Brad Gerlach Movies
- 2008
As surfing becomes a more and more commercial endeavor, a core of people who adhere to the traditions of the sport have taken to giant wave surfing. This documentary follows these committed souls as they travel across the globe searching for the biggest waves they can find. ~ Perry Seibert, Rovi
The true story of the kids who created modern skateboard culture is recreated in this drama. In the early '70s, skateboards were seen as a fad of the 1960s that had all but died out, but in a rough-and-tumble Venice, CA community known as "Dogtown," that was about to change. Tony Alva (Victor Rasuk), Stacy Peralta (John Robinson), and Jay Adams (Emile Hirsch) were three guys who liked to surf the rugged beaches around Venice and hung out at the Zephyr Surf Shop, a store run by Skip Engblom (Heath Ledger) that stocked gear for adventurous surfers and skateboarders. With the advent of new urethane wheels that connected with concrete in a way old metal and rubber wheels could not, Tony, Stacy, and Jay began exploring ways to translate radical surf style to skateboarding, and the guys invented a new way to skate inside the smooth, round surfaces of empty pools, employing vertical moves and edge flips that added a new and dramatic spin to skating. It didn't take long for word to spread about the wild new style of the Z-Boys, and they quickly became local celebrities, and later nationwide skating stars, though sudden fame took its toll on these young men. The true story of Lords of Dogtown was previously the basis of the acclaimed documentary Dogtown and Z-Boys, directed by former Z-Boy Stacy Peralta, who like Tony Alva served as a consultant on this project. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Emile Hirsch, Victor Rasuk, (more)
Second generation surfing documentarian Dana Brown (son to Bruce Brown, who directed The Endless Summer 2) strikes out with his own original piece of filmmaking with his 2003 ode to the world's surfing enthusiasts entitled Step Into Liquid. Part travelogue, and part attempt to redefine surfing's image, Brown travels to some of the ordinary surfing locales -- such as Hawaii and the West Coast of the United States -- as well as some rather unexpected ones, including the west coast of Wisconsin on Lake Michigan to Easter Island to a secular surfing school in Ireland. While in these diverse locations, Brown interviews the numerous souls whose lives have been taken over by the lure of surfing, ranging from seasoned professionals to casual hobbyists, in an attempt to dispel the myth of surfers being perpetually stoned slackers. Step Into Liquid was selected to screen at a handful of film festivals in 2003, including the Nodance Film Festival in Park City, UT. ~ Ryan Shriver, Rovi
- Starring:
- Jim Knost, Alex Knost, (more)
Philip Boston directs the extreme surfing film Billabong Odyssey. A team of surfers tour the world's best beaches looking for the toughest waves. Features some of the top names in West Coast surfing, including Mike Parsons, Brad Gerlach, Flea Virostko, and Barney Barron. Also contains profiles of innovators in the sport (Ken Bradshaw, Rush Randle) along with the women's surfing world champion Layne Beachley. Footage comes from the coast line of California, Washington, Hawaii, Mexico, Spain, France, and Australia. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, Rovi
- Starring:
- Shawn "Barney" Barron, Layne Beachley, (more)
Jack Johnson directs the 40-minute surfing documentary The September Sessions. Featuring champion surfer Kelly Slater in action. Filmed in 16 mm off the coast of the Sumatra Islands in September of 1999. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, Rovi
- 2001
The makers of Revelations and Better Days, Billygoat Productions present Iratika, an extreme sports-type surfing program, designed for younger viewers by including quick editing and alternative music. Australia's Koby Abberton and Mick Fanning are just two of the surfers featured as viewers travel to Tahiti and the Box. This 2001 release runs 40 minutes ~ Matthew Tobey, Rovi
Musician/filmmaker/surfer Jack Johnson teams up with Chris and Emmett Malloy to direct the surfing video Thicker Than Water. This 45-minute program was shot on-location in coastal regions of India, Ireland, Tahiti, Australia, and Hawaii. Composed by Johnson, the musical score also includes Philadelphia rockers G. Love & Special Sauce, Japanese pop band Natural Calamity, and British electronica trio Smoke City. Top-name surfers like Kelly Slater, Rob Machado, and Timmy Curran are shown in action. Thicker Than Water was voted Best Video of 2000 by Surfer Magazine. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, Rovi
