Beautifully filmed, wonderfully nostalgic trip to a simpler time. A labor of love by those who lived the life and embraced the philosophy of the lifestyle. Characterized by friendly exploration of different beaches (as they chased Summer around the globe) as well as different cultures; a true escape in every sense of the word. These ambassadors of the sport don't perform a high energy showcase of different surfing moves, rather they exhibit the beauty and grace of 60's style surfing, making friends along the way. A must for anyone who has ever been on a board or dreamed of it. A great film for the whole family, I put it on on a Sunday night to forget the stress of the upcoming week. Watch it over and over-- it gets better every time.
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lrathome5 June 2005
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ccthemovieman-16 January 2007This was an entertaining and educational trip around the world. It follows two American surfers who are seen visiting West Afrcia, South Africa, India, Australia, New Zealand and, of course, Hawaii.
For one thing, it was interesting to see how they looked at prices of things. For example, in Africa, they are astounded at having to pay $30 a night to stay in a motel or pay $1 for a gallon of gasoline. (I'll bet they would change their tune today!)
The film gives you a good feel for the '60s surf scene with the lingo ("stoked, hang ten, etc.")
The surging can get boring after awhile but Bruce Brown, who made this film and narrates it, usually didn't overdo those parts and he does an outstanding job narrating to keep our history. He's interesting and he's funny.
There are some memorable moments: seeing a place where the waves go past the sand right to the shore and then back out again; the famous Waimea Bay of Hawaii, of the biggest waves ever to be surfed; the perfect waves on the east side of Africa, the incredible scenery in New Zealand and the flies in Perth, Australia!
A fun movie. If you enjoyed this, check out the sequel "Endless Summer II." That is very good, too, and with better camera-work. -
gavin694213 May 2016The crown jewel to ten years of Bruce Brown surfing documentaries. Brown follows two young surfers around the world in search of the perfect wave, and ends up finding quite a few in addition to some colorful local characters.
Now, how seriously this film was meant to be taken, I don't know. It is an incredibly honest look at surfing around the world, and has plenty of good scenes. But it also has subtle humor due to Brown ribbing his friends. Who was his intended audience? The film now (2016) operates as both great documentary on surfing, but also as a bit of a time capsule. This was 1966, and it was an "endless summer"... just before the "summer of love". There is no way that Brown could have seen this film as indicative of the era, but in many ways it is. -
TroyAir12 March 1999Forget the Hollywood teen scene movies from the 60's with Frankie and Annette. That was teen exploitation (and the teens knew it and didn't watch them, either). This movie is completely different.
"Endless Summer" is not exactly a drama, but not exactly a documentary either. You follow two young surfers as they travel the globe looking for the elusive "Endless Summer" of year-round surfing. The narration is hilarious and the surf action will make even the novice landlubber want to grab a raft and skip across the backyard pool.
No bikini-clad girls trying to understand boys. No swim-trunk clad boys trying to understand girls. No meddling chaperones and hilarious hi-jinks. No musical guest stars. What you get is one of the best films about surfing and Life. Period.
Surfers will own it already, but for those who haven't seen it - see it. -
What a fun little film this is! Every 5 or 6 years I revisit this work and enjoy it as much as the first time I saw it. My hat is off to Bruce Brown for having the vision and determination to create this film. With cinematography, music, and narration that is easy on the mind and eyes, this film floats through the screen and has you envisioning your own paradise, whether or not you're a surfing aficionado. The two featured surfers in this film are at the top of their sport and seem to be doing it only for love - NOT for big prizes or cash purses. There is a unique innocence about this film that is very appealing.
See this film because it is not violent. See it because there are no special effects (save one or two jerky camera moves). See it because it takes you back to a simpler time when the world (and you do see much of the world) seems much simpler. Still fun and still an inspiration, this film will remain forever timeless... -
tony-peterson19 March 2006THE ENDLESS SUMMER is a terrific Documentary and a really great "trip" (in every sense of the word) to another era: the 1960's.
Basically, the film is a photographic journal of two American surfers who start off from California, USA, and travel the world to find "the perfect wave". We follow them as they travel, and, if we're in a receptive mood, we have a lot of fun also. The film includes most of their trip, but the focus is on their journey through North and South Africa, New Zealand,Hawaii, Tahiti and Australia.
The film features some typical surfer humour that some would find a bit "lame", but it always makes me laugh. One silly example: The two surfers pack their bags for their trip. One of them reads about possible shark attacks. The next thing that we see is the other one packing a single "band-aid"...for emergencies! Typical surfer humour!! Interestingly, but unfortunately for us, the only place the boys can't find a decent surf is here, in Australia! During their Australian trip they are constantly told by the younger and older surfers alike: "You guys really missed it. You should have been here yesterday!" This really means: "You guys really missed it. You should have been here last winter!" There are so many good things in the film to enjoy: the laconic narration by Bruce Brown; the personalities of the two surfers, Robert and Mike; the evocative music score; the excellent photography and editing; and the scenic locations all combine to make this a great experience. This is one of the few films that will make you really appreciate surfing...and documentary films. It's a fine example of how to make an imaginative film with a small budget. THE ENDLESS SUMMER is truly one trip definitely worth taking! -
Xavier_Coo7 September 2020For A movie being over 50 years old It held its own for our time. It totally reminded me of a Warren Miller ski movie. However at times it was a challenge to keep my attention.
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mab848523 August 2003Interesting, intelligent and well-narrated movie done in the days of innocence before boring thrash-metal soundtracks drowned out commentary from surf-movies. No matter what age you are, if you like surfing (and probably if you don't) you will find this movie interesting as it travels around the world examining cultures and people as well looking for the "perfect wave". Sure, Bruce Brown's commentary may sometimes sound goofy but it enhances the innocent feel of the movie and its place in time. This is the definitive surf movie - the measure by which other movies can only be judged. A recent "Realsurf" website (Realsurf publishes worldwide surf reports on the internet) reader pool of '000's voted "Endless Summer" as the best surf movie of all time with daylight second and Endless Summer 2 next.
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StrictlyConfidential1 April 2020Being something of a surfing enthusiast, myself (in my younger days I've surfed in both Australia and Hawaii) - "The Endless Summer" (from 1966) certainly turned out to be a very entertaining and enjoyable documentary, highlighting the thrills and excitement of this tres' exhilarating sport.
From sunny Malibu Beach, California, to the uncharted waters of West Africa, to the tropical paradises of Tahiti and Hawaii, 2 young, American surfers accomplish in a few months what most people never do in a lifetime - They live their dream. And that dream for Mike and Robert is to find and ride the perfect wave.
Director Bruce Brown's whimsical narration in "The Endless Summer" gives the whole production a very comfortable, easy-going feeling that greatly contributes to its overall charm and appeal. -
TBoldOne27 January 2009Bruce Brown's documentary about two people who travel the world in search of the perfect wave was deemed so culturally significant that it's now part of the National Film Registry and now preserved in the Library of Congress.
This movie is a love song to surfing. Obviously Brown loves surfing and movie making and his photography is stunning. What you marvel at in this film is that it all seems so effortless. The two stars are obviously fabulous surfers, but they make the surfing look so easy. Obviously it isn't. This is evident when they meet local surfers on their travels and their skill is readily apparent.
The music is perfect for this movie. The soundtrack by the Sandals, just rolls through the film like the soft waves that roll through this movie. Unlike many sports type documentaries the music doesn't distract from the film, or seem gratuitous. It just fits.
** This paragraph may contain some mild spoilers ** The movie is a wonderful timepiece of a world that no longer exists. Travel to Africa was exotic in 1963, when this film was made. Some of the countries that these men visited are now too dangerous to visit today. Gas in Africa was an outrageous $1.00 a gallon! Other funny details pop up on their travels, that make this movie just quaint. The innocence of this era is breathtaking. The pair just run into people and are not afraid. Also as American's they are welcome everywhere they go. Contrast that with today, where many countries are now too dangerous for American's to travel to. What happened in the last 46 years to change this? I don't know.**
Probably the most amazing thing about this movie is that while it's about surfing, it's not really about surfing at all. It's a movie about the joy of living your life doing what you want to do, and uses the vehicle of surfing to tell that story.
You don't have to surf to enjoy this movie. You just have to enjoy life to enjoy this movie. A perfect movie for a cold winter day, or a day when you are feeling down, or up for that matter. Recommended without reservation. -
The name Bruce Brown was a name I hadn't heard until I saw The Endless Summer. Apparently, he is the king of surfing documentaries, a thing I didn't know there was a king of. The Endless Summer is allegedly his quintessential surfamentary and it's really the only one people talk about. It chronicles the journey of two ace surfers as they follow the Summer season around the globe to ride the waves in all sorts of exotic locations like Africa, Australia, and Tahiti. The film has no dialogue from the people in it, only Bruce Brown's narration which fills us in with all the information we need to know to follow this story of an endless summer.
This is a particularly light hearted documentary that is solely for entertainment value to those who find its subject matter interesting. If you're interested in surfing I suppose you would love this movie because about 90% of the footage of the film is actual surfing. If you don't really care about surfing, like myself, The Endless Summer doesn't do much for you. I personally found it a little bit boring and somewhat pointless. However, I can't say that it's a bad film because it's easy to tell what a great surfing documentary it is, even if you couldn't care less about the sport.
Even if you don't care about surfing there are still all sorts of beautiful locations that the two surfers and Bruce Brown visit in this film that are marvelous to look out. In this film you see some of the most beautiful ocean water you will ever see, and some truly perfect waves that you won't see on any beach in America. I can appreciate this and it makes The Endless Summer a slightly more interesting film to someone who has no interest in surfing. Of course, this film is all about the surf, and no time is really devoted to the beauty of the locations or the variety of cultures traveled to here. All the focus is on surfing, and we have to take it upon ourselves to notice the kind of beauty this subject matter is immersed in.
You have to constantly remind yourself that this is nothing more than a documentary about surfing, so you have to cut it slack for not devoting time to things a non-surfer would find more interesting. However, one of the truly strange things about the film is it's sense of humor at times. It's a very easy going documentary with a light hearted and sarcastic sense of humor, but this humor is also a bit awkward at times. Some of the remarks about the African natives sometimes come off as insensitive, though not blatantly so. It's nothing that makes you do a double take, and I'm sure Brown means well in his narration, but there are a few remarks that just seem off. Who knows. Maybe it just comes with the times. It didn't bother me much, but I couldn't help but notice it, and it stayed on my mind throughout the film.
The Endless Summer is perfect for a surfer who wants to watch a surfing documentary. If you're not a surfer and you want to watch a surfing documentary you might feel just a little indifferent about this film. It's not bad, in fact it's well made overall, but it won't really stick with me by any means. -
RNMorton17 October 1999Outstanding documentary about two young surfers who travel the world looking for a good wave. Bruce Brown's cinematography is breath-taking, and the ongoing narration (also by Bruce) is inspired and truly funny. One of those rare movies that you wish would never end. Followed by the equally-good Endless Summer II 30 years or so later, which must be close to a record for sequels.
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lee_eisenberg13 December 2017As a surfing-themed movie, "The Endless Summer" is one of the most impressive things that you'll ever see. Bruce Brown (RIP) and Mike Hynson know how to travel the world to look for the perfect wave. However, it IS very much a product of its time. Brown and Hynson clearly weren't raised with any consciousness about the rest of the world. In Ghana, they have a Euro-centric view of the native people. While in South Africa, they never once mention apartheid.
But aside from that, it's a fun documentary. I suspect that it inspired countless other people to start surfing. I never have, but there are people who are really into it.
I recommend the movie. -
dbrando18 April 2012The Endless Summer has some of the greatest art work posters ever printed in the 1960s. The film is only interesting when the scenery is depicted, minus the narration and the horrible soundtrack.
To surf all over the world strikes one as a waste of time, and it proves to be a waste of time, except for the African episodes, which show the "natives, as they are called, bored with the whole thing after a while.
The racism in this film is so blatant that it looks like the KKK may have produced it.
The South African "observations" on the Zulu are unconscionable, and this is a 1966 film, Viet Nam time, and Martin Luther King was talking about the horrors of apartheid.
Women are treated as pure sex objects,and yet the two stars never date or seem interested in girls. Enough said there.
Not good, but relevant for those who wonder where Coppola got his inspiration for surfing madness in "Apocalypse, Now," where Robert Duvall in combat in Vietnam is having certain military surfing experts try to find the "perfect wave."while drugged to the hilt. Somebody saw what was going on in The Endless Summer...sheer madness with guys who have had lobotomies. -
yenlo19 August 1999Despite the fact that this film is over thirty years old it's just as good as when it first came out in 66. No plot, No stars. Two guys who take off to surf the world (or at least as much of it as they can)in search of the perfect wave and are photographed as they do it. Good narration and great surfing footage along with the right amount of humor thrown in makes it an endless classic without really being a documentary.
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algshanafelt18 December 1999The sport of surfing has changed much over the years and this insightful documentary gives us a snapshot of the sport in the 60's. What is most impressive about the movie is the excellent narrative and photography. I recently have received the movie poster from allposters.com and I recommend this to anyone who is a Bruce Brown or surfing enthusiast.
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edmbrancheau17 December 2018Even non-surfers will appreciate this documentary because you'll understand the allure of the ocean. 50 years later, it's still a ton of fun and required viewing for any surfer
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daoldiges10 November 2022I like surfing and love the world and sport of surfing. The idea of the endless summer and these two guys actually in pursuit of it excites, inspires, and motivates me. The surfing results of their singular, dedicated quest for the endless summer is well captured and presented here. I don't recall anyone else mentioning it but in addition to the title of this film I absolutely love the poster! That image, those colors, that title together is a work of art that speaks volumes. There's no real dialogue here just the filmmaker narrating over the images and action. If you're into surfing then you will enjoy this film. If you're not into surfing you will not likely enjoy as much but if you're genuinely curious then definitely check it out and see what you think, who knows, it just might inspire you too!
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jotaemesg-5539321 June 2017I discovered this film last weekend among the playlists offered by my TV provider. I chose it because I am always curious about less known films from the past. From what I read online, this movie was filmed in the 1963 to 1964 winter season (on the north hemisphere) but wasn't launched for a general release until 1966. At any rate, it has the flavour of the prosperity years after WWII and a quaint charm about it. The pace is lively, the landscapes are gorgeous, and the surf scenes are breathtaking, all told in a youthful and merry mood, with a brisk sense of humour throughout the film. I was gladly surprised to see there is more to surfing than we usually find in mainstream media. No wonder this film became a myth. It is also a good life lesson, a toast to freedom and a travel experience. I am happy to know that the director and the main players are still alive, for maybe they will be able to read how thankful I am for this priceless masterpiece. You cannot overpraise such a great beauty, achieved with so few filming resources. Worth taking hats off by all means.
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Being something of a surfing enthusiast, myself, in my younger days (I've surfed in both Australia and Hawaii), The Endless Summer certainly turned out to be a very entertaining and enjoyable documentary, highlighting the thrills and excitement of this tres' exhilarating sport.
From sunny Malibu Beach, California, to the uncharted waters of West Africa, to the shark-filled seas of Australia, to the tropical paradises of Tahiti and Hawaii, 2 young, American surfers accomplish in a few months what most people never do in a lifetime - They live their dream. And that dream for Mike and Robert is to find and ride the perfect wave.
The Endless Summer is an imaginatively photographed travelogue, from the absolute height of surfing-mania in the mid-1960s, that thoughtfully captures the joy, danger and humor of searching the world for that ultimate, most perfect wave of all.
Director Bruce Brown's whimsical narration in The Endless Summer gives the whole production a very comfortable, easy-going feeling that greatly contributes to its overall charm and appeal. -
You do not have to know what "Hang Ten" means to enjoy this wonderful surfing documentary. In 1963-1964 two surfing buddies, Michael Hynson and Robert August, simply decided to follow the summer sun around the world, from the Northern Hemisphere to the Southern back to the Northern. The travails of the two are documented by Bruce Brown, whose apropos tongue-in-cheek narration is a howl. The photography is breathtaking. In the early scenes we see some noted personalities on the Californian and Hawaiian surfs. Hawaii's air and water temperature were a perfect 75º F. But California was cooling down by November, as attested by Santa Cruz' nighttime temperature of just 48º F (California does get a winter).
So it was off on a flight across the Atlantic to Senegal and Ghana in West Africa, where the two leads demonstrate that they may just have been the first surfers there in world history. Before long the locals were converted to enjoying the waves. Incidentally, the beach temperature was 70º F and the surf better than that of California. A gas station was appropriately named AGIP (a gip), as the price for a gallon of gas was $1.00, or twice as much as in the USA at the time. Next stop: Nigeria just north of the equator. Water temperature: 91º F and air temperature of 100º F! It was so hot that the wax on the surf boards melted.
Then Bob and Mike fly across the equator to the southern hemisphere, to South Africa. There were surfers in Cape Town, but just one hundred or so, and the average age of the surfers was older than that of the Americans, about 30. In Durban, on the Indian Ocean side of the country, there were nets to protect the surfers from sharks. The porpoises do seem to get through, though the sharks do not hang with them. You see, quips Brown, "Sharks and porpoises have yet to integrate in South Africa" (!). Further east, at Cape St. Francis, the surfing exceeded that of Malibu.
After that, our surfers fly in a wide arc from northeast South Africa to India to Perth, in Western Australia, where there is no surf. So it was on to Melbourne, two thousand miles away. There the guys find that they missed the best surf by six months. Or is "You just missed it" a common refrain? So it was on to Sydney, farther east still, where the surf was minimal ("You just missed it." Hmmm). They do meet Pearl, a surfer girl, who wears a bikini. Bruce Brown explains that, as the girls tend to lose their swimsuits when they wipe out, the thoughtful lifeguards have spare suits.
In New Zealand Mike and Bob find the surfing to be great on the west coast. And on Christmas Day, the boys are surfing in a huge cove near Auckland. The next stop is in Tahiti, where, contrary to local reports, there is indeed surfing.
Finally the guys are in Hawaii, where they know the surf, the best in the world. We find out that the big wave surf break in Waimea Bay was ridden first in 1958. The waves are two and three stories high, and wipe outs are massive. Surfers who do so must quickly dive deeply into the ocean, lest they get struck by their boards and suffer severe injury.
At the end, the boys explain that finding good surf is a hit or miss proposition: they were lucky in Africa, not so in Australia, and OK in New Zealand. But the guys reflect on the wonderful events that they have experienced in their exciting young lives.
Hang ten (stars, not toes)! -
anthonydapiii9 May 2020I truly enjoyed this documentary.
Great job by all and for the surfer's living our their passion.
Funny, inspiring, insightful. -
Uriah4311 September 2015This documentary is about two surfers by the names of Robert August and Michael Hynson who travel the world in search of a warm climate and good surfing. After leaving California at the end of summer they fly to the west coast of Africa and then eventually head to various other locales such as South Africa, Australia, and Tahiti to mention just a few. During this process the viewer is shown a multitude of waves and some surfers who attempt to ride them. Now, if one were to really love surfing I have little doubt that they will certainly enjoy this film. On the other hand, those who might be curious due to the high rating and want to see what this documentary has to offer might not be so enthused. Personally, I thought this film was somewhat interesting at first but after an hour of watching one wipe out after another it seemed to get rather tedious-and this included some of the bigger waves toward the end. Again, those who enjoy the sport of surfing will definitely want to watch this documentary. Those who don't might just want to leave it alone.
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TroyAir30 August 1999Back before Sean Penn gave us his hilarious interpretation of a surfer as a drugged-out loser with a limited vocabulary in "Fast Times At Ridgemont High", the common image of a surfer was that of a clean-cut guy who surfed just like other people sailed or fished. They were normal people. This film was made during that time, when surfing was a sport and surfers were athletes. And its that charm that makes this film special.
Bruce Brown had made 4 feature-length films prior to making this one, but this film's incredible success made him a cult hero, a Cinderella story who came out of nowhere to give us a film that could quite possibly be the best surfing documentary ever made. His premise was simple: take 2 surfers and try to achieve what everyone dreams of: an endless Summer of sun, surf, and girls (but mostly surf).
Brown's narration, with its soft California tone, really gives the film that comfortable, easy feeling, like watching an old Walt Disney film from the early 60's, which contributes to the film's charm. We know, we just know, that these two guys are going to go out on an adventure and nobody will die, nobody will get arrested, and nobody will do anything immoral (or at least _too_ immoral).
From the west coast of Africa, to South Africa, to Australia, to islands in the Pacific, to Hawaii, we go along as two young men from California introduce the sport of surfing to people who have never seen a surfboard before. It is quite hilarious to see villagers in Ghana and Senegal try to surf a longboard in heavy surf for the first time, and Bruce's narration really tells a funny story, and all along we're relaxing to the gentle guitar sounds of The Sandals.
We also get to see some of the best surfers riding some great waves in the age before the beaches got crowded with jet skis, racing boats, and more surfers. "Endless Summer" is one of those films that acts like a time capsule, and is just as entertaining now as it was when it first came out.
I highly recommend it for everyone. Adults, kids, surfers, non-surfers. There's something for everyone in this film. You don't need to know how to surf to enjoy this movie. -
wes-connors2 May 2012It's a brilliant thesis for surfers - if you had the time and money, you could keep traveling around the world, participating exclusively in each location's surfing season. Thus, "The Endless Summer" would provide limitless opportunities for catching waves! Out searching for the elusive "perfect wave," surfing director Bruce Brown (he photographed, edited and narrated) follows Malibu surfer pals Mike Hynson and Robert August around the world with a camera. The young men follow the sun to one glorious location after another. My pick for the perfect wave is the one found in Cape St. Francis but you may prefer the big ones at Waimea Bay. The waves aren't the only things perfect in "The Endless Summer" - so is the photography, narration and soundtrack.
Hey, surf's up!
Forever...
********** The Endless Summer (6/15/66) Bruce Brown ~ Bruce Brown, Mike Hynson, Robert August