A Deeper Shade of Blue (Jack McCoy, 2011): Australia

Reviewed by Linda Sweatt. Viewed at the Arlington Theater, part of S.B.I.F.F.

A Deeper Shade of Blue is truly an exhilarating film exploring the roots of surfing. The audience was cheering enthusiastically as we were taken on a remarkable journey of how Hawaiian surf culture conquered the world. Fantastic footage, truly awe inspiring as we ride the waves with the champions of the world! The cinematography is phenomenal including the first underwater jet ski with a camera mounted, which gives a unique perspective from under the wave of the surfer moving above. This film goes beyond the typical surf movie as A Deeper Shade of Blue combines entertainment, history and philosophy, linking today with the past.

Makaha Hawaii is the birthplace of big wave surfing. Aloha is the moral to the story, as Hawaiians combine hello, goodbye and love. The evolution of the surfboard began long ago in Hawaii with chopping down a tree and carving out a long board. It was done as a sacred spiritual ceremony including prayers of gratitude to the ocean upon entering and exiting the waves; thus creating a spiritual bond to the wave. With this ancient lore and philosophy every day has the possibility of being the best day of one’s life.

This attitude prevails with the greatest surfers around the world finding the biggest waves around the world. In the quest to ride them, the craft of surfboard building has gone from the ancient oval to the long board. From flat bottom to the fin, back to finless. The surfboard has transformed in materials from wood to fiberglass and poly-foam back to a ‘green’ traditional wooden board. The length and shape of the board itself has gone shorter and shorter to be able to maneuver around bigger and bigger waves. Then the ‘elephant gun’ long board was created to catch the first 30ft. monster swell. The very latest surfboard, recently created in Kauai, is a sort of hydroplane contraption with a fin below the wave and the board above the wave. It’s more like a snowboard, with boots attached. This board is futuristic, using the energy of the wave to propel the surfer to literaly fly over the wave!

Princess Kaiulani of Hawaii and Gidget from the tv. show introduced surfing to the rest of the world and spread the world of surfing to include women such as current World Champ Stephanie Gilmore.

“Soul surfing is like having a soul mate partner,” announces one of the pro surfers.

“Music is the emotions of every film” says film maker Jack Mc Coy, so we hear ‘The Food Fighter’s’, ‘Cold Play’ and ‘Iggy Pop’ jamming as the waves crash. Jack Mc Coy has been making surf movies for the last thirty years and is ‘the’ master surf filmmaker’. Other movies include Blue Horizon, The Billabong Chanllange#1, #2 and Tubular Swells. He said after the film that he feels responsible to share what he grew up with. He used 82 surfers to make this film. These master surf pioneers have really found the most spiritually enlightened place to be… at one with the ocean waves. This film will make you feel happy to be alive!