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WAKE UP THE ECHOES
New Surf Film, Echo Beach, Remembers Life in Newport During the Day-Glo '80s
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May 15, 2009
3888 visits
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California surfers have always been trendsetters.
In the nascent days of Golden State surfing (late '40s/ early '50s), wave-riders here gave the high middle finger to most accepted forms of fashion, music, language and behavior, and created the first clear definition of "surf style."
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In the film, Parker and Jeremias document this curious place and time, and offer their thoughts about its role in shaping the surf industry and broader surf culture. "This was definitely a time of rapid progression in terms of board design, maneuvers, culture, fashion and marketing," Jeremias remembers, "and surfing would not be what it is today without it." Parker, who in addition to being one of the film's producers was a key player in the Echo Beach phenomena, had wanted to make the movie for years, but was stymied until hooking up with Jeremias. "I always thought that era was exciting, controversial and worth revisiting. I talked with Danny Kwock (former Quiksilver marketing head) about the project over four years ago and he recommended Stefan. Once Stefan and I raised some capital, it took about two years to complete." The film will screen later this month at the International Surf Film Festival in St. Jean de Luz, France, but in late April Newport Beach residents were treated to a couple of local showings -- one at the Newport Beach Film Festival and another at a down-home, back-alley bash featuring a broad swath of locals, industry wonks and surf celebrities, many of whom can be found in the slide show above. MORE SURF NEWS SURFLINE HOME PAGE |