The Surfer (1986 film)
| The Surfer | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Frank Shields |
| Written by | David Marsh |
| Based on | story by Frank Shields |
| Starring | Gary Day Gosia Dobrowolska |
Release date |
|
Running time | 90 minutes |
| Country | Australia |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $1 million |
The Surfer (also known as Death Wave) is a 1986 Australian film directed by Frank Shields and starring Gary Day and Gosia Dobrowolska.[1] It was filmed in South-East Queensland.[2]
Plot
The screenplay concerns a beach bum whose best friend is murdered and who becomes involved in a cross country chase.
Cast
- Gary Day as Sam Barlow
- Gosia Dobrowolska as Gina
- Rod Mullinar as Hagan
- Tony Barry as Calhoun
- Kris McQuade as Trish
- Gerard Maguire as Jack
- Stephen Leeder as Slaney
Reception
The film was invited to screen at the Directors Fortnight segment of the 1987 Cannes Film Festival.[3][4]
Reviewing for the Sydney Morning Herald David Stratton called it "a good, old-fashioned chase thriller", giving it a positive review but noting "the pacing isn't maintained throughout, and the music is sometimes inaptly used. But it is a rollicking good adventure yarn, made by a film-maker who knows just what he's doing."[5] Rob Lowing of the Sun-Herald gave it 2 1/2 stars and writes "The Surfer is a rough diamond of a film which still needs a little polishing here and there."[6] The Canberra Times' Dougal Macdonald criticised the films "trite" dialogue, the "dumb" characters and the "absurd" plot and says "The Surfer is one to avoid unless you are a masochist who finds satisfaction in irrational cliches that are so over-the-top they end up being unintentionally funny."[7]
References
- ^ "The Sydney Morning Herald - Google News Archive Search". news.google.com. Retrieved 18 May 2019.
- ^ Day, Gary; Dobrowolska, Gosia; Mullinar, Rod (3 March 1988), The Surfer, Frontier Films, Producer's Circle Production, retrieved 10 March 2024
- ^ David Stratton, The Avocado Plantation: Boom and Bust in the Australian Film Industry, Pan MacMillan, 1990 p236-238
- ^ "FROM-THE CUTTING-ROOM FLOOR". Filmnews. Vol. 18, no. 2. New South Wales, Australia. 1 March 1988. p. 4. Retrieved 18 May 2019 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ Stratton, David (3 March 1988), "A surfer worth the paddle", The Sydney Morning Herald
- ^ Lowing, Rob (6 March 1988), "Murder and blackmail in Queensland", The Sun-Herald
- ^ Macdonald, Dougal (18 August 1988), "'Surfer' drowns in sea of absurdity", The Canberra Times
External links
- The Surfer at IMDb
- The Surfer at Oz Movies
- The Surfer (1986) at Australian Screen