Sound of the Surf

2022

Documentary / History / Music

Rotten Tomatoes Critics - Rotten 80%
Rotten Tomatoes Audience - Upright 80%
IMDb Rating 7.6/10 10 84 84

Plot summary

In the 1960’s, surf music was born in southern California and quickly became a global cultural phenomenon. From the original pioneers to those who revolutionized it, surf music’s influence helped to shape an entire generation. Journey back in time with original music, rare archival footage, personal photo collections, and exclusive interviews from surf music legends and their fans.

Director

Tom Duncan Photo
Tom Duncan

Top cast

Domenic Priore Photo
Domenic Priore as Self
Jello Biafra Photo
Jello Biafra as Self
Flo and Eddie Photo
Flo and Eddie as Self
Paul Johnson Photo
Paul Johnson as Self
720p.WEB
645.17 MB
1280*720
English 2.0
NR
Subtitles us  
23.976 fps
1 hr 10 min
Seeds ...

Movie Reviews

Reviewed by 9 / 10

Catch a Wave...

Exciting, straightforward documentary on the regional SoCal instrumental surf music phenomenon of the early 1960s and how the music is still loved and played around the world. If you loved that music, you will love the film. Edited true to the driving beat of the music and the pure joy of twanging, reverberating Fender guitars and the absence of lyrics. Great to hear Dick Dale's stories, hear from members of Eddie and the Showmen, The Chantal's, The Surfaris, The Bel-Airs and to see Lloyd Thaxton after too many decades. And the truth behind Jimi Hendrix's pronouncement "...and you'll never hear surf music again." It's bitchin'.
Reviewed by

Great to recall the music of the 1960s.

I came across this film streaming on Prime, incorrectly shown as a 2025 release. Not that it matters too much.Seeing this was especially interesting to me because I was a teenager in the early 1960s, close to the same age as most of the band members featured. But frankly, the only name I recognized was Bill Medley.I attribute that to the fact that even though I was a musician myself in the 1960s I grew up and lived in a very small town in S. Louisiana, far removed from the surfing scene and really isolated from what was happening in the music scene. I was starting college when The Beatles made their arrival here in The States.So watching this was sort of a "first time" for me, being exposed to the origins and early days of "surf music". Even though I lived through all of it I was insulated from it. I must say it is very well done and an interesting look at that period and the important musicians that helped mold it.Finally, I'd like to discuss this with the two morons (so far) that has rated this "1", what kind of thought process arrives at that?
Reviewed by 9 / 10

Where's the rest.??

I feel kind of short-changed here. This is a good documentary... GREAT, in fact... but I feel that there is much more to tell. So many more comments, questions, emotional outbursts, and lots more folks to talk to. The movie runs for only 70 minutes and that includes the end titles. Okay, it does assert on the front cover of the DVD that this is the birth and legacy of CALIFORNIA surf music, so I guess that is why there was no mention of Australian bands like The Atlantics or Minnesota's own Trashmen with their profoundly immortal "Surfin' Bird" tune. I was amazed that a few of the people being interviewed here (and also producer / director Tom Duncan) had passed away even before the film was released. I totally recommend this movie to surfers and surfers-at-heart everywhere. It's very well put together, tells a great story although it's over all too quickly especially since there was a second and third wave of surf music... but what is here is delicious.
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