The Endless Summer Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		3.5
Audio		3.5
Extras		4.0
Overall		4.0

The Endless Summer Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov September 4, 2018

Bruce Brown's "The Endless Summer" (1966) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy Second Sight. The supplemental features on the disc include new interviews with director Bruce Brown, producer Bob Bagley, and surfer Mike Hynson; the documentary "The Endless Summer Revisited"; and more. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-Free.

The boys

The Endless Summer is a classic documentary film about surfing directed by American filmmaker Bruce Brown. It was released in theaters across America in 1966, at a time when few people outside of California had seen real surfers.

The film follows Robert August and Mike Hynson, two young men from California, who come up with the brilliant idea to follow summer around the globe. As the Pacific Ocean begins to cool off, they pack up their bags and head to West Africa, a place they have never visited before.

Robert and Mike’s first stop is Dakar, Senegal, a beautiful country with friendly people and expensive hotels. The first beach they visit is exactly what they have been hoping to discover -- a quiet and safe place with great waves. They quickly “wire the place” (learn the waves and then get used to them) and begin surfing. A couple of days later, however, the outrageously expensive coffee and food force them to leave.

In Accra, Ghana, Robert and Mike once again find great waves and plenty of people who have never before seen surfers. Before they leave, they inspire a local chief to learn how to surf.

In Nigeria, Robert and Mike surf some of the hottest waves ever -- at least according to Bruce, who swears that when he was filming the water temperature was 91 degrees. There are few Nigerians around, however, to see the boys ride the beautiful waves.

South Africa proves to be paradise on Earth, a place with perfect waves, perfect weather, and great people. This is also the first location where Robert and Mike meet other surfers just like them, passionate and willing to explore. According to Bruce, some of the best waves in the area were about 300 miles north of Cape Town on the Indian Ocean. However, he warns that Durban surfers should be extra careful as the warm waters are full of not so friendly sharks. South of Durban is Cape St. Francis, another dream location with some of the longest waves Robert and Mike would surf during their trip.

Next stop is Australia, a country with plenty of deserted beaches full of "men in gray suits" (sharks) and a good number of local surfers. There are great waves here, but according to Bruce serious surfers are guaranteed to have a very difficult time getting used to the place because there are too many distractions, such as beautiful female surfers with provocative bathing suits.

In beautiful New Zealand, Robert and Mike are shocked to discover that there are more sheep than people. Strangely, despite a number of attractive locations the surfing conditions turn out to be poor. Even on the East Coast, known for its endless waves, fails to impress them. But trout-fishing in these parts of the country is great.

Tahiti, the final stop in Robert and Mike’s journey, is apparently known as a place with very poor surfing conditions (because a giant barrier reef cuts up all the surf coming into the beach). Nevertheless, the two friends eventually find a couple of good waves to enjoy before heading back to Hawaii.

According to Bruce, good old Hawaii is a great place to surf but is often overpopulated by enthusiasts. Bruce also casually warns that a lot could go wrong there because the waves are so strong that they could easily kill a man if he isn’t careful. "You ride this place with a different attitude", he says. "You don’t want to fool around. You want to make that wave more than anything in the world".

*In 2002, The Endless Summer was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".

The Endless Summer Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in an aspect ratio of 1.78:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Bruce Brown's The Endless Summer arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Second Sight.

The release is sourced from the same remaster that U.S. label Monterey Video used when it prepared its local release of The Endless Summer in 2011.

The film looks a bit soft, but I have never felt disappointed by the presentation. Ideally there should be plenty of well-exposed grain because the film was shot in 16mm, but my guess is that the available elements are not in perfect condition and some adjustments were made to enhance stability and minimize fluctuations. (Keep in mind that modified 35mm theatrical prints were made as well). So if you are viewing your films on a larger screen, you should expect the type of softer look that some aged interpositives offer. Colors are stable and natural, never appearing manipulated. There are no traces of sharpening corrections. A few tiny blemishes remain, but there are no large cuts, damage marks, or torn/cut frames to report in our review. Ultimately, the film could look quite a bit better in high-definition, but I still believe that the current remaster will remain in circulation for a very long time. My score is 3.25/5.00. (Note: This is a Region-Free Blu-ray release. Therefore, you will be able to play it on your player regardless of your geographical location).

The Endless Summer Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There are two standard audio tracks on this Blu-ray release: English LPCM 2.0 and English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided for the main feature.

The narration is stable and clean. Also, there is no background hiss or other common age-related anomalies such as high-frequency distortions and hum. Only the music sounds a bit too thin at times, but it is very possible that this is precisely how it was mixed. Perhaps if one day someone does an elaborate restoration of the film the audio will also be fully remixed with superior technology and the new track will have better depth and fidelity.

The Endless Summer Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

NOTE: With the exception of The Endless Summer Revisited the bonus features that are listed below are perfectly playable on all North American Blu-ray players, including the PS3.

• Introduction - a short video introduction by Bruce Brown. In English, not subtitled. (1 min).

• Directing The Endless Summer - in this new video piece, Bruce Brown quickly addresses his early short films and explains how The Endless Summer was made and later on screened at various big theaters on the East Coast. The director's son, Dana Brown, also comments on the film reputation. The piece was produced in 2017. In English, not subtitled. (5 min).

• Producing The Endless Summer - in this new video piece, producer/assistant photographer Bob Bagley discusses his interactions with Bruce Brown in the late 1950s, his early 8mm films ("Surfing Hollow Days", "Water-Logged"), some of his revolutionary shooting ideas/techniques, and the long production of The Endless Summer. There are excellent comments about the film's unusual distribution history as well. The piece was produced in 2017. In English, not subtitled. (14 min).

• Surfing The Endless Summer - in this new video piece, surfer Mike Hynson recalls his early days as a surfer and friendship and work with Bruce Brown during the shooting of The Endless Summer. The piece was produced in 2017. In English, not subtitled. (11 min).

• The Endless Summer Revisited - a wonderful documentary about the surf scene in California during the 1950s, Bruce Brown, and the production of The Endless Summer. The documentary features a number of vintage interviews with the director and various veteran surfers, plus plenty of footage from early 8mm and short films. In English, not subtitled. (72 min).

• Artwork From Around the World - a collection of vintage promotional materials from around the world. With music. (2 min).

• Bruce Brown Timeline - information about Bruce Brown's life and career. With music. (5 min).

• Cards - four collectible cards.

The Endless Summer Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

This classic documentary made its Blu-ray debut in 2011 via Monterey Video in the United States, but there were no bonus features on the release. Second Sight's Limited Edition has some exclusive new bonus features and an excellent documentary titled The Endless Summer Revisited about the surf scene in California during the 1950s and Bruce Brown's work. If you decide to pick up the release for your collection, keep in mind that even though it is Region-Free you will still need a Region-Free player to view the documentary. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.