It become one of the most influential surf movies ever made. MacGillivray, in turn, supervised a team of surf cinematographers. Three friends who share a passion and talent for surfing are separated by military service in Vietnam, but return to the same beach ten years after the summer they ruled the waves. Hes riding one of the prop longboards made for the film. We know these are freesurfing shots because hes riding a late 70s shortboard. Here well present a miscellany of facts, trivia and anecdotes from behind the scenes on Big Wednesday. WL: Can you tell me about getting the call up to double for Busey? Although access has since opened up a little, back then it was only residents and boat owning day-trippers who could surf along the stretch. And just like the legendary surfing movie Big Wednesday, the massive swell pulled in on a Wednesday (19 January 2022). was also an Aussie surf legend and was the first professional world champion. In the end, the trip set the production back half a million dollars and yielded just four minutes of useable footage. Trips planned for this summer include roundtrip runs to SLO from SB and Goleta on June 30th, July 21st and August 18th. The film is set in California between 1962 and 1974 and follows the lives of three surfers: Matt Johnson (Jan-Michael Vincent), a self-destructive local surf star, and his two best friends, Leroy The Masochist Smith (Gary Busey) and Jack Barlowe (William Katt). I mean, you had George Greenough in his black and white Highway Patrol car, burning down the dirt roads and then coming into the lot doing donutsIt was more like a party than a working situation, and for me it was just like another day at the beach. Click here to buy a ticket, or subscribe now for free entry. The prevailing wind is offshore, summertime theres swells. Ian Cairns, shown above, was the surf double for Gary Busey. He didnt really surf, where as Jean Micheal and Billy were reasonable surfers, so they were down there to have fun, hang out and shoot as many scenes as possible. and the more I understood about Big Wednesday, the more I learned about surfing. . But even though we did the Ranch for a month, and El Salvador for a couple of months, they still didnt have the big day, so they just said ok were going to Hawaii., were going to sit up there and make it happen. Although two of the lead actors Jan-Michael Vincent and Willliam Kat had been surfing since childhood, Milius brought in an all-star cast of surfing talent to serve as stunt doubles, including World Champ Peter Townend (whose surfing shines throughout), Ian Cairns, Billy Hamilton, Jay Riddle and Jackie Dunn. I worry I might lose sight of the characters. It is so very personal. Great feature on Big Wednesday. Matt Johnson: You know, Mrs. Barlow, there's something I'd like straighten out. Together with percussionist Sam Adams, they are the Saltwater Cowboys and play gigs on a regular basis. After the film came out, Bill began shaping under the Bear label depicted in the movie. Ahead of our upcoming screening, we dived deep into some of the backstories behind the production, exploring the writers, actors, surfers and lensmen who brought it to life. George had broken it up into pieces and [stuffed it into] that yellow fibreglass thing. He would then either place the big homemade housing on his shoulder while sitting on a board in the channel or balance it on his surf mat. There was perfect longboard waves coming through, a little groomed south swell at Cojo Point, and while the surfers managed to get out and score a few waves, it was the extras who had to suffer. A lot of people never leave it. Other potential explanations suggested that in the late 1970s, the Vietnam wound was still too fresh and binge drinking, a prominent feature of the film, had lost its flavour. WL: Tell me about the filming of the final sequence? "What I've got to watch out for is getting lost in the surf again," said Milius during filming. From left, Gary Busey, Jan-Michael Vincent and William Katt in Big Wednesday. He looked at these little skinny surfer idiots and he thought these guys are total pussys! Big Wednesday Jump to Edit Summaries The lives of some California surfers from the early 1960s to the 1970s. Surf star Gerry Lopez, who would. These were all props, created for the film, since this portion of it was taking place in the early sixties. Did working with them that winter help smooth things over a bit? Greenough arrived with his own custom-built water housing and proceeded to take apart the 100 grand film camera provided to him by the production to fit it inside. We had to convince them otherwise. It was written by John Milius and Dennis Aaberg, who met hanging on the beach at Malibu in the late '50s, alongside characters like Miki Dora and Lance Carson. Big Wednesday is a 1978 American coming of age buddy sports comedy-drama film directed by John Milius. Matt Johnson, Jack Barlow, and Leroy Smith are three young California surfers in the 1960s. Another famous water photographer, Dan Merkel, was hired to shoot this film. Te Herenga WakaVictoria University of Wellington provides funding as a member of The Conversation AU. (1) George Greenough surrounded by his tools of the trade and (2) with his homemade housing. WL: Are there any other memories from that trip that particularly stand out? All of a sudden he realised hey theres a lot of shit going on out there in the water. ), For starters, it was only decided that the tour was a tour halfway through the year, with a few events from the dozens of surfing comps that had already taken place around the world chosen retrospectively as the opening leg. After roping in a few replacements, including Billy Hamilton, to stand in for Vincent and famous Malibu surfer Lance Carson to double for the third star, Gary Busey, the crew set off for El Salvador, where the filming for Big Wednesday got underway. The points were aggregated and surfers were informed of their standing and which competitions would constitute the second half of the tour. "Big Wednesday" follows three young surfers in the LA area (Jan-Michael Vincent, William Katt and Gary Busey). You can see the wave all over Instagram today, with all the surf teams there. This thing would be wrapped up in two weeks. All of a sudden he realised hey theres a lot of shit going on out there in the water. WL: I just watched it the other day and its incredible the surfing you guys are doing on those big single fin longboards. And with that, Ian Cairns was in. | Wed surf and then get a filet mignon for lunch. Back then they built the whole Hollywood wall set and we were staying in this country town called Lompoc, which is just north of the Ranch, in the middle of farmland, with all the actors and crew. Shop Now , Home Behind The Scenes On Big Wednesday: Tales & Trivia From The Making Of A Cult Classic, [The Wavelength Drive-In Cinema is back for 2021, bringing you a range of surf cinema, cult classics and family favourites from the clifftops of Cornwall, kicking off with Surfs Up and Big Wednesday on Friday 16th July. He flew to Hollywood and headed straight for Warner Brothers studios, where he happened to pull up a chair alongside another of the films stars, Billy Kat. I tore up your lawn with my '40 Ford Matt Johnson: Took my pants off in front of your friends Matt Johnson: And I even passed out in your closet, but I never, and I don't know who could have if I didn't, but I never, and I repeat never, ever pissed in your steam iron. Other filming locations included El Paso, Texas; Hollister Ranch near Santa Barbara; Surfrider Beach (in Malibu); Ventura, California; and La Libertad, El Salvador. Bruce Brown, king of surfing documentaries, returns after nearly thirty years to trace the steps of two young surfers to top surfing spots around the world. Join us in a beautiful clifftop location overlooking Watergate Bay in West Cornwall on July16th for a drive-in screening of the film. So, PT told Milius, hey, Ive got a bronzed Aussie buddy who could replace him. Terry knew him through friends at the beach and Denny knew him from surfing. You just get treated like a king, youre part of the crew, hanging out with the actors, writers and directors. No Hype.No Sponsors. Big Wednesday Warner Brothers' 1978 coming-of-age surfing movie directed by John Milius, starring Gary Busey, Jan-Michael Vincent, and William Katt; initially a critical and box-office dud, but rehabilitated over the years into a cult favorite. We were treated like rock stars and I still get a cheque every year from the screen actors guild. Although not a veteran himself, Milius is a war and weapons enthusiast, serving for six years on the board of gun advocacy group the NRA. Directed by John Milius.Written by John Milius and Denny Aaberg, loosely based on their own experiences at Malibu and a short story Aaberg had published in a 1974 Surfer Magazine entitled "No Pants Lance." Technical Specs, See agents for this cast & crew on IMDbPro, executive in charge of production (uncredited), second assistant director trainee (uncredited), sound effects editor (as Joe von Stroheim), stairs fall double for Geoff Parks (uncredited) / stunt coordinator (uncredited), camera operator: special water photography, wardrobe supervisor: women (as Ann Lambert), wardrobe supervisor: men (as Bill Minton Jr.), music consultant (uncredited) / musician: violin (uncredited), surfing photography consultant (as Roger Brown). The Novel Before the Movie. And the climactic showdown between the heroic trio and the monster waves is so good it makes up for the rest (the trio's Wild Bunch-inspired walk to destiny is by far Milius's finest cinematic moment) More than any other movie Milius directed, Big Wednesday contains the joy of filmmaking (he waited his whole career to make this movie). It didnt work. Jean Micheal Vincent and Billy Kat were there but the Masochist wasnt. xenophon agesilaus summary; The fictional Bear surfboards logo and t-shirts, originally created by the filmmaker as props for the film, went on to become a popular surf trademark owned by Milius himself. Te Herenga Waka Victoria University of Wellington provides funding as a member of The Conversation NZ. We never got a Big Wednesday day down there, and I was always just saying to Milius, dude, you should have just gone to Western Australia. Among these was Kym Herrin, who later gained fame as a Playboy bunny. Director Bruce Brown Writers Bruce Brown Dana Brown Stars Patrick O'Connell Warga, Wayne. Its pretty sweet, Ill tell you that. He was a very popular surfer at the time, but now is best known for being the father of Laird Hamilton. In 1975, Warner Bros expressed a strong interest in Milius idea about a surf film, which in turn prompted him to buy the rights to the title of John Seversons 1961 surf movie Big Wednesday. IC: We were with the whole Hollywood crew, and the stunt coordinator was this really famous guy that did Harrison Ford in the Indiana Jones movie called Terry Leonard, a real mans man. That camera looks heavy. They still used a stunt double for a lot of the surfing action, his was Bill Hamilton. It's the most personal film I'll probably ever make, and I figured I ought to do it now, before I get too far away from it. Privacy Policy / Terms & Conditions. Cameras were stolen and the whole crew got sick, but in the end, it was an encounter with a local militia that really sent them packing. Several surf legends Peter Townend, Ian Cairns, Jay Riddle and Bill Hamilton were involved in the making of the film as stunt coordinators or doubles. Lucky for us, Terry was a photographer, and she happened to be friends with George Greenough, who . He has since had a long and illustrious career promoting surfing as a sport. Youlll see in the movie Jean and Billy paddling out, pushing under and catching a couple of waves and then youll see the stunt doubles come in. This largely autobiographical film from director John Milius ("Conan The Barbarian") features truly spectacular surfing scenes. Im actually really stoked on the surfing in that final sequence, they did a really good job stitching it all together . In the background you see all the Hollywood chairs for the actors and such. Although today Big Wednesday is considered one of the best surf movies ever made, the path that led to its cult status was a long and convoluted one. Tell me about your experience at the Ranch? Denny Aaberg continues his life long passion for playing music. Hank Worden for some reason took a small role as a guy that pushed a shopping cart around. Milius cancelled shooting for the day and let everyone surf. She is the guide for a few of these private rail trips which travel through the Gaviota Coast. was also an Aussie surf legend and was the first professional world champion. When Milius saw them sat next to each other, he couldnt believe the likeness, immediately switching PTs role to that of Kats double instead. Even luckier was Denny, who got to help choose from hundreds of cute little beach bunnies. Press release, August 6, 2008. You can also see a pretty nice wave rolling throughGreat photo. The films success, as demonstrated by its great popularity in countries such as Italy where surfing is not a prevalent sport, was not limited to its depiction of surfing subculture. I jumped on a plane and flew down there to join the crew, who were about a week into the shoot. Youlll see in the movie Jean and Billy paddling out, pushing under and catching a couple of waves and then youll see the stunt doubles come in. When it comes to authentic depictions of a surfing life, few Holywood films hold a candle to 78 cult classic Big Wednesday. Above is George Greenough, Denny Aaberg with the guitar, Peter Townend and Townends girlfriend. The attrition rate among surfers is very high. Milius and Aaberg based their script on their own stories about Malibu, which in the film would be referred to as The Point. McRae was covered in Hard Times (1975). Or, subscribe to Wavelength now to get free entry to a screening of your choice.]. The teen, whose name . IC: One day I was at home in Australia and the phone rang and it was Hollywood calling. Hamilton was surfing for Jan Michael Vincents character and Cairns was the double for Gary Busey. "I'd lived that life since I was ten. Above is the Silver Splendor 1956 and below is the Overland Trail 1949 Pullman Club Car . I mean, they were all just waiting for the Big Wave. Denny wrote a song about it with Phil Pritchard and it was featured in this film and became quite popular. He was also responsible for the creation of the surf-obsessed Captain Kilgore and some of the most iconic lines (Charlies dont surf) in Apocalypse Now (1979). Browse the full lineup and get your ticket here. Milius, well-known for his involvement in successful productions such as Jeremiah Johnson, Dirty Harry and The Wind and the Lion, was considered to be one of the most promising filmmakers in Hollywood.

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