Waveriders (Joel Conroy, 2009): UK

Reviewed by Collier Grimm. Viewed at the 2009 Santa Barbara International Film Festival.

Joel Conroy has created visual pleasure
With his film about brothers who surf in cold weather,
From the shores of Ireland they hail and ride
Even Kelly Slater has visited to enjoy the high tide.
The film, Waveriders, will stun your senses

To get to their waves these guys scale cliffs and jump fences.
In 2008 they rode the world’s biggest wave,
A feat that all surfers certainly crave.
Douglas Moxon and Nathan Nugent have edited to the max,
The film’s fluidity,
Acts as an audience trap.
This documentary highlights the history of surf,
And how a pioneer in the sport came from Irish turf.
As a young lad George Freeth and his family left Ireland, left home
They moved to Hawaii’s beaches of foam,
George found the swell,
After on the board, he never fell,
And thus set the stage for future surfers from what I can tell.
He used his athleticism and talent for good,
And soon moved again to make California his hood.
He’s considered So-Cal’s first lifeguard
In those days ocean swimming was considered quite hard.
After a saving the lives of fisherman caught in a storm
Freeth died at 35 and many would mourn.
But the “father of modern surfing” and his dream live on,
He inspired pro and soul surfers for generations to come.
And now the fad has reached the quiet beaches of Dublin
Where surfer’s are scarce, and 5 centimeter thick suites make surfing quite troubling.
But the brothers Malloy
Have come to enjoy
Radical waves, frigid temperatures, and gnarly waters.

About this entry

You’re currently reading “Waveriders (Joel Conroy, 2009): UK,” an entry on Student Film Reviews

Published:
01.30.09 / 9am
Category:
Documentary, Films, Santa Barbara Film Festival 2009