Big Wednesday (1978 Warner Bros)

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When it comes to making surf movies, Hollywood sucks. Whether it's outsiders (Beach Blanket Bingo), insiders (In God's Hands), chicks (Blue Crush) or kook-celebrities (Surfer Dude)-- they rarely get it right. "It," being what it means to be a surfer. (The rare exception being possibly 2007's Surf's Up, a digitally enhanced cartoon starring penguins -- so what's that tell you?)

But in Big Wednesday -- a late '70s surf saga that initially had only a lukewarm reception from the surfing community -- Hollywood got it right.

Surfer John Milius (Conan the Barbarian, Red Dawn) wrote and directed Big Wednesday. In addition to having real-life experience to draw from, he cast actors who surfed to play the lead roles: Jan-Michael Vincent (Matt Johnson), William Katt (Jack Barlowe) and Gary Busey (Leroy "The Masochist" Smith).

Despite their competency in the lineup, they needed stand-ins for the black diamond runs -- executed masterfully by Jay Riddle, Peter Townend, Ian Cairns, Billy Hamilton, Bruce Raymond and Jackie Dunn. This was a far cry from Keanu Reeves belting out to his FBI supervisor, "I got my first tube today, sir," or the close-up of Fabian "riding the wild surf" in front of a rolling clip from Sunset.

Milius illustrates the surfing lifestyle we all experienced as teenagers. For example, the opening scene shows Johnson entering the lineup with his friends after a wild night, then awakening as he comes face-to-face with a perfect rolling right.

The surfing lives of Johnson, Barlowe and Smith are traced from 1962 summer fun to draft-dodging in 1965 to the end of innocence in 1968, culminating in the "Great Swell of '74." The trio makes the difficult transition to adulthood with parties, surf trips, marriage and the death of a friend in Vietnam.

The film incorporates great footage shot mainly at Baja, Sunset and California's Bixby Ranch. In a cameo appearance, Gerry Lopez represents the new school of shortboarders as Johnson and friends are left behind in the revolution of the late '60s. Lopez shows up at "The Point" for the climactic session that pushes the friends' surfing ability; Riddle, Townend and Cairns show panache in the sizable surf.

As the three reflect from atop the cliff and prepare to go separate ways, Johnson comments, "Lopez. He's as good as they always said he was." Smith responds solemnly, "So were we."

If only Hollywood could make the same claim.

-- Jason Borte (updated, December 2009)

Click here to find all the Big Wednesday photos and editorial on Surfline.