The very great majority of surfing films are made by people with a surfing background or with extremely close ties to surfing, one way or the other. In 1970 in Victoria, Australia's only commercial feature film-maker of that time, Tim Burstall (2000 Weeks) , was commissioned to film a documentary designed for TV viewing on the upcoming World Surfing Championships, being held in Victoria for the first time, ostensibly at Bells Beach near Torquay on the west coast. The result is Getting Back to Nothing, atypical in that the film is made by a non-surfer for a general audience, rather than your typical goggle-eyed, surf-stoked batch of grommets.
To be sure there is plenty of surfing in the just over 50 minute film, though much of it occurs in less than ideal surfing conditions. But Burstall takes great interest in the act of surfing itself and observes its social sitting in the Australia of 50 years ago. This was a largely conservative nation then, beset by opposition towards its involvement, along with the USA, in the Vietnam War. For the most part, surfing was not even recognised as a legitimate sport, a view, we find constantly repeated by even many of the contest's competitors including the eventual winner, Californian Rolf Aurness, who like others cited in the film, calls it an art, rather than a sport.
For those seeking their dose of surfing existentialism, there's plenty of amusing, low-brow philosophical patter on show, from a range of largely surfing notable talking heads, such as Nat Young and Corky Carroll, besides the as mentioned champ himself. There's also plenty of down-time partying by the surfers and associated hangers-ons, with the local constabulary notable with their presence, no doubt (lol) looking for more signs and smells of dope-smoking, hippy surfers.
Another unusual aspect of the production is that it has its own dedicated original, all Australian, musical soundtrack featuring the combined work of Hans (the happy hippy) Poulsen, (Seeker) Bruce Woodley and Billy Green.
Even though the birth of professional surfing (for cash) was 3 years away, ironically at Bells Beach, it may be surprising to some to see the large crowds flocking to a then, fairly isolated rural location, to watch these "surfing artists" at work/play.
Getting Back to Nothing is a fascinating insight into the way surfers, surfing technologies and surfing were seen in Australia 1970 and how mainstream Australia reacted to the developing sub-culture and nascent sport.
