Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
Jan-Michael Vincent | ... | Matt Johnson | |
William Katt | ... | Jack Barlow | |
Gary Busey | ... | Leroy Smith | |
Patti D'Arbanville | ... | Sally Jacobson | |
Lee Purcell | ... | Peggy Gordon | |
Sam Melville | ... | Bear | |
Darrell Fetty | ... | Waxer | |
Gerry Lopez | ... | Gerry Lopez | |
Hank Worden | ... | Shopping Cart (as Hank Warden) | |
Joe Spinell | ... | Psychologist | |
Steve Kanaly | ... | Sally's Husband | |
Barbara Hale | ... | Mrs. Barlow | |
Fran Ryan | ... | Lucy | |
Dennis Aaberg | ... | Slick | |
Reb Brown | ... | Enforcer |
Matt Johnson, Jack Barlow, and Leroy Smith are three young California surfers in the 1960s. At first reveling in the carefree life of beaches, girls, and waves, they eventually must face the fact that the world is changing, becoming more complex, less answerable by simple solutions. Ultimately the Vietnam war interrupts their idyll, leaving them to wonder if they will survive until "Big Wednesday," the mythical day when the greatest, cleanest, most transcendent wave of all will come. Written by Jim Beaver <jumblejim@prodigy.net>
Gary Busey's career high as the insane "Masochist" with the irrisistable quote "More Beer!". Okay, this is a little patchy, but it's beautifully shot and has that old fashioned innocence that most modern teen films lack. The surfing rules and the leading trio is well played. Oh and I forgot to mention, the entire narration is by none other than Elm street's Fred Kreuger, a.k.a Robert Englund, which just makes it uber-cool in my minds eye; but I am biased. A great feel-good movie from when movies still felt pretty good.