In addition, two-time Pipeline Masters champion Gerry Lopez, who served as one of the six surfing masters in the production of the film, also appears in a cameo as himself during the final surfing section of the film. 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). 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. 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. But to be perfectly candid my interest in competing on the tour dramatically diminished, because I realised there was another world out there. 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. This was their first production. 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. 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. As he remembers, it was some sort of military vehicle that was there for years and years. s.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s)}(window,document,'script', Surf star Gerry Lopez, who would. 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. | Buy $9.99. (1) Cairns in a Sunset tube (2) PT off the bottom. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. 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). . Wed have certain times where wed be shooting scenes and the rest of the time we were just hanging out on the film set watching shit happen. Company Credits The surfers and stunt doubles with director John Milius. ABOUT A SHIPWRECK THAT (RAN AGROUND IN "53" NOW A VICTIM OF THE SEA ? 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. [7], They obtained finance from Warner Bros in June 1976. Privacy Policy / Terms & Conditions. Aaberg says there were about 50 extras used for the scenes shot at Cojo. The talent behind the lens for the surfing sequences was equally prolific, with George Greenough (fresh off the back of Crystal Voyager), legendary stills photog turned filmmaker Dan Merkel and surf movie pioneer Bud Browne all overseen by Five Summer Stories co-creator Greg MacGillivray. IC: Yeah, we were all there hanging at Sunset. Movie Info. 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. !function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s) Big Wednesday: four decades between surfing and myth making 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. Youre not allowed to drive into the Ranch, so every day youd just wait for your car to come and pick you up. Big Wednesday (1978) - IMDb Denny can be seen above in the green shorts and thats Ian Cairns in the yellow trunks. [3] It was inspired by a short story Aaberg had published in a 1974 Surfer Magazine entitled "No Pants Mance",[4] and published by Australian surfing magazine Tracks in April 1973[5] and the lives of a group of friends who used to surf with Aaberg and Milius including Lance Carson. Big Wednesday - Wikiquote IC: Yeah, we were all there hanging at Sunset. Although Milius, a self-proclaimed gun-loving Zen Anarchist, blamed Hollywood executives for blacklisting him on the grounds of his outspoken right-wing beliefs, his decline was caused, more likely, by a series of box-office flops and a stroke in 2010. t.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e)[0];s.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s)}(window, 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. Sign up for the Wavelength newsletter to get the latest news, announcements, special offers and event information, Wavelength Media, Unit GF43 & GF55, Winslade HouseManor Drive, Exeter, EX5 1FY, UK, Wavelength Magazine. "I don't want to put it off any further but I don't want to work on it until its ready either. Academy Award-nominee Gary Busey ("Under Siege," "The Firm") stars in a story of three young surfers searching for meaning as their lives change in the '60s and '70s. In the background you see all the Hollywood chairs for the actors and such. was also an Aussie surf legend and was the first professional world champion. Also starring Jan-Michael Vincent ("The Winds of War"), real- life mother and son Barbara Hale . To date Milius last major film-making credit is as creator of the acclaimed HBO TV show Rome in 2005. It made only US$4.5 million (half of its original budget) at the box office. The enforcer (played by Reb Brown) was loosely based on a Malibu icon Ray Kunze, who patrolled the lineup and looked out for Milius and Aaberg in the late 50s, while Jack Barlow was loosely based on Aabergs older brother, Kemp. "I'd lived that life since I was ten. PT leapt at the chance. Originally Milius envisioned the story as a novel and he included the treatment in a letter, entitled We were gods, to literary agent Lynn Nesbit. Robb Report. However, the rapid commodification of surfing culture that occurred during the late 1970s and 1980s made Big Wednesdays nostalgic celebration of a pure surfing culture relevant again. [17][18][19], The film premiered in wide release in the United States on May 26, 1978.[20]. 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. When Milius saw them sat next to each other, he couldnt believe the likeness, immediately switching PTs role to that of Kats double instead. xenophon agesilaus summary; Great feature on Big Wednesday. And just when they were finally convinced, out of the water comes one of our surfers, Dan Merkel, with his skin suit on and a knife strapped to his leg. Initially, Milus and Aaberg set out to write a novel that combined some of Malibus real characters with a grander narrative around surfings mythology. While Milius has been forgotten by most contemporary viewers and critics, the legacy of Big Wednesday continues to live on. Barbara Hale, mother of William Katt, plays a small role in the film. Forty years after its release the passion and lyricism of the film are even more compelling. 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. But, when Big Wednesday opened in the spring of 79, it tanked. Jean Micheal Vincent and Billy Kat were there but the Masochist wasnt. It was super fun. Big Wednesday (1978) - Turner Classic Movies 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. We grabbed our boards from the bushes and had a session with the pros for the 45 minutes it took for the truck with everyone elses boards to show up. In 1971, Milius discussed the idea of writing a book about their youth in Malibu with his Aaberg. Most of the shots of Gary Busey paddling out are me, so I kind of have a lot of those stunt double pieces. An 8' 6" BEAR Surfboard single fin made for Big Wednesday. Together with percussionist Sam Adams, they are the Saltwater Cowboys and play gigs on a regular basis. Which brings us to the extras. So, PT told Milius, hey, Ive got a bronzed Aussie buddy who could replace him. I went there 190lbs and ended up a 170, and in fact one night I lost 10lbs, vomiting and shitting, just incredibly sick. Vincent was covered in The Undefeated (1969). Filming & Production Raised in Southern California, Milius made Big Wednesday as an homage to the time he spent in Malibu during his youth. "It was a special time," said Aaberg of the 1960s. "[7], "A lot of things [in the film] happened to me," said Milius. Honestly, the whole experience completely ruined me for being back on the pro tour. Of the eight hours we were there everyday, we probably averaged about an hour of actually doing something for the movie. 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. "[9], Milius and producer Feitshans had met at American International Pictures, where they worked on Dillinger (1973). IC: Well in May we were in El Salvador, in the summertime, from August to September we were in the Ranch, then we did surf the winter events on the North Shore. and the more I understood about Big Wednesday, the more I learned about surfing. So much so in fact, that Milius friends Steven Spielberg and George Lucas famously agreed to trade profit percentage points on their forthcoming films Close Encounters of the Third Kind and Star Wars with the movies box office takings. 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 thats what the movie is. A few of the extras,including Kym Herrin in the blue dress. Ian Cairns, shown above, was the surf double for Gary Busey. Most famously, hes responsible for creating the character Colonel Kilgore in Apocolypse Now and writing the films most iconic line: Charlies dont surf.. Another famous water photographer, Dan Merkel, was hired to shoot this film. "But I couldn't," he said. Browse the full lineup and get your ticket here. Above and below are Peter Townend. [1], Big Wednesday was a box office flop upon its release, and was quickly pulled from theatres after taking in only $4.5 million. A truck followed behind with our surfboards. Milius Waxes Up 'Big Wednesday' Nineteen seventy-six was a big year for innovation. ), 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. (as Karen Rea Grossman) The picture was screened at various film festivals, including: the Davao City Film Festival, Philippines; the Turin Film Festival, Italy; and others. The first boards were shaped in 1977, by famous board shaper Bill Hamilton. The film tells the story of three young friends whose passion in life is surfing. 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 went there 190 pounds and ended up a 170, and in fact one night I was 110 pounds, vomiting and shitting, just incredibly sick. Too bad the movie sucked, the premiere at the Arlington was pretty exciting anyway.. Photo from the front cover of his biography: Kanga The Trials and Triumphs of Ian Cairns. It was a lot of money. Another luminary brought in for this film was none other than Gerry Lopez. Check system requirements. 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. Monster waves swept into Cape Town this week, with surfers jumping at the chance to experience the unforgettable huge surf. So he took a sledgehammer and pounded Important all over Big Wednesday. The film production hired the Hui to clear the water for us. Townend was just gearing up to embark on the tours second spin around the sun when he received a phone call from John Milius a long time Malibu surfer and Hollywood director inviting him to fly to LA to stunt double on a new film he was working on. At 62 and 190 lbs., he was a big, powerful Australian surf star that had won lots of international contests. Big Wednesday went as far as moulding surfing iconography. This thing would be wrapped up in two weeks. Theories behind the failure are wide-ranging; the scars of Vietnam were still too raw, there was too much fighting, too much binge drinking and, with the transition brought on by the shortboard revolution complete, the surfing audience viewed the longboard-centric surf scenes as pass. Big Wednesday | Movies Anywhere The films authenticity was enhanced by Milius connection to the surfing world, which enabled him to bring in experienced surf documentary maker Greg MacGillivray. When it comes to authentic depictions of a surfing life, few Holywood films hold a candle to 78 cult classic Big Wednesday. Purchase Big Wednesday on digital and stream instantly or download offline. The Endless Summer 2 (1994) - IMDb Or, subscribe to Wavelength now to get free entry to a screening of your choice.]. Copyright 20102023, The Conversation US, Inc. What a way to make a living, eh? Multiple scenes required surfers to ride waves up to 70 feet . Without going to Hawaii it would have fallen flat, but those big wave sequences at the end of the movie are pretty amazing. Big Wednesday - amazon.com Photo: Stoner, Unlike many Holywood surf flicks, Big Wednesday had real surfers fingerprints all over it. With Jan-Michael Vincent, William Katt, Gary Busey, Patti D'Arbanville. Milius said that while the story was inspired by his own life experiences as a young surfer in Malibu, he was interested in achieving a balance between a realistic depiction of true events and the mythologising of surfers and surfing culture. All Rights Reserved. Malibu in the early 60s, immediately post-Gidget, when some old-timers were already arguing the breaks best day were behind her. Thats not enough. Big Wednesday - Rotten Tomatoes Sign up for the Wavelength newsletter to get the latest news, announcements, special offers and event information, Wavelength Media, Unit GF43 & GF55, Winslade HouseManor Drive, Exeter, EX5 1FY, UK, Wavelength Magazine. It was only with the films home video release in the early 80s that it began to acquire a cult following, gaining more credibility and adulation with each year that passed. We surfed there and down at La Libertad and it was pretty fun, just hanging out with the crew. Most of the shots of Gary Busey paddling out are me, so I kind of have a lot of those stunt double pieces. Release Dates The lives of some California surfers from the early 1960s to the 1970s. Big Wednesday is a 1978 American coming of age buddy sports comedy-drama film directed by John Milius. They still used a stunt double for a lot of the surfing action, his was Bill Hamilton. But we simply didnt take into account things like, oh, sharks, civil war and dysentery.. It become one of the most influential surf movies ever made. The board I was riding was an 86, so it wasnt really a longboard, but it worked kind of fun. Last accessed: December 1, 2009. 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. and nothing that happens after will ever be the same. 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. Big Wednesday, and she had a front row seat. It was a central experience in our lives. They still used a stunt double for a lot of the surfing action, his was Bill Hamilton. Other filming locations included El Paso, Texas; Hollister Ranch near Santa Barbara; Surfrider Beach (in Malibu); Ventura, California; and La Libertad, El Salvador. | Click here to buy a ticket, or subscribe now for free entry. ), Cairns was renowned for his big wave prowess and radical manoeuvres in smaller waves. A lot of people never leave it. Give me a break! 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. 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. Matt (Jan-Michael Vincent), Jack (William Katt) and The Masochist (Gary Busey) are three buddies who are the local surfing champions of Malibu in the early 1960's. "Big Wednesday": a film about surfing and friendship in times of war In the late 1950s, Milius surfed regularly in Malibu, where he met Denny Aaberg, the brother of surf legend Kemp Aaberg and the future co-writer of Big Wednesday. Send her a message via her facebook page if youd like to go. PT leapt at the chance. Warga, Wayne. Among these was Kym Herrin, who later gained fame as a Playboy bunny. IC: Well, it was pretty horrible in 76. A day will come that is like no other. Then in 77, they were getting paid, so we were cordial. She later called the film "a classic example of an egomaniacal insane man going over budget and not listening to anyone.

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