The Endless Summer (1966)

Mike Hynson and Robert August were among the world's best surfers in the mid-1960s. Bruce Brown was a surfing enthusiast with a few largely unseen films on the sport. The three became legendary when Brown followed the two Californians around the world, filming their quest for the perfect wave in THE ENDLESS SUMMER. Brown captured his subjects hanging ten in their home waters as well as in Hawaii, Australia, Tahiti, Africa, and New Zealand.

While the surfing footage is amazing, what truly sets this study of the sport apart from its brethren is the larger questions posed in the athletes' search. As they move from ocean to ocean, Hynson and August seek deeper meaning in their lives and come to a spiritual understanding of their purpose on the waves. The thoughtful protagonists also challenge the stereotype of the brain-dead surfer dude. The laid-back guitar sounds of the Sandals, along with Bruce Brown's own wry narration, provide a relaxed soundtrack for this landmark film. It was followed almost 30 years later by ENDLESS SUMMER II (1994), featuring a new generation of surfers.