Les dompteurs du Pacifique

RIDE THE WILD SURF remains as one of my very favorite 'surf/beach' genre films (notable others: BLUE CRUSH, BIG WEDNESDAY, the GIDGET series, the Avalon/Funnicello BEACH movies, ALOHA SUMMER, Bruce Brown's ENDLESS SUMMER films ~ and hey ... you could even include Nickelodeon TV's popular ROCKET POWER animated series into this mix!). Although several of the fore-mentioned are documentary-style films, they are nonetheless true 'surf' Classics which are a MUST to own/see and should NOT be ignored. RIDE THE WILD SURF was well-stocked with talented actors (see the Credits) and although these actors never truly dared the 'heavies' at Waimea Bay ... only the laughable (yet fun) stationary studio boards with backdrop waves) ... there are quite a few great stock footage scenes of enjoyable, real surfing! The plot was surprisingly more of an adult oriented drama than a juvenile film, therefore adding a bit more realism to the (albeit thin) storyline. The production values were fine and the soundtrack was stoked with some great JAN & DEAN tunes!! True to 60's standards, there is no GORE, NUDITY, PROFANITY-LACED-DIALOGUE, or EXTREME VIOLENCE - so it can be enjoyed by the entire family. I really cannot find fault with this film and highly recommend it for your film library! Now, if only COLUMBIA PICTURES would get off it's corporate ass and release this little gem onto DVD (that's a big HINT)! Until such time, you will have to suffice by renting a VHS copy from your local Blockbuster - the film has almost never been seen on TV (very possibly once - many years ago on AMC-TV). Until then try some of the films listed above and you WON'T be disappointed! 'Til then ... SURF ON, KAHUNA!

The surf scenes are typical of the era. Back lot close-ups cut to real action scenes. Check out Greg Noll in the surfing cut scenes. He's in his signature black and white stripped shorts. I can't positively id red & yellow shorts; maybe Pat Curren, but that's speculation.

Only other thing I can't figure out about this movie is why does Jeanie (sorry, couldn't resist) think it's a good reason to purchase a rocket taller than her. That can't be a good idea. But, I guess she's wearing the proper protective bee-keeper suit. From same scene: "No one's allowed on the firing line with out an extinguisher (Hands them a cocktail)"

The opening scenes of this beach & surf film seem like the prototype for early 1980's gay porn! Three cute guys looking at the ocean while cheap music plays and then deciding to get in the car together to change into their swimsuits. Only this movie steers clear of any sordidness and the guys actually get out of the car and catch a wave! Where was Jerry's "Springer-Break" when ya needed it?! Everything is swell as the three pieces of meat (Porterhouse Hunter with his seasoned body, Sirloin Strip Brown with his lean, low-fat cut and Ribeye Fabian with his adorable baby fat cheeks--both sets!) paddle out to the ocean amidst a bevy of tan surfer boys. Unfortunately, it isn't long before some pesky girls enter the picture and spoil all the fun. The film's main goal (aside from attempting to add a little seriousness and reality to the beach movie genre) seems to be to switch everyone from their previously established hair color! Tab's hair is light brown instead of blonde, Fabares' is platinum blonde instead of brown (she is half-Scandinavian in the flick so she has to be an almost albino blonde?!), Eden ("Jeannie" for cryin' out loud) is a dark auburn and Brown lightens his natural brown hair and winds up with a shocking. brassy, golden-yellow 'do. Bizarre! (It has since been revealed by Hunter that the guys' hair was changed to match their stunt doubles' hues.) Surprisingly, the surfing footage is pretty decent--especially for it's time. The horror is that interspersed with some great footage featuring stunt doubles, there are rear-projection shots of the leads standing in a studio with water splashed on them as they're teetering back and forth!! Sometimes they actually carry on conversations while "riding" the wild surf! Hilarious! It is interesting to note that the trio of surfer dudes are presented as peers of college age. In truth, one was 21, but the other two were 29 and 33 (!) years old! But they all look pretty darn cute in their suits and with their now-politically incorrect tans. Fabares unexpectedly resembles Sandra Dee very much with her new hair and even sounds like her several times. Look for her first scene in which her headlights are on......HIGH BEAMS! Also on board is Robert Mitchum's son Jim who resembles his father so much it almost seems like Bob popped in for a cameo! It's a pleasant, occasionally interesting, always attractive film which depicts a time that is gone forever. Check it out!

This is a great film, much better than the other campy beach movies. Good story, good music and a young Barbara Eden.....yahoo. Beautiful Hawaiian scenery with huge waves that any surfer would drool over are prominent throughout the film. The story is set around a surfing contest of who will be bravest and toughest to ride the wild surf, the biggest waves in the world that come in only once in a long while. The vintage look and sound of the movie will bring you to the 1960's surf scene where girls look cute in bikinis and the guys are all tan and muscular. Even though you can easily spot the studio filmed scenes, the real footage of surfers tackling giant waves is truly exciting. After watching this movie you are going to want to by a Willy's and a long board and hit the beach. Aloha!

These guys really need to learn to paddle their boards correctly. They really look lame "out there" when they are paddling into the lineup. Occasionally, you will see the real surfers in the stock footage who are knee paddling their Wiamea guns unlike the actors who look more like midwestern tourists learning to surf at Waikiki. Tab Hunter is, as always, awesome in a romantic lead role; he's just so natural with the opposite sex. Why didn't her mother just come out and say it: I don't want you having a gay boyfriend; it will cause you nothing but grief! The camp value of Tab Hunter resucitates this rag doll of a film after a trip over the falls at Wiamea. There is also stock footage of real surfers like Greg Noll (Eskimo's double) and Mickey Dora (Jody Wallis' double). Believe me, they didn't handle themselves like the actors did when out in 25 foot plus Wiamea.