Riding Giants

Giving a history of surfing that stretches from the early 1940s to 2004, RIDING GIANTS is director Stacy Peralta's examination of surfing as a lifestyle, a risk-taker's delight, and a space for increasing innovation and modernisation. From the California coastline to the dramatic wild waters of Hawaii, big waves are the aim of some of the top surfers in the sport--Greg Noll, Jeff Clark, and Laird Hamilton. Beginning with old footage of the first surf boards which were long and heavy and made for riding small waves without much movement, and taking viewers through the sport chapter by chapter, this comprehensive documentary shows how the faces of the sport change with advances in surfboard technology. Bit by bit boards become smaller and 'beach bums' are more readily accepted by society. The film offers a comic look at cult films like GIDGET and the music of surf guitarist Dick Dale--pop culture influences responsible for introducing the sport and its lifestyle to the mainstream. The most fascinating moments of the film come in its final quarter when Hamilton and his buddies discover the key to tow-in big-wave surfing and break through all imaginable boundaries. RIDING GIANTS shows some true daredevils doing what they do best, and its magnificent photography, comprehensive interviews, and insider perspective are truly a marvel to behold.