They were depicted as both titanic figures who embody physical perfection and barbarians who refuse to conform to the rules of civilised society. "[14], Milius at one stage intended to play the role of the Bear himself. Much of the authenticity of the film was due to the fact that Milius was himself an avid surfer. You just get treated like a king, youre part of the crew, hanging out with the actors, writers and directors. We were treated like rock stars and I still get a cheque every year from the screen actors guild. Photo from the front cover of his biography: Kanga The Trials and Triumphs of Ian Cairns. 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. It's a movie that I have never forgotten. [17][18][19], The film premiered in wide release in the United States on May 26, 1978.[20]. 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. IC: Well, it was pretty horrible in 76. HD. George had broken it up into pieces and [stuffed it into] that yellow fibreglass thing. He would then either place the big homemade housing on his shoulder while sitting on a board in the channel or balance it on his surf mat. Sign up for the Wavelength newsletter to get the latest news, announcements, special offers and event information, Wavelength Media, Unit GF43 & GF55, Winslade HouseManor Drive, Exeter, EX5 1FY, UK, Wavelength Magazine. He had a lot of innovative ideas that changed surfing, and he created them. Remick says this was typical Greenough attire; barefoot, jeans, sweatshirt and self cut hair. The brand morphed into an actual successful company after the release of the movie, producing hundreds of boards, and is still active today, with various people producing Bear-branded boards in different countries. 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 . I mean, you had George Greenough in his black and white Highway Patrol car, burning down the dirt roads and then coming into the lot doing donutsIt was more like a party than a working situation, and for me it was just like another day at the beach. In the background you can see them setting up a shot near the crumple car. Finally, a nice shot of Denny Aaberg, co-writer of the film, enjoying the fruits of his labor. All Rights Reserved. Similarly, most of the sequences of the film, including the iconic Vietnam draft dodging scene and the trip to Mexico, were based on the filmmakers own real-life experiences. (as Karen Rea Grossman) [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. 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 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. 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. Along the way we see many of the people and locales Bruce visited during the filming of Endless Summer (1966). That's important to me because I'm a real surfer. The seemingly paradoxical juxtaposition between an ordinary day (Wednesday) and epic adjective (Big) also matched Milius double ambition to provide both a realistic account of surfing subculture and to create a long-lasting surf mythology. "Big Wednesday" follows three young surfers in the LA area (Jan-Michael Vincent, William Katt and Gary Busey). | Above and below are Peter Townend. The logo, a red diamond with a bear in it, features prominently throughout the movie, on shop windows, T-shirts, car windows and on surfboards. "[11], However, Milius changed his mind again. 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. Im actually really stoked on the surfing in that final sequence, they did a really good job stitching it all together . (1) George Greenough surrounded by his tools of the trade and (2) with his homemade housing. 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. We had a huge bottle of water, and what they didnt tell us was they were filling it up out of the well, so everyone got amoebic dysentery. The Novel Before the Movie. It inspired the names of things as disparate as the weekly New Zealand lotto draw, an Australian pale ale and countless storms and hurricanes. Can't play on this device. The international distribution of the movie promoted the Bear label worldwide, with people wanting boards with the bear logo. Above is the Silver Splendor 1956 and below is the Overland Trail 1949 Pullman Club Car . Surfing is a strange thing. Heres Jan Michael Vincent again. Hank Worden for some reason took a small role as a guy that pushed a shopping cart around. Then in 77, they were getting paid, so we were cordial. The surfers and stunt doubles with director John Milius. Matt (Jan-Michael Vincent), Jack (William Katt) and The Masochist (Gary Busey) are three buddies who are the local surfing champions of Malibu in the early 1960's. Here it goes, the good, old story of the dog chasing its tail. "Big Wednesday" started as a novel written by John Milius and Denny Aaberg and was initially published in 1978 by Bantam Books. But even though we did the Ranch for a month, and El Salvador for a couple of months, they still didnt have the big day, so they just said ok were going to Hawaii., were going to sit up there and make it happen. Above he is shooting Billy Hamilton and Ian Cairns in action. 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. While working on the script, Milius and Aaberg used Samurai stories, the Arthurian saga and Herman Melvilles Moby Dick as sources of inspiration. ). It was written by John Milius and Dennis Aaberg, who met hanging on the beach at Malibu in the late 50s, alongside characters like Miki Dora and Lance Carson. This thing would be wrapped up in two weeks. WL: Tell me about the filming of the final sequence? We were samurai. IC: Well, we were in the Northern Ranch, where the breaks Cojo and Governments are. Free Delivery on all Orders Over 80. It was super fun. When it comes to authentic depictions of a surfing life, few Holywood films hold a candle to 78 cult classic Big Wednesday. Hell, we offered to smoke dope in front of them just to prove we were surfers. big wednesday stunt surfers big wednesday stunt surfers. When Milius saw them sat next to each other, he couldnt believe the likeness, immediately switching PTs role to that of Kats double instead. Conceived by Randy Rarrick and Fred Hemmings, The IPS, as it was known, was a little haphazard during that first foray according to those in attendance (or chaos if a certain wounded winged Novocastrian is to be believed. 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. 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. ), 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. The heroes are depicted as walking like the kings of an ancient civilisation. It is so very personal. director of photography Film Editing by Casting By Karen Rea . So's John. By what name was Big Wednesday (1978) officially released in India in English? Recently, we called him up at home in Laguna Beach to see what he could remember from his time working on the film. Official Sites We all knew it was special, we knew it wouldn't last. So, PT told Milius, hey, Ive got a bronzed Aussie buddy who could replace him. [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. After roping in a few replacements, including Billy Hamilton, to stand in for Vincent and famous Malibu surfer Lance Carson to double for the third star, Gary Busey, the crew set off for El Salvador, where the filming for Big Wednesday got underway. Los Angeles Times 21 August 1977: n7. Then in 77, they were getting paid, so we were cordial. | "I've been working on Big Wednesday a long time," Milius said. if(!f._fbq)f._fbq=n;n.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version='2.0'; Of the eight hours we were there everyday, we probably averaged about an hour of actually doing something for the movie. Published by at June 22, 2022. Most of the shots of Gary Busey paddling out are me, so I kind of have a lot of those stunt double pieces. 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. We got alot of emails regarding this page from folks that were extras. Looks like that heavy camera setup bumped George in the eye, and hes laughing it off. Directed by John Milius.Written by John Milius and Denny Aaberg, loosely based on their own experiences at Malibu and a short story Aaberg had published in a 1974 Surfer Magazine entitled "No Pants Lance." In a 1976 interview, when he was still at the beginning of his career, Milius claimed that my religion is surfing. Filming & Production He encourages such stiffness in his players that Barbara Hale, for instance, is quite unconvincing as Mr. Katt's mother. Photo: Stoner, Unlike many Holywood surf flicks, Big Wednesday had real surfers fingerprints all over it. It was a lot of money. "The part is simply too big for me to do."[7]. 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 is a movie that follows the Hollywood cinema canons, filmed by a well-known director who embodies the surfer's spirit. {if(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function(){n.callMethod? In Milius film, the surfers are the last true American pioneers whose courage and heroism are forged by their ability to live at the intersection between nature and culture. We were really fortunate to have those big days at Sunset. WL: And then you all jetted off to Hawaii. Surf star Gerry Lopez, who would. 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. Terry loves it because it allows her to stay in touch with her old friend, The Ranch. "The 40th-anniversary edition of 'Big . The lives of some California surfers from the early 1960s to the 1970s. While the studio had high hopes for the success of Big Wednesday, it flopped, and was out of the theaters in a month. Working on big Wednesday in 77, we earned 50 grand. fbq('track', 'PageView'); Copyright 2020 Surfing.LA. 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]. You know theyve got craft services there so you can go to the catering truck and order anything you want. Im actually really stoked on the surfing in that final sequence, they did a really good job stitching it all together . 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? What a way to make a living, eh? ABOUT A SHIPWRECK THAT (RAN AGROUND IN "53" NOW A VICTIM OF THE SEA ? This movie is about friendship: surfing is just the background. That experience working on Big Wednesday was kind of how I hoped pro surfing would be. P.S. ), Cairns was renowned for his big wave prowess and radical manoeuvres in smaller waves. Hamilton was surfing for Jan Michael Vincents character and Cairns was the double for Gary Busey. 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. WL: I just watched it the other day and its incredible the surfing you guys are doing on those big single fin longboards. On the set, from left to right, Billy Hamilton, director John Milius, Peter PT Townend, Ian Cairns, Ray Riddle and Gary Busey. I worry I might lose sight of the characters. Big Wednesday: Directed by John Milius. [10] In August Milius announced Big Wednesday would be postponed because the script was not ready and he would instead make Extreme Prejudice. "I'd lived that life since I was ten. 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. 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". Send her a message via her facebook page if youd like to go. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. And with that, Ian Cairns was in. He has since had a long and illustrious career promoting surfing as a sport. Check system requirements. This is one of Terrys favorite shots. Milius and Aaberg based their script on their own stories about Malibu, which in the film would be referred to as The Point. This largely autobiographical film from director John Milius ("Conan The Barbarian") features truly spectacular surfing scenes. This film about three Malibu surfers in the 1960s has been branded major statement and it's got Big Ideas about adolescence, friendship and the 1960s. It was the golden era of surfing in the region, a time when surf historian Matt Warshaw says just about everything that was progressive [in surfing] was taking place on that one beautiful beach, without a crowd.. Jack's induction notice says he is to serve in the United States Marine Corps. Rating: I was the number one money winner in 76, I earned $8000 prize money. The points were aggregated, and surfers were informed of their standing, as well as of the remaining competitions that would constitute the second half of the tour. Ahead of our upcoming screening, we dived deep into some of the backstories behind the production, exploring the writers, actors, surfers and lensmen who brought it to life. Surf star Gerry Lopez, who would later appear as an actor in other films directed by Milius, played himself in the last sequence of the film. The fictional Bear surfboards logo and t-shirts, originally created by the filmmaker as props for the film, went on to become a popular surf trademark owned by Milius himself. WL: Are there any other memories from that trip that particularly stand out? After the film came out, Bill began shaping under the Bear label depicted in the movie. Big Wednesday Jump to Edit Summaries The lives of some California surfers from the early 1960s to the 1970s. We pitched up at Sunzal, which happens to be where theyre holding the ISA World Games this week. Click here to buy a ticket, or subscribe now for free entry. They were sure this guy was a SEAL!. He didnt really surf, where as Jean Micheal and Billy were reasonable surfers, so they were down there to have fun, hang out and shoot as many scenes as possible. WL: Of course, that was right in the middle of the whole Bustin Down The Door saga. We were really fortunate to have those big days at Sunset. And thats what the movie is. Browse the full lineup and get your ticket here. In the foreground is what Denny calls the crumple car. The points were aggregated and surfers were informed of their standing and which competitions would constitute the second half of the tour. The fictional "Bear surfboards" logo and t-shirts, originally created by the filmmaker as props for the film, went on to become a popular surf trademark owned by Milius himself. McRae was covered in Hard Times (1975). Greenough was hired to do water shots and Townend was a surf double for William Katt, one of the stars in the film. [8], "Because I surfed, I'm the only director in the world who could have made his picture," said Milius. This is one of Terrys favorite shots. Without going to Hawaii it would have fallen flat, but those big wave sequences at the end of the movie are pretty amazing. Browse the full lineup and get your ticket here. "It was the most personal film I'd done," said Katt. He didnt really surf, where as Jean Micheal and Billy were reasonable surfers, so they were down there to have fun, hang out and shoot as many scenes as possible. Movie Info. He was the double for William Katt in the film. Another luminary brought in for this film was none other than Gerry Lopez. Multiple scenes required surfers to ride waves up to 70 feet . 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. They formed their own company, The A Team. It never strayed from that. One day this El Salvadoran militia comes to visit our beach set, continues Milius. Most importantly, upon its release, Big Wednesdays premise that passion for surfing had an expiration date was unthinkable. When he comes home from Vietnam he is an Army Green Beret. Or, subscribe to Wavelength now to get free entry to a screening of your choice.]. WL: Of course, that was right in the middle of the whole Bustin Down The Door saga. 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. No Hype.No Sponsors. We surfed there and down at La Libertad and it was pretty fun, just hanging out with the crew. The film production hired the Hui to clear the water for us. When we saw these photos, we contacted surf legend Denny Aaberg to give us some more insight. The mythical resonance of the Big Wednesday, the hump-day, when the weeks beginning tips into its end, when the gods of surf and youth reach the apex of their glory, continues to fascinate new generations of viewers. Barbara Hale, mother of William Katt, plays a small role in the film. Conceived by Randy Rarrick and Fred Hemmings, The IPS, as it was known, was a little haphazard during that first foray according to those in attendance (or chaos if a certain wounded winged Novocastrian is to be believed. This thing would be wrapped up in two weeks. 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. As he remembers, it was some sort of military vehicle that was there for years and years. That experience working on Big Wednesday was kind of how I hoped pro surfing would be. After roping in a few replacements, including Billy Hamilton, to stand in for Vincent and famous Malibu surfer Lance Carson to double for the third star, Gary Busey, the crew set off for El Salvador, where the filming for Big Wednesday got underway. n.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(arguments)}; We were allowed to be out surfing all the time and Cojo is pretty nice its a bit like Little Rincon at Bells. But even though we did the Ranch for a month, and El Salvador for a couple of months, they still didnt have the big day, so they just said ok were going to Hawaii., were going to sit up there and make it happen. Unlike many Holywood surf flicks, Big Wednesday had real surfers' fingerprints all over it. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. The film makers had what they refer to as a cattle call up at the Riviera theater to select the lucky folks. Did working with them that winter help smooth things over a bit? "I don't want to put it off any further but I don't want to work on it until its ready either. ()100% And at the same time our lives were regulated by a strict chivalry code. Now It Can Be Yours for $68.8 Million. Here you will find unforgettable moments, scenes and lines from all your favorite films. From left, Gary Busey, Jan-Michael Vincent and William Katt in Big Wednesday. ), 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. Privacy Policy / Terms & Conditions. The lives of some California surfers from the early 1960s to the 1970s.The lives of some California surfers from the early 1960s to the 1970s.The lives of some California surfers from the early 1960s to the 1970s.

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