Un mercoledì da leoni

What is it about Big Wednesday that inspires so much affection? I won't repeat the many tributes that have been made here, and yes, I was a surfer, and yes, this is in my top five of all time movies, and yes, I watch it about once every eighteen months.

But something others don't seem to mention much is the perfect score that Basil Poledouris wrote for the movie, sound which echoes and complements the action throughout, and reminds me strongly of artists and music of the time like Jack Nitzches "Lonely Surfer", and "Beyond the Break". Not, for heaven's sake, the Beach Boys or Jan and Dean.

But isn't that a big part of good movies? When music, image and story all combine? (Discuss)

The other four of my five are "Andrei Rublev", "If..." "The Piano" "Journey to the Center of the Earth"

A rite of passage film comparable to Stand By Me. The film follows the lives of three men through their late teens and twenties during the troubled period of American history that was the Vietnam war. The bond between these men is exemplified by their shared love for surfing and one another. With creative photography, Jan Michael Vincent (of Airwolf fame), Gary Busey (who makes a sneaky surfing appearance again in Point Break), and William Katt (who went on to star in such films as House) doing much of their own surfing, complemented by a professional team of surfing stunt doubles including Jerry Lopez make this one of the surfing all-time classics along-side Bruce Browns 1966 Endless Summer. Whether you're into surfing or not, you'll enjoy this for its story, feel good factor, and of course the surfing footage. Watch it.

I'm not a surfer, and I don't particularly fancy gazing at hunky males in their naked torsos and swim shorts. I am, however, a fan of good cinema, and according to many film articles and cinematic reference books, "Big Wednesday" is one of the greatest American films of the 70s.

I certainly wouldn't label it as such, but I can easily understand why this film enjoys the reputation of being a classic, and why it has such a wide and loyal fan base. It's a contemporary epic, a true coming-of-age movie for an entire generation of beach boys (and girls) who were teenagers in the sixties. The film actually reminded me somewhat of "Forrest Gump", only small-scaled and centered around a shorter and specific period of time. We follow three handsome and talented surfers throughout a period of 12 years. In 1962, life is great and completely carefree, but unfamiliar things like adulthood and responsibility begin to appear at the horizon. In the following decade, they are faced with the Vietnam war recruitment and the deterioration of their beloved surfing beach area. Matt Johnson (J-M Vincent) is the most talented surfer, but also the biggest troublemaker, Leroy Smith (Gary Busey) is the reckless one, and Jack Barlow is the mature and responsible one.

The challenges these three must face are not too dramatic, to be very honest. Matt struggles with alcoholism and causes a stupid accident, Jack's girlfriend doesn't wait for him to return from the war, and Leroy can't find enough kicks to agonize himself. The scenes where the boys and their friends must undergo physical and mental tests to check their fitness to serve in Vietnam are borderline genius and definitely form the highlight of the film, but there are several aspects that make "Big Wednesday" a delight to watch and experience. The brilliant 60s soundtrack, for starters, but also Bruce Surtees' cinematography and the performances of the leading trio.

Big Wednesday is a celebration of life on the beach as seen through the eyes of three surfing buddies who only live for riding the wave. Gary Busey, Jan Michael Vincent, and William Katt, three blond California surfer types if there ever were are the three pals with a host of supporting surfing types.

The film is four vignettes over a 12 year period from 1962 to 1974 and amazing as it seems I did not hear The Beach Boys once over the soundtrack of the film. Quite an accomplishment for director John Milius in and of itself.

William Katt is a straight arrow type and and Gary Busey and Jan-Michael Vincent are screw ups to some degree. Vincent has the most interesting character, he's a surfing god when we first meet him, the idol of all, but he doesn't like the acclaim. He goes through more changes than anyone else in the film.

Barbara Hale who is William Katt's mother plays his mother her in her last big screen appearance. If she wasn't Della Street for so many years on Perry Mason she might have wound up doing Donna Reed or Barbara Billingsley or Jane Wyatt type roles. I loved her bearing up under it all demeanor while her house is being wrecked with a wild party.

Highlight of the film is the scene at the Selective Service induction center. All the young surfers try to avoid the draft, some with some truly creative ideas. William Katt actually goes to war, the other two avoid it, but Katt's not even trying.

Second highlight is the Big Wednesday of 1974 where all three try to prove they still have the right stuff for the waves. The waves were tipping on 20 feet.

Big Wednesday is a good buddy/buddy/buddy film about three guys who live for what they love, but who have to realize it's a young man's game.

I much prefer a movie that looks great to one with great dialogue. So with this movie I was pretty much satisfied. OK the acting can be a little iffy at times ("those kids do look up to you" said in a bit of an over the top way) but the story line, humour, and fights (very enjoyable at the party, not as much in Mexico because of the more serious tone) are all very good.

But this film really excels in the shots of the ocean and surfing. They are quite simply beautiful.

I don't really understand why this film did so badly but heh it seems to be more accepted now.