The Depth Test Going Vertical

In: The Depth Test 1 Comment Sun 28th Mar '10

Tags: going vertical , dick brewer , shortboard revolution , taylor miller , Bob McTavish

click to enlarge

The shaper Brewer and the reviewer Miller shake hands

Taylor Miller
March 28, 2009

Wednesday night on George Street Sydney doesn't usually cater for the barefoot, ratty-haired surfer type. And this Wednesday, I suppose it didn't really either. It was more a suit and tie, leather-shoed surf crowd rollin' down the red carpet for Robert Raymond's new Hollywood flick Going Vertical.

Going Vertical is a look back at the shortboard revolution of the late 60's and the characters involved in the design shift that changed surfboard design, and hence surfing, forever.

The film, despite its shady non-appearance at the GSI Noosa Festival of Surfing, was a grand display: the music was right, the HD screening impressive, and the stars of the show actually showed up - Bob McTavish, Dick Brewer and Mike Hynson.

The old footage - milkbar and beach scenes, crackly old Waimea takeoffs - were classic and the film makers have obviously spent thousands of hours trawling through rusty, old and well salted footage. They've also included some new footage that most people have probably never seen before.

The film itself is said to have tipped well over the million dollar mark which is tough competition for most other surf films skipping about.

The flick begins in Blue Horizon, Rasta vs. Andy style, with tension-building music playing and I was a little worried that this would set the tone for the entire show. The story is framed by the Brewer vs. McTavish, USA vs. Australia rivalry, so this aspect is well explored. However, I think the film pays too much attention to that rivalry at the expense of other characters: what about Bunker Spreckles? Mike Diffenderfer?...the list goes on. Did they too not have a contribution to the design rush of those critical years in the late 60s?

I don't think its all black and white and Going Vertical left out a lot of those grey areas. For sure Nat Young, Greenough, Hynson and others were thrown in the mix but mostly for their colliding presence with that period and/or riding abilities. I suppose opinions can be left to those who are really concerned about pinpointing the Che Guevara of the modern shortboard revolution, as that's what the film was all about - just one story.

Also, there was a definite Australian slant to the film and we heard a lot of McTavish. But on the other hand, McTavish is a great talker isn't he?

I thought the greatest thing was that those guys are still out surfing with grins on their dials. It was nice to see this come out on big screen and the quality and imagery was fantastic.

Good job kids, a bit to much hype but hey, it's a competitive world out there and I enjoyed the entertainment.

Check it out.

Taylor Miller is a 22 year old born and bred north coast girl who has travelled south in recent years to complete her BA with languages at USYD. She spent a number of years after high school globe trotting, snowboarding and surfing from the likes of Italy to Chile and she has plenty more up her sleeve. Work does not seem to comply with Taylor's lifestyle habits but it has to be done on the occasion and keeps her in the water at the best of times.

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