 2002 Author: mijbril from Australia
I first saw this film in 1978, my father took me to see it with my brothers at the drive-in as a double feature with "Every Which Way But Loose." It's a movie that I have never forgotten. It combines brilliantly heart gripping surfing action, heart wrenching emotions, and heart uplifting humour, all set against the back-drop of the Vietnam War, teenagers growing up, the wisdom of elders (Bear) and of course, the surfing.I've never surfed a minute of my entire life (although whenever I watch this, I feel like I should), so don't think of this as a "surf movie". It simply is an excellent piece of cinematic history that you will feel you missed on if you never see it.Recommended with 2 thumbs way way way up.
18 out of 21 people found the following comment useful :- Classic., 9 November 2004 Author: mellie swanton from Canberra, Australia
This is a great film. I won't say that everyone would like it, because there is always someone who will hate it. But I love this movie and cannot imagine hating it. I watch it again and again, mostly for Jack who is wonderful in his personality and development. I can't rate this highly enough. The surfing scenes are spectacular, and watching the characters slowly mature and try to cope with life as an adult is always worth watching. Seeing Matt in particular struggle with his unwanted hero status and seeing his friends grow up, move away or die is really something to see. What he would have done without the capable, beautiful, indefatigable Peggy is anyone's guess. However, I must say that you either get it or you don't.
16 out of 18 people found the following comment useful :- Hollywood's Perfect Wave, 28 June 2004 Author: Gary Wells (LateShow) from Alliston, Ontario
"This movie is too good for surfers." Quentin Tarantino was asked about "Big Wednesday" once and this was his answer. Tarantino grew up in southern California and surfers, he says, were mean to him and his friends. Tarantino, however, knows a good movie when he sees one. This truly is Hollywood's "perfect wave", the only time the surf culture was portrayed accurately in a studio film. The surf community consistently refers to this film with reverence, citing it's depiction of the "soul" of surfing as being worthy of their hallowed endeavors in the water. After years of Frankie and Annette or, God forbid, Keanu Reeves, this is one they can be proud of. Writer-director John Milius was a surfer himself referring to it again in his most celebrated screenplay for "Apocalypse Now" ("Charlie don't surf!"). One of the keys to this film's authenticity is the fact that the three stars did a lot of their own surfing. Actually seeing their faces as they stand up for a ride is a bonus. William Kaat, Jan-Michael Vincent and Gary Busey (actually pretty big names from this era) were accomplished surfers, Busey learning for the role. The fine cast is rounded out by cuties Lee Purcell and Patti d'Arbanville and Sam Melville as the mystical mentor Bear. Keep your eyes peeled for legendary surfer Gerry Lopez, "Perry Mason"'s Barbara Hale, future Freddy creep Robert Englund, Larry Talbot from "Miami Vice" and Charlene Tilton and Steve Kanaly who both ended up on "Dallas". If you ever had a group of friends who did stuff together, you'll find this film has a lot of depth and soul. As Matt says after riding Big Wednesday "we drew the line". The three friends have validated the thing that consumed them as young men, that is riding waves and promising to be together when the big one hit. But they also acknowledge the need to embrace adulthood and put surfing where it should be. As Bear himself said "nobody surfs forever". Sad but true. It applies to all of us, no matter what we do.
11 out of 12 people found the following comment useful :- Schmaltzy, beautifully shot coming of age drama with the ever watchable Gary Busey., 3 March 2001 Author: Andrew Morris (moz-1) from Southampton, England.
Gary Busey's career high as the insane "Masochist" with the irrisistable quote "More Beer!". Okay, this is a little patchy, but it's beautifully shot and has that old fashioned innocence that most modern teen films lack. The surfing rules and the leading trio is well played. Oh and I forgot to mention, the entire narration is by none other than Elm street's Fred Kreuger, a.k.a Robert Englund, which just makes it uber-cool in my minds eye; but I am biased. A great feel-good movie from when movies still felt pretty good.
8 out of 8 people found the following comment useful :- Top five movie music - take a bow Basil, 20 October 2005 Author: john-sellers from Yorkshire, England
What is it about Big Wednesday that inspires so much affection? I won't repeat the many tributes that have been made here, and yes, I was a surfer, and yes, this is in my top five of all time movies, and yes, I watch it about once every eighteen months.But something others don't seem to mention much is the perfect score that Basil Poledouris wrote for the movie, sound which echoes and complements the action throughout, and reminds me strongly of artists and music of the time like Jack Nitzches "Lonely Surfer", and "Beyond the Break". Not, for heaven's sake, the Beach Boys or Jan and Dean.But isn't that a big part of good movies? When music, image and story all combine? (Discuss)The other four of my five are "Andrei Rublev", "If..." "The Piano" "Journey to the Center of the Earth"
11 out of 14 people found the following comment useful :- Classic beyond classic., 28 September 2004 Author: Greg Gorelick from San Diego
Down the street from my house is a restaurant/bar called RT's Longboard grill, which was opened by family as a tribute to a brother lost at sea. Adorning the bamboo laden walls, amongst yesteryear photos, boards, posters, and memorabilia, are TV screens which endlessly show classic surfing movies. The feeling one gets in this environment is similar to what one gets watching Big Wednesday. This isn't a surf movie in the sense of the word. You see, the trendy, infantile children that drunkenly roam the streets of Pacific Beach (where I live in San Diego)for the most part don't have souls, sadly, living in the very town in which many surf legends have been born. Hard pressed to find are the light hearted conversations over a good burger, malt, and a good set of waves. Big Wednesday contains such an epic story. OK... I seem bitter. It's because I am. I know the word "dude" and a nose covered in sunscreen is an easy stereotype... but the spiritual life altering experience behind surfing is most often misunderstood. What is your passion? Do you have one? It may be your children. It may be horses. It may be hockey. But no matter what goes wrong in your life, or who dies or what happens, at the core is your passion (translated : spirituality)... something pure. At the heart of this movie is this purity... and after the draft, relationships, addictions, and just plain adolescent insanity, the characters find that their friendship is still alive because of a common love. Don't try and make too much sense of this review. This isn't a restaurant review. I can't explain the feeling nor would I expect the 95% of America that doesn't live near a surf-able wave to get it...just watch the movie.
7 out of 7 people found the following comment useful :- A classic movie... the best surf movie of all times, 13 June 2002 Author: Pedro Miranda from Cascais, Portugal
A movie about surf, friendship and the hardness in growing up.The movie has great surf pictures, great surfers (Gerry Lopez himself), it has a beautiful script and was very well directed.I think this movie is already a classic for surfers and non-surfers... ;-)I watch the movie in VHS long ago, and i´m waiting for the DVD (next month)
9 out of 11 people found the following comment useful :- Up there with Endless Summer and Point Break, 12 June 2002 Author: JP from London, England
A rite of passage film comparable to Stand By Me. The film follows the lives of three men through their late teens and twenties during the troubled period of American history that was the Vietnam war. The bond between these men is exemplified by their shared love for surfing and one another. With creative photography, Jan Michael Vincent (of Airwolf fame), Gary Busey (who makes a sneaky surfing appearance again in Point Break), and William Katt (who went on to star in such films as House) doing much of their own surfing, complemented by a professional team of surfing stunt doubles including Jerry Lopez make this one of the surfing all-time classics along-side Bruce Browns 1966 Endless Summer. Whether you're into surfing or not, you'll enjoy this for its story, feel good factor, and of course the surfing footage. Watch it.
7 out of 9 people found the following comment useful :- Watch it again, 11 August 2002 Author: snoozer-2 from Long Beach, California
I'm watching this movie for the third time. I leave a lot time in between repeats, in this case 5 years. It's a good example of how art reflects reality in respect to the characters. One of the goofs for the movie isn't in the movie but in the filming locations listed by imdb. It says this movie about surfing and surfers was all filmed in "El Paso, Texas" This is funniest thing I have ever read on this site. You will like this movie even if you don't like surfing. If you've already seen it, see it again, it's worth it.
3 out of 3 people found the following comment useful :- One of the great surf movies of all time, 3 September 2001 Author: damon-27 from malibu
This is one of my favorite movies. The story is well told, the characters work very well in the film and it's beautifully shot.It is also home to one of the funniest scenes of all time from a movie - the draft/registration for vietnam. I won't give it away, but it makes me laugh out loud everytime I see it.
Add another comment
