The film tells the story of three young friends whose passion in life is surfing. Big Wednesday - Rotten Tomatoes An 8' 6" BEAR Surfboard single fin made for Big Wednesday. 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 . And we knew how good we had it. A lot of them died in Vietnam and OD'd on dope. "[7], Anthea Sylbert was an executive at Warners at the time. The extras got paid $60 a day, plus a catered lunch and a bus ride up from Santa Barbara everyday. The board I was riding was an 86, so it wasnt really a longboard, but it worked kind of fun. "Big Wednesday" started as a novel written by John Milius and Denny Aaberg and was initially published in 1978 by Bantam Books. This was their first production. 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The Endless Summer 2 (1994) - IMDb Other filming locations included El Paso, Texas; Hollister Ranch near Santa Barbara; Surfrider Beach (in Malibu); Ventura, California; and La Libertad, El Salvador. Join us in a beautiful clifftop location overlooking Watergate Bay in West Cornwall on July16th for a drive-in screening of the film. Write an article and join a growing community of more than 160,500 academics and researchers from 4,573 institutions. Spielberg in particular was certain that Big Wednesday was going to be a box office hit, opining it was like "American Graffiti meets Jaws", two of the decade's most successful films.[2]. Warner Brothers rented the Bixby Ranch to film a major motion picture called Big Wednesday, and she had a front row seat. The surfers and stunt doubles with director John Milius. The attrition rate among surfers is very high. [10] In August Milius announced Big Wednesday would be postponed because the script was not ready and he would instead make Extreme Prejudice. It doesn't work. [1], Big Wednesday was a box office flop upon its release, and was quickly pulled from theatres after taking in only $4.5 million. Big Wednesday - Movies on Google Play It was pretty bizarre. Those [guerrillas] looked at him and absolutely freaked. There goes Greenough to get some water shots, with an assistant, we guess. At 62 and 190 lbs., he was a big, powerful Australian surf star that had won lots of international contests. 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. The films authenticity was enhanced by Milius connection to the surfing world, which enabled him to bring in experienced surf documentary maker Greg MacGillivray. The friends reunite years later, after Barlow has served in Vietnam, for the "Great Swell of '74". In the background you can see them setting up a shot near the crumple car. "[14], Milius at one stage intended to play the role of the Bear himself. 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. 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. The surfers and stunt doubles with director John Milius. 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. Milius was later responsible for the creation of the surf-obsessed Captain Kilgore (Robert Duvall) in Francis Ford Coppolas Apocalypse Now. Ian Cairns, shown above, was the surf double for Gary Busey. At some point, old cars were placed on the beach by ranchers to try to keep the surfers out. 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. 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. [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 Surf's Up and Big Wednesday on Friday 16th July. The film makers had what they refer to as a cattle call up at the Riviera theater to select the lucky folks. No Stress.Just Stoke. Or, subscribe to Wavelength now to get free entry to a screening of your choice.]. The first week was fairly fraught, beset by illness, bad waves and a standoff with the gun-toting local militia and at some point, Lance bailed. The water camera hes holding was one of those ideas. I said of course, who wouldnt! Can't play on this device. 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. Jan-Michael Vincent and Lee Purcell in Big Wednesday. xenophon agesilaus summary; It made only US$4.5 million (half of its original budget) at the box office. 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. It's about growing up and relationships and the surf is the exotic background. Hank Worden for some reason took a small role as a guy that pushed a shopping cart around. "William Katt: New Golden Boy of Tile Romantic Lead Katt as the Golden Boy", "Big Wednesday: four decades between surfing and myth making", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Big_Wednesday&oldid=1139114837, American coming-of-age comedy-drama films, Rotten Tomatoes template using name parameter, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 13 February 2023, at 12:40. Without going to Hawaii it would have fallen flat, but those big wave sequences at the end of the movie are pretty amazing. All of a sudden he realised hey theres a lot of shit going on out there in the water. WL: So it was year two of the new IPS tour, and you were defending a runner up spot, did all that filming not get in the way of competing? Copyright 20102023, The Conversation US, Inc. Big Wednesday: four decades between surfing and myth making 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. Sure enough, the next morning we arrived to 4-6 perfect Cojo with only P.T., Cairns, Mark Warren, and Gerry Lopez out. document,'script','https://connect.facebook.net/en_US/fbevents.js'); 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. Too bad the movie sucked, the premiere at the Arlington was pretty exciting anyway.. Did working with them that winter help smooth things over a bit? On the set, from left to right, Billy Hamilton, director John Milius, Peter PT Townend, Ian Cairns, Ray Riddle and Gary Busey. Events Harbour Surfboards A few of the extras,including Kym Herrin in the blue dress. All Rights Reserved. Lucky for us, Terry was a photographer, and she happened to be friends with George Greenough, who was hired as a photographer for the film. What a way to make a living, eh? 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 . Privacy Policy / Terms & Conditions. Im actually really stoked on the surfing in that final sequence, they did a really good job stitching it all together . Big Wednesday - Wikipedia It wasnt just a story about somebody trying to ride the biggest wave or something. [8], "Because I surfed, I'm the only director in the world who could have made his picture," said Milius. Senior Lecturer, Te Herenga Waka Victoria University of Wellington. Last accessed: December 1, 2009. "It was a special time," said Aaberg of the 1960s. 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. WL: Can you tell me about getting the call up to double for Busey? You can see the wave all over Instagram today, with all the surf teams there. [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. While Milius has been forgotten by most contemporary viewers and critics, the legacy of Big Wednesday continues to live on. Big Wednesday (1978) - Summer Surfing Scene (2/10) | Movieclips Movieclips 58.5M subscribers Subscribe 142 Share 28K views 4 years ago Big Wednesday - Summer Surfing: Leroy (Gary Busey),. (1) The central trio heading out for the final showdown. I have fond memories of being one of the extras. No Ads. Theyre riding prop boards, made for the movie, and no wetsuits, since this was supposed to the early sixties Malibu. The opening and closing sequences of Big Wednesday feature the three protagonists walking through the ruins of a decaying portico like kings of an ancient civilisation where traditional values such as heroism, courage and loyalty are still upheld. Youre not allowed to drive into the Ranch, so every day youd just wait for your car to come and pick you up. The prevailing wind is offshore, summertime theres swells. 2022 Goleta Surfing. It inspired the names of things as disparate as the weekly New Zealand lotto draw, an Australian pale ale and countless storms and hurricanes. Of course, thats where you get all the stuff from Sunset that wraps up the movie. At least half the people who participated are dead now. Now, with their innocence lost to the deeds . We were allowed to be out surfing all the time and Cojo is pretty nice its a bit like Little Rincon at Bells. 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. Even luckier was Denny, who got to help choose from hundreds of cute little beach bunnies. 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 and which competitions would constitute the second half of the tour. Press release, August 6, 2008. 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. Big Wednesday (1978) - The Hottest Ride Ever Scene (10/10) - YouTube 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). Surf star Gerry Lopez, who would. In a 1976 interview, when he was still at the beginning of his career, Milius claimed that my religion is surfing. Together with percussionist Sam Adams, they are the Saltwater Cowboys and play gigs on a regular basis. "Big Wednesday" follows three young surfers in the LA area (Jan-Michael Vincent, William Katt and Gary Busey). . Terry Remick was spending a lot of her time with friends on the beaches of Hollister Ranch, enjoying her early twenties, when out of nowhere, a major Hollywood production drops in her lap. ), 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. But to be perfectly candid my interest in competing on the tour dramatically diminished, because I realised there was another world out there. A truck followed behind with our surfboards. "I'd lived that life since I was ten. They said, Hey, its Warner Brothers, do you want to come to El Salvador?. Denny Aaberg continues his life long passion for playing music. A lot of people never leave it. [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. In the end, the trip set the production back half a million dollars and yielded just four minutes of useable footage. Official Sites What was amazing was to see how many waves went by without anyone surfing them, recalls Art Brewer. Either way, the cast and crew enjoyed filming at such an amazing location. Most of the shots of Gary Busey paddling out are me, so I kind of have a lot of those stunt double pieces. When it comes to authentic depictions of a surfing life, few Holywood films hold a candle to 78 cult classic Big Wednesday. "The 40th-anniversary edition of 'Big . The first week was fairly fraught, beset by illness, bad waves and a standoff with a gun-toting local militia. Greenough was hired to do water shots and Townend was a surf double for William Katt, one of the stars in the film. All the main characters were inspired by real people, in particular surf legends Lance Carson and Kemp Aaberg and surfboard makers Hap Jacob and Dale Velzy. We surfed there and down at La Libertad and it was pretty fun, just hanging out with the crew. She said it was the last shot on the roll. Its pretty sweet, Ill tell you that. Web Development by Phi Web Studio. They were depicted as both titanic figures who embody physical perfection and barbarians who refuse to conform to the rules of civilised society. When he comes home from Vietnam he is an Army Green Beret. 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. Here hes getting pulled behind a boat, probably just killing time between takes. I mean, they were all just waiting for the Big Wave. I jumped on a plane and flew down there to join the crew, who were about a week into the shoot. 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. big wednesday stunt surfers big wednesday stunt surfers. Some say the best surf movie Hollywood has made yet! We all knew it was special, we knew it wouldn't last. WL: Tell me about the filming of the final sequence? He encourages such stiffness in his players that Barbara Hale, for instance, is quite unconvincing as Mr. Katt's mother. We were really fortunate to have those big days at Sunset. You always feel you owe it something. 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). It was a lot of money. The film production hired the Hui to clear the water for us. The third lead, Gary Busey, had to learn to surf for the role and after just a few months, ended up joining his co-stars out in the lineup at 12-foot Sunset for the final scene. Billy Hamilton, above, was the double for Jan Michael Vincent. 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. 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. I worry I might lose sight of the characters. Wed surf and then get a filet mignon for lunch. So he took a sledgehammer and pounded Important all over Big Wednesday. 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. 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. They formed their own company, The A Team. was also an Aussie surf legend and was the first professional world champion. "He was going to do another gun and guts macho fight film but he decided to do this; he decided he needed this in his life. We got alot of emails regarding this page from folks that were extras. By what name was Big Wednesday (1978) officially released in India in English? To date Milius last major film-making credit is as creator of the acclaimed HBO TV show Rome in 2005. big wednesday stunt surfers - chanoyu.48s.jp "Surfing was a brand new sport with its own aristocracy. and nothing that happens after will ever be the same. [7], They obtained finance from Warner Bros in June 1976. "The part is simply too big for me to do."[7]. [24], Milius later said the film was "sort of a numb spot in my life. 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. It's a movie that I have never forgotten. You can see the wave all over Instagram today, with all the surf teams there. It was work that you got to have fun and got paid for, which was rare back then., Being a lifelong surfer himself, Jan-Michael Vincent had no trouble pulling off an authentic-looking knee paddle. 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. The surfing scenes used in the finale to Big Wednesday were not filmed in California, where the film is set, but at Sunset Beach in Pupukea, Hawaii. The production team would send him out on partially sawed through boards, to ensure that when he reached the trough of each set wave, the board would duly shatter beneath his feet. | Big Wednesday Jump to Edit Summaries The lives of some California surfers from the early 1960s to the 1970s. With the advent of VCRs and DVD players, it is now a full blown cult classic. "We very much want it to be authentic. 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. PT leapt at the chance. A day will come that is like no other. Big Wednesday - Summer Surfing: Leroy (Gary Busey), Jack (William Katt) and Matt (Jan-Michael Vincent) enjoy surfing together.BUY THE MOVIE: https://www.fandangonow.com/details/movie/big-wednesday-1978/1MVc9480c4ac38b3b6893afc325bd943ccc?cmp=Movieclips_YT_DescriptionWatch the best Big Wednesday scenes \u0026 clips:https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZbXA4lyCtqpK6XB5irhpNHjCf4_lmlTLFILM DESCRIPTION:Three 1960s California surfers (Jan-Michael Vincent, William Katt, Gary Busey) fool around, drift apart and reunite years later to ride epic waves.CREDITS:TM \u0026 Warner Bros. Pictures (1978)Cast: Gary Busey, Jan-Michael Vincent, Lee Purcell, Reb Brown, William KattProducer: Buzz FeitshansDirector: John MiliusWHO ARE WE?The MOVIECLIPS channel is the largest collection of licensed movie clips on the web. Nineteen seventy-six was a big year for innovation. Above is a distant view of the set they made, a replica of the Malibu wall, complete with lifeguard tower. He has since had a long and illustrious career promoting surfing as a sport. Writer/director John Milius was born in 1944 and the material draws on a ten year span of his life from the early 1960's to the early 1970's. . ), 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. Te Herenga Waka Victoria University of Wellington provides funding as a member of The Conversation NZ. WL: Are there any other memories from that trip that particularly stand out? Matt Johnson: Well, I did a lot of things around here I'm kind of ashamed of. Above is Peter Townend, with a classic arch stance. Following its home video release in the 1980s, the film gradually acquired cult status. Here it goes, the good, old story of the dog chasing its tail. We were paid for basically hanging out on the beach at Cojo all day. Seversons title referred to a surfing myth according to which all the great surf days of the year fall on Wednesdays. WL: Tell me about the filming of the final sequence? Most importantly, upon its release, Big Wednesdays premise that passion for surfing had an expiration date was unthinkable. And at the same time our lives were regulated by a strict chivalry code. 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. And then there was the surfing. The nostalgic celebration of friendship is strongly associated with the critique of contemporary capitalist American society. Click Here to learn about Dan. Recently, we called him up at home in Laguna Beach to see what he could remember from his time working on the film. Their surfing lives are traced from the summer of 1962 to their attempts at dodging the Vietnam War draft in 1965 (including faking insanity, homosexuality, and all manner of medical ailments), and to the end of their innocence in 1968 when one of their friends is killed in Vietnam. They were getting $20 a day plus a whole lot of sunburn to watch perfect waves go unridden.. Above is George Greenough, Denny Aaberg with the guitar, Peter Townend and Townends girlfriend. 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. IC: The guys were held at gun point at Sunzal one morning as part of the revolution thing, but that was before I got there. Jack's induction notice says he is to serve in the United States Marine Corps. Of the eight hours we were there everyday, we probably averaged about an hour of actually doing something for the movie. n.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(arguments)};if(!f._fbq)f._fbq=n; (1) Cairns in a Sunset tube (2) PT off the bottom. We were outlaws, juvenile delinquents, anarchists and rascals. This thing would be wrapped up in two weeks. Hell, we offered to smoke dope in front of them just to prove we were surfers. According to surf journalist Paul Gross, hard-core surfers found the film too cheesy. | It become one of the most influential surf movies ever made. The film crew of 'Point Break' risked their lives facing 70-foot waves We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. Free Delivery on all Orders Over 80. And with that, Ian Cairns was in. But not just any BEAR Surfboard made for Big Wednesday -- we have for you the Original Bear Surfboard made for Big Wednesday director John Milius. We were treated like rock stars and I still get a cheque every year from the screen actors guild. t.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e)[0]; I went there 190lbs and ended up a 170, and in fact one night I lost 10lbs, vomiting and shitting, just incredibly sick. BIG WEDNESDAY Wednesday, April 24, 2019 7:30 PM 9:30 PM Pacific City (map) Join us at our gallery space at Pacific City, Huntington Beach this Wednesday, April 24th for a screening of BIG WEDNESDAY and special guest legendary Australian ripper and Big Wednesday stunt double IAN CAIRINS. Behind The Scenes On Big Wednesday: Tales From The Set With Stunt 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. was also an Aussie surf legend and was the first professional world champion. It was a lot of money. Jean Micheal Vincent and Billy Kat were there but the Masochist wasnt. 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. In 1978 surfer and filmmaker John Milius (Apocalypse Now, Red Dawn) set out to make a feature length film for the big screen based on his youth surfing and growing up in Malibu Ca., it would become the iconic film of the 70's "Big Wednesday". Also notice all the longboards. 1977 BEAR John Milius' Personal Cojo Point Big Wednesday He created this waterproof fiberglass housing for a big, bulky 35 mm movie camera. Big Wednesday (1978) - Turner Classic Movies IC: Yeah, we were all there hanging at Sunset. This is a great shot of Jan Michael Vincent, one of the actors that actually could surf. Company Credits Seversons title referenced a popular myth that posited all great surf days fall on Wednesdays. Business boomed with the late 80s surfwear explosion as Bear expanded its line, replacing fishing as his main source of income. Then in 77, they were getting paid, so we were cordial. At some point, Lance bailed. The friends include Matt Johnson, a self-destructive type who has a devil-may-care attitude; Jack Barlow, the calm and responsible one of the bunch; and Leroy "The Masochist" Smith, whose nickname tells a lot about his personality. 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. Next day, the cars had new (old) license plates. But then it just reverted back to normal from there on, it wasnt like wed bought a lifetime membership into the Hui. With this reunion, the transition in their lives becomes the end point of what the 1960s meant to so many as they see that the times have changed, and what was a time of innocence is gone forever. Big Wednesday Reviews - Metacritic | Youre not allowed to drive into the Ranch, so every day youd just wait for your car to come and pick you up. Looks like that heavy camera setup bumped George in the eye, and hes laughing it off. !function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s){if(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function(){n.callMethod? Big Wednesday (1978) - Full Cast & Crew - IMDb The Big Wednesday Premiere: May 17, 1978 | SURFLINE.COM

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