Tell me in a few sentences what “A Deeper Shade of Blue” is about?
This is not a surf movie, it is a film about surfing’s deepest roots: in the craft of surfboard building; in man’s perpetual quest for a joyful relationship with the natural world. In 11 interwoven chapters, today’s leading surfers are linked to those who came before, for a deeper appreciation of what it means to be a surfer and the soulful underlying power of modern surf culture. Brian Keaulana also gives us the real meaning of Aloha above and beyond what most people understand it to mean: Hello or Goodbye.
That was three sentences, but thank you.
I can give you more if you want? Just so you know, we’ve had a theatrical release in Australia and it played to surfers and non-surfers, male and female, ages 8-80 years, and my experience of going to many screenings for weeks at a time, 95% of everyone who sees it comes out touched, moved and inspired in some way.
I know from working on this surfboard book there are a lot of people riding a lot of different kinds of surfboards these days. Is that what ADSOB is about? Variety?
Like I said above, I tried to tell a little story about surfing roots, followed by a modern day story. That is pretty much how the film flows: a bit of surfing’s past, connected to a story of today. I wanted to create a film that had you wondering “What are they going to show me next?” sort of vibe. Every sequence had to be different and as equally beautiful, informative and exciting as the other. You’ll have to be the judge.
A few years ago, a friend showed me a video of some guy going loco at J-Bay with no fins. I watched it and went “Holy shit, that’s Derek Hynd! He’s older than me!” He was ripping.
Yes he is older than you and yes he is ripping. I have to say that DH’s sequence is one of my favorites for music: Iggy Pop singing “He’s a Peculiar Boy” to his 30-yard drifts sideways on an eight-foot Jeffrey’s wall.
I’ve told Derek many times he needs to read T.E. Lawrence but he never listens. I think Lawrence was knighted.
Sorry I’ll have to Google that for you.
So Paul McCartney is MBE which means “Most Excellent Order of the British Empire.” Who knighted him? Keanu Reeves?
I think it was JJ Moon.
TE Lawrence was CB, DSO. CB is Most Honourable Order of the Bath- probably because Lawrence spent so much time wearing dirty robes in the desert, he needed a bath.
So do I.
And DSO = Distinguished Service Order. I guess that’s a knighthood .
Or dayhood.
What are your favorite sequences in ADSOB?
Each and every one holds something special for me. You have to remember this is my 25th surfing film and the working title was “The Last Surf Movie.” I felt this could be the last one for me as there is so much that goes into it. I mean we had over 500 hours of material and we watched it all to bring it down to 90 minutes. It makes my head spin when I think about it. But the bottom line is that this film is my gift to surfing and Hawaii for what it has taught and given me. I’m very humbled by how it was received in Hawaii and elsewhere around the world I’ve shown it. 98% of the audience got it and they loved it and were touched, moved or inspired in some way.
I just hope that as many people as possible get a chance to share the stoke of what surfing really is, instead of what it has become. That’s the underlying story of ADSOB.
Aloha to those who have seen the film, and Aloha to those who are thinking about it. It’s very entertaining for anyone, surfer or non-surfer, male or female, 8 – 80. I won’t make it to Seattle but just because you can’t see me doesn’t mean I’m not there. Thanks for having a yack with me and as Duke would say, “Aloha to you.”
You can purchase tickets here.
