Classic documentary from the 60s which now is remembered by many as a blissfull ode to a bygone era. Two all American boys Mike Hynson and Robert August take a gap year, before "gap years" were invented. They pursue a year round summer, chasing the season around the world looking for surf spots and commenting on the cultures they encounter, followed by filmmaker and narrator Bruce Brown. If one had enough time and money it would be possible to follow the summer around the world, and why not! Watched through today's eyes much of it is racist and sexist, and I don't think that can be ignored. But the intent is clearly not malicious and instead the casual style of Brown's narration with light tongue-in-cheek humour and with the breezy soundtrack, can, if you let it, instill a real sense of peace as the careless dreamers skirt with ease across the waves.
The route takes them initially onto the west coast of Africa. Senegal, Ghana and Nigeria where few white people had been seen in the seaside towns, and no surfing had ever been witnessed. The clean-cut young men engage well with the locals, referred to as "natives", and when the crowds gather even lend their boards to some of the men, referred to as "heavies". The narrator remarks with surprise that one of the men even stands up on his first wave which is practically unheard of. But references to their "primitive" lifestyles and the risk of "being eaten" are never far away.
The trip moves onto apartheid South Africa which is notable for the vast empty spaces and deserted highways. Having come from beaches crowded with black faces, the total lack of non-whites at Table Mountain or on the beaches is an odd contrast but is not commented on directly. There is an intriguing reference to the white South Africans preferring to all travel together to the same beach, even with hundreds of miles of alternatives not being used. Brown seems bemused by this, but offers no explanation why they prefer to risk tens of riders on the same wave rather than spread themselves more thinly. Later a more direct reference is made at a shark-infested beach when a group of porpoises appear. "Sharks and porpoises have yet to integrate in South Africa". The film is much better, though, for avoiding political commentary. The USA was hardly a bastion of integration and racial harmony at the time.
It is also in South Africa that they make the discovery that has characterised the film since for many surfing enthusiasts. They trek and ride their boards over half a mile or so of sand dunes to find St Francis beach, and the perfect wave. A pipe-shaped wave of 5-10 feet which rolls into the beach over perhaps 100 or 200 feet, 300 days a year. Like it is being made by a machine! Brown comments deliciously, "Imagine what it looks like on St Francis beach right now", a reference as valid today as at the time it was first shown, prompting the realization that though the film is 50 years old, the waves are ancient.
Much like Pumping Iron (1977), the Endless Summer kickstarted a craze globally and many surf spots, including St Francis above, are now world famous and in fact seriously overcrowded. Watching the film, it is very easy to understand how it could become so influential. The carefree lifestyle is remarkably attractive. The stars themselves are mute as the entire movie was recorded on 16 mm film with no audio; its almost an extended dream sequence. Waimea in Hawaii had been ridden only for a few years at this point, later Riding Giants (2004) would lay out the development of this lifestyle into the professionally competitive big wave riding that we see today. And the gap year dream is still alive and well. Robert August now lives in Costa Rica and runs a blog, "One of these days I hope to go back and surf this beautiful wave..."
Trailer on youtube!
