When John Milius made Big Wednesday in 1978, he was considered one of the most promising filmmakers in Hollywood. He looked at these little skinny surfer idiots and he thought these guys are total pussys! And at the same time our lives were regulated by a strict chivalry code. We know these are freesurfing shots because hes riding a late 70s shortboard. But to be perfectly candid my interest in competing on the tour dramatically diminished, because I realised there was another world out there. On the set, from left to right, Billy Hamilton, director John Milius, Peter PT Townend, Ian Cairns, Ray Riddle and Gary Busey. Photo via www.bearsurfboards.eu. They also created a fictional Bear Surfboards label for this movie, which became quite popular for a while afterwards. We had a huge bottle of water, and what they didnt tell us was they were filling it up out of the well, so everyone got amoebic dysentery. ), 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. Can't play on this device. The extras got paid $60 a day, plus a catered lunch and a bus ride up from Santa Barbara everyday. Apple Computers was founded, NASA unveiled its first space shuttle, Concorde took its maiden commercial flight and, of equally critical importance, surfing had its very first crack at a joined-up international contest circuit. (1) Cairns in a Sunset tube (2) PT off the bottom. Nowadays, he lives inland in Connecticut, having traded trimming the waves down the Bu for clay pigeon shooting and smoking cigars in his later years. And with that, Ian Cairns was in. Also notice all the longboards. While the storys original novel treatment was titled We Are Gods, after Warner Bros expressed an interest in making it into a film, Milius approached Surfer Magazine founder John Severson, to acquire the naming rights of his surf film Big Wednesday, released over a decade prior in 61. Big Wednesday, and she had a front row seat. And just like the legendary surfing movie Big Wednesday, the massive swell pulled in on a Wednesday (19 January 2022). Above he is shooting Billy Hamilton and Ian Cairns in action. When he comes home from Vietnam he is an Army Green Beret. With our encyclopedic knowledge of the worlds waves, we decided there were a couple of surf points we could use there, Milius recalls in an interview with Sports Illustrated. But we simply didnt take into account things like, oh, sharks, civil war and dysentery.. Big Wednesday is American writer-director John Milius' attempt to use surfing as a metaphor for life. He features prominently in two documentaries about surfing: Hollywood Dont Surf and Between the Lines: Surfers during the Vietnam War. His presence had been specifically requested by one of the films starring trio, Jean Michelle Vincent, who happened to be a personal friend of Townends after the pair had met half a decade earlier surfing at Californias Hollister Ranch. The picture stars Jan-Michael Vincent, William Katt, and Gary Busey as California surfers facing life and the Vietnam War against the backdrop of their love of surfing. Renew Premium Membership Now; My Account; Personal Info & Password; Payment & Settings; Premium Benefits; Site Settings; Help Center; Try Premium Free Now; My Account A 1940s film star but best known as Della Street from the long-running Perry Mason television series, this was Hale's last appearance in a feature film. Rating: 'https://connect.facebook.net/en_US/fbevents.js'); (as Karen Rea Grossman) The board I was riding was an 86, so it wasnt really a longboard, but it worked kind of fun. Seversons title referenced a popular myth that posited all great surf days fall on Wednesdays. Hell, we offered to smoke dope in front of them just to prove we were surfers. Filming & Production Some commentators ascribed the early critical and commercial failure of Big Wednesday to its excessive sentimentality. This is one of Terrys favorite shots. Copyright 20102023, The Conversation US, Inc. The final treatment drew on many of the writers own experiences, with the trip to Mexico and the famous draft dodging scene reportedly both based on real events. 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. New York Surf Film Festival. The logo, a red diamond with a bear in it, features prominently throughout the movie, on shop windows, T-shirts, car windows and on surfboards. Much of the authenticity of the film was due to the fact that Milius was himself an avid surfer. So's John. 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. Big Wednesday - The Hottest Ride Ever: Matt (Jan-Michael Vincent) is praised for his magnificent ride, but he, Jack (William Katt) and Leroy (Gary Busey) know that their summer days are over.. The points were aggregated, and surfers were informed of their standing, as well as of the remaining competitions that would constitute the second half of the tour. Frank McRae played a tough Army Sergeant at the induction center. It become one of the most influential surf movies ever made. Here you will find unforgettable moments, scenes and lines from all your favorite films. Initially, Milus and Aaberg set out to write a novel that combined some of Malibus real characters with a grander narrative around surfings mythology. Above is George Greenough, Denny Aaberg with the guitar, Peter Townend and Townends girlfriend. Recently, we called him up at home in Laguna Beach to see what he could remember from his time working on the film. "Big Wednesday" started as a novel written by John Milius and Denny Aaberg and was initially published in 1978 by Bantam Books. Most importantly, upon its release, Big Wednesdays premise that passion for surfing had an expiration date was unthinkable. Of the eight hours we were there everyday, we probably averaged about an hour of actually doing something for the movie. Milius wrote the script with his friend and fellow surfer, journalist Denny Aaberg. A coming of age story, it chronicles the three characters transition to adulthood with parties, surf trips, marriage and the Vietnam War in the background. Or, subscribe to Wavelength now to get free entry to a screening of your choice.]. Send her a message via her facebook page if youd like to go. Milius created a mythical aura around the protagonists of Big Wednesday. WL: Of course, that was right in the middle of the whole Bustin Down The Door saga. Similarly, most of the sequences of the film, including the iconic Vietnam draft dodging scene and the trip to Mexico, were based on the filmmakers own real-life experiences. Big Wednesday is a 1978 American coming of age film about California surfers facing life, the Vietnam War, and use of the ever-changing surf as a metaphor for the changes in life.. We had a helicopter [for filming] and all these fit surfers with really short haircuts, so these guys figured we were CIA, U.S. military or something. Free Delivery on all Orders Over 80. t.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e)[0]; If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. They were getting $20 a day plus a whole lot of sunburn to watch perfect waves go unridden.. Did working with them that winter help smooth things over a bit? Im actually really stoked on the surfing in that final sequence, they did a really good job stitching it all together . So he took a sledgehammer and pounded Important all over Big Wednesday. 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. All Rights Reserved. The cult success lay in its ability to combine the accurate observation of real people and events, the reproduction of believable stunts and performances, and a supercharged sense of the mythic. Another famous water photographer, Dan Merkel, was hired to shoot this film. It also illustrates the problems with many of his other movies. 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. It's based on the lives of three friends ten years ago. Surf star Gerry Lopez, who would later appear as an actor in other films directed by Milius, played himself in the last sequence of the film. The water camera hes holding was one of those ideas. An 8' 6" BEAR Surfboard single fin made for Big Wednesday. Ian Cairns, shown above, was the surf double for Gary Busey. 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). IC: Well, we were in the Northern Ranch, where the breaks Cojo and Governments are. 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. [1] William Katt explained in a 1979 interview with Roger Ebert a year after the film's release that he believed the movie's failure was due to the marketing focusing only on the fight scenes and surfing angle. Nature enthusiast Dean Bannatyne captured this epic video footage And then there was the surfing. [10] In August Milius announced Big Wednesday would be postponed because the script was not ready and he would instead make Extreme Prejudice. Jack's induction notice says he is to serve in the United States Marine Corps. However, while Star Wars (Lucas) and Close Encounters (Spielberg) would haul in hundreds of millions of dollars, Big Wednesday was a major critical and popular wipe-out, at least initially. Hes riding one of the prop longboards made for the film. It was super fun. It was pretty bizarre. 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. So, PT told Milius, hey, Ive got a bronzed Aussie buddy who could replace him. The film presents a vivid portrait of a specific cultural moment both in surfing and the world at large but equally explores themes that transcend time and place, like loss, friendship and the impact of growing up on each individuals surfing path. Here well present a miscellany of facts, trivia and anecdotes from behind the scenes on Big Wednesday. Free Delivery on all Orders Over 80. The picture was screened at various film festivals, including: the Davao City Film Festival, Philippines; the Turin Film Festival, Italy; and others. He created this waterproof fiberglass housing for a big, bulky 35 mm movie camera. This movie is about friendship: surfing is just the background. relative viscosity of nylon 6; predictive index cognitive assessment answers; why do baseball players spit so much; Hello world! Robb Report. "It was a special time," said Aaberg of the 1960s. The production assistant tried to shoo her off when he saw her camera but George told them she was a regular and harmless, so they let her keep shooting. was also an Aussie surf legend and was the first professional world champion. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. Shown here walking out to the surf with Dan Merkel and one of his legendary lightning bolt boards. Ian Cairns, shown above . Director Bruce Brown Writers Bruce Brown Dana Brown Stars Patrick O'Connell No Stress.Just Stoke. Click Here to hear the song and see some stills from the film. Or, subscribe to Wavelength now to get free entry to a screening of your choice.]. And with that, Ian Cairns was in. 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. This thing would be wrapped up in two weeks. 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. By 1998, following a 20th anniversary showing at the Newport Film Fesival, the turnaround in opinion appeared to be complete. Now, with their innocence lost to the deeds . Here hes getting pulled behind a boat, probably just killing time between takes. A classic of the era, live screenings of Big Wednesday loomed large in Milius early years and he figured the title fit perfectly with his script, representing a juxtaposition between the banality of the mid-week and the dynamism of the swell of the decade. Big Wednesday is the opposite of all those "beach party" movies of the early 1960's; it takes surfing as seriously as the surfers themselves. 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. Web Development by Phi Web Studio. We surfed there and down at La Libertad and it was pretty fun, just hanging out with the crew. 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. So anyway one Sunday we took him out surfing at Sunzal, it was about 3 feet, and he got smashed and almost drowned and had to be rescued and brought in. We had a huge bottle of water, and what they didnt tell us was they were filling it up out of the well, so everyone got amoebic dysentery. 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. !function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s){if(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function(){n.callMethod? All of a sudden he realised hey theres a lot of shit going on out there in the water. Milius Waxes Up 'Big Wednesday' Click Here to learn about Dan. I have fond memories of being one of the extras. "[11], However, Milius changed his mind again. Terry didnt bother with all that, she was already at the beach. Browse the full lineup and get your ticket here. n.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version='2.0';n.queue=[];t=b.createElement(e);t.async=!0; Our best coup was stashing our boards in the bushes the night before a swell was supposed to hit. By the late 1970s surfing had become a fashionable, popular global sport. "The part is simply too big for me to do."[7]. When Milius saw them sat next to each other, he couldnt believe the likeness, immediately switching PTs role to that of Kats double instead. Big Wednesday: Directed by John Milius. It was a central experience in our lives. I was the number one money winner in 76, I earned $8000 prize money. IAN will be signing his new book from 6:30 to 7:30. Apparently, therefore, Big Wednesday is a 100% Hollywood movie. !function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s) Warga, Wayne. Milius and his friends George Lucas and Steven Spielberg famously agreed to exchange a percentage point of Big Wednesday, Star Wars and Close Encounters of the Third Kind prior to the release of the three films throughout 1977-1978. Following its home video release in the 1980s, the film gradually acquired cult status. Jean Micheal Vincent and Billy Kat were there but the Masochist wasnt. 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. 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, a real mans man. I went there 190 pounds and ended up a 170, and in fact one night I was 110 pounds, vomiting and shitting, just incredibly sick. Milius described the film in a 1976 interview: It's a surfing HOW GREEN WAS MY VALLEY: the loss of an aristocracy, the end of an era, the passing of a more innocent time to a more corrupt and complex one-all growing up is the passing of innocence. Nineteen seventy-six was a big year for innovation. In early 77, the points were counted and Peter Townend emerged as the first-ever winner, with fellow Bronzed Aussie Ian Cairns taking the runner up spot. Big Wednesday (1978) Full Cast & Crew See agents for this cast & crew on IMDbPro Directed by John Milius Writing Credits Cast (in credits order) complete, awaiting verification Produced by Music by Basil Poledouris Cinematography by Bruce Surtees . Another famous water photographer, Dan Merkel, was hired to shoot this film. In a 1976 interview, when he was still at the beginning of his career, Milius claimed that my religion is surfing. Release Dates But then it just reverted back to normal from there on, it wasnt like wed bought a lifetime membership into the Hui. All of a sudden he realised hey theres a lot of shit going on out there in the water. IC: One day I was at home in Australia and the phone rang and it was Hollywood calling. 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. That completely changed his mind, because here was a day when the surf was barely breaking and he almost dies, and were out there on big days. We were treated like rock stars and I still get a cheque every year from the screen actors guild. Surf star Gerry Lopez, who would. The teen, whose name . A truck followed behind with our surfboards. The points were aggregated and surfers were informed of their standing and which competitions would constitute the second half of the tour. by Information Press, Behind The Scenes On Big Wednesday: Tales From The Set With Stunt Double Ian Cairns Wavelength Surf Magazine, Alan Nafzger's Los Angeles Surfing Drama - VERITY'S SURFING MOVIE, Kanga The Trials and Triumphs of Ian Cairns, Historic San Augustine is Set for This Weekends Heritage Days, Judge Revives Lunada Bay Lawsuit: Localism Is Illegal and Cities TheInertia.com, From Hawaii to South Africa: Top 10 surfing destinations around the world, Matthew McConaugheys dashing young son collects , Architect Ed Niles Designed This Massive Geometrical Manse on the Malibu Coast. Browse the full lineup and get your ticket here. Shop Now , Home Behind The Scenes On Big Wednesday: Tales From The Set With Stunt Double Ian Cairns, [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. and nothing that happens after will ever be the same. Filming for the action sequences began with a two-month stint in El Salvador, with the right point at El Sunzal serving as a nice empty stand-in for Malibu. Malibu in the early 60s, immediately post-Gidget, when some old-timers were already arguing the breaks best day were behind her. The first week was fairly fraught, beset by illness, bad waves and a standoff with a gun-toting local militia.
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