When I moved to Southern California, I made it my goal to try surfing once. Just once, then I could say I did it and cross it off my list of opportunities taken. Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine how the experience would take hold of my soul, nor could I explain it to anyone else. Now I don’t have to. Dana Brown and his crew have done it for me in Step Into Liquid.
Part travelogue, part history lesson, part extreme sport video and all heart, Step Into Liquid takes the viewer on a wild ride around the world with some of the best surfers out there – and some who are just having fun. These aren’t actors. Every surfer has a story, and this film tells many stories.
Adrenaline pumps as the opening scenes show tow-in riders* pulled by jet-skis into unimaginably high waves. Then there’s Pipeline, the stuff that dreams are made of. (“It’s not a question of if you’ll get hurt, but when.”) And surf championships*. And locations that will have you climbing out of your cubicle at work wishing you had their job.
Once the stoke gets into your heart, there’s no getting rid of it. The energy and power of the waves are addictive. That’s why the Malloy brothers show up in freezing-cold Ireland, much to the amusement of locals who’ve never seen anything like it. Same thing with the aging, beer-bellied Packers fans who grill bratwursts as they hit the big waves in Sheboygan, Wisconsin. (Surfing in Lake Michigan. Who knew?) Waveless Texans are even willing to chase down supertankers to drop in. Then there’s Jesse Brad Billauer, a quadriplegic, who rides the waves with a specially adapted board. And the list goes on.
You'll meet the Santa Cruz crew, a bunch of nicknamed diehards who not only brave the shark-infested waters of their home turf, but who also hire a 20-something captain to take them 100 miles off San Diego to surf the waves off an underwater mountain. I won't give away how high the waves get, but "whoa!" doesn't begin to describe it.
As a nice change of pace, Brown introduces us to “the girls.” He explains that female surfers are all about fun. It just feels different when there’s estrogen in the water. The sacrifices made by these pioneers are making it easier for the next generation of female surfers. In Hawaii, women were always part of the equation, and we’re seeing them get more respect on the mainland now as well.
Surfing in countries other than your own can open the door to people who seem to have nothing in common, or worse yet are at war. Three heartwarming segments prove this point. Those same Malloy brothers opened shop near the border of Northern Ireland. Children donned wetsuits and boards for a surf clinic and appeared to be having just as much fun as the kids in San Onofre, California, shown earlier in the film. By the end of the day, the voice-over narration revealed the remarkable backstory that these kids who were laughing together and appreciating their new friends were, in fact, both Catholic and Protestants. Another heartwarming sight was Alex & Jim Knost in Viet Nam surrounded by dozens of laughing kids clamoring for their boards. Then, on a more serene note, there was a scene on Easter Island, perhaps the most remote place on Earth, where American surfers basked in the spirituality of their hosts and destination.
Final Thoughts
You don’t have to be a surfer to be inspired by this film. It captures the essence of freedom, nature, spirituality, and goodwill. I can’t wait to own it on DVD.
Note to Parents
I saw this movie in an art house theater not normally attended by children. For this film, however, there were about 15 to 20 kids ranging from toddler to teenager. The previews for other films were not appropriate for children, and one was downright nightmarish. If you see this film in an indie theater, it might be a good idea to wait until the clips for the other movies are over before taking your seats.
*Surfers Appearing in the Film(from www.stepintoliquid.com)
Ken “Skindog” Collins
Dave Kalama
Jesse Brad Billauer
Shawn “Barney” Barron
Mike “Snips” Parsons
Taj Burrow
Rochelle Ballard
Layne Beachley
Brad Gerlach
Chris Malloy
Darrick Doerner
Keala Kenelly
Keith Malloy
Laird Hamilton
Mike Waltze
Rob Machado
Peter Mel
Alex & Jim Knost
Dan Malloy
Film Credits(from www.stepintoliquid.com)
Dana Brown - Writer, Director and Editor
John-Paul Beeghly - Director of Photography, Producer
Richard Gibbs - Music
Joe Fischer and George Acogny - Music Supervisors
Bruce Brown and Ray Willenberg, Jr. – Executive Producers
Scott Waugh – Co-producer
C. Rich Wilson – Associate Producer
Additional Surfing Resources (not necessarily related to the film)
www.liferollson.org
www.surfline.com
www.surfrider.org
www.surfdiva.com (San Diego)
www.ronjons.com/surfschool(Cocoa Beach/Disney World)
With STEP INTO LIQUID, Dana Brown emerges from his legendary father's shadow and adds another classic film to the surf documentary canon. Son of hugel...More at HotMovieSale.com
With STEP INTO LIQUID Dana Brown emerges from his legendary father's shadow and adds another classic film to the surf documentary canon. Son of hugely...More at Family Video
From the makers of Endless Summer, Step Into Liquid takes us from the terrifying monstrous waves of Oahu s North Shore to the Texas waters of the Gulf...More at Buy.com Marketplaces
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