I've just returned (literally) from seeing Surf II at Olympia, Washington's All-Freakin' Night Film Festival (10/12/02). It was the last movie shown in a series of five that started at 12:00 midnight. Now, I don't know if it was the fact that the movie began at 9:00am and my sleep-deprived brain was more susceptible to a `lower' comedy plane, but Hell, you sit in a theater for ten straight hours and you'll start wondering why Ron Palillo has been repeatedly snubbed at Oscar time for the `Life-time Achievement Award.'
I know this is a cliché, but Surf II is one of those films that needs be seen to be believed. It would be grossly unfair to rate this film with anything less than a 10. A 10 for the shear audacity the filmmakers had when concocting this masterpiece and a 10 for the fact that you will never, never, never see this kind of film being made for movie theaters ever again. Ever!
The `plot' revolves around two surfers' fathers who go into business together peddling a soft drink (Buzz Cola) to their surfer sons' surfer friends. The soda, invented by a nefarious revenge-driven nerd (played brilliantly by Eddie Deezen), causes the young surfers to become garbage-consuming zombies with a punk rock fashion sense (dyed mohawks, ripped up wetsuits held together by safety pins and far too much make-up).
Between the zombie `action' sequences, is much archival surfing footage (ala Bruce Brown) with 60's surf and 80's new wave music provided for your listening pleasure. There is also a hilarious above-the-waste nude scene involving two young hotties (one played by Brinke Stevens) that are trying to gain the attention of their surf-obsessed dates who are so involved in their surf reminiscences that they don't even notice the two beautiful half-naked girls.
Should you see this film if you get a chance? Well, let's break it down: If you were born before 1950 and remember who MacCarthy (ventriloquist dummy included) was, no! If you were born after 1975 and most of your `movie going' experience took place in front of a cathode ray, NO! But, if you're old enough to still get excited by the two words, `Dale Bozzio', then you are in, my friend. You are in!
I know this is a cliché, but Surf II is one of those films that needs be seen to be believed. It would be grossly unfair to rate this film with anything less than a 10. A 10 for the shear audacity the filmmakers had when concocting this masterpiece and a 10 for the fact that you will never, never, never see this kind of film being made for movie theaters ever again. Ever!
The `plot' revolves around two surfers' fathers who go into business together peddling a soft drink (Buzz Cola) to their surfer sons' surfer friends. The soda, invented by a nefarious revenge-driven nerd (played brilliantly by Eddie Deezen), causes the young surfers to become garbage-consuming zombies with a punk rock fashion sense (dyed mohawks, ripped up wetsuits held together by safety pins and far too much make-up).
Between the zombie `action' sequences, is much archival surfing footage (ala Bruce Brown) with 60's surf and 80's new wave music provided for your listening pleasure. There is also a hilarious above-the-waste nude scene involving two young hotties (one played by Brinke Stevens) that are trying to gain the attention of their surf-obsessed dates who are so involved in their surf reminiscences that they don't even notice the two beautiful half-naked girls.
Should you see this film if you get a chance? Well, let's break it down: If you were born before 1950 and remember who MacCarthy (ventriloquist dummy included) was, no! If you were born after 1975 and most of your `movie going' experience took place in front of a cathode ray, NO! But, if you're old enough to still get excited by the two words, `Dale Bozzio', then you are in, my friend. You are in!