Surf returns to the screen

Paul Clinton

A pack of old-school surfers, who have mounted a surf film series,

say they hope to bring big-screen thrills to the younger generation.

So far, it seems to be working.

Matt Taylor, a 15-year-old sophomore at Huntington Beach High

School, attended the first screening on Nov. 14. Taylor said he

enjoyed the experience of watching the movie, called “Burning the

Map,” much more than popping a surf video into his VCR.

“It’s a lot better because it’s a bigger screen,” Taylor said.

“It’s a lot more realistic.”

The second film, called “The Kill 6,” is set to be shown today at

7 and 9 p.m. at the Mann Pierside Pavilion 6 Theatres, at 300 Pacific

Coast Highway.

Both films, and a pair scheduled for Jan. 9, mark the return of

surf movies in Surf City for the first time since the 1970s, when

avid wave riders headed to the old Downtown Surf Theatre to watch

classics such as “The Endless Summer,” “Pacific Vibrations” and “Bali

High.”

Dave Carlos is the man responsible for the turn of events. The

38-year-old can still remember filing into the old Surf Theatre to

watch his heroes tackle big waves in exotic locales across the globe.

“In the evening, I would go watch a surf movie with my friends,”

Carlos said. “Your pulse would pick up and after the movie, you just

wanted to go surfing.”

Carlos, his wife, Leslie, and a handful of friends have raised

funds from sponsors, arranged screen time with Mann and sifted

through a deluge of films to pick the best ones to show. Carlos, a

telemarketer, himself rented the Mann last month to show the first

film.

They’ve encouraged aspiring local filmmaker-surfers to submit

their work, but say they want to show only the best of a new crop of

surf movies.

Local surfer Timmy Turner, a 21-year-old whose family owns the

Sugar Shack Cafe, directed “Burning the Map.” Costa Mesa surfer Todd

Messick’s “Eyes to Sea” is set to be shown in January, along with

Jonny Vegas’ motocross spectacle “Good Times With Carey Hart.”

Younger surfers have found inspiration in the films, just as

Carlos and his generation did in earlier years.

“A lot of the kids nowadays look at the films as inspiration,”

said Steve Baleno, a 25-year-old Huntington Beach resident. “Guys

want to learn how to surf like the pros.”

Josh Pomer’s latest surf film, “The Kill 6,” is expected to bring

in solid crowds at today’s screenings. Taylor said he is looking

forward to it.

“I heard it’s supposed to be very good,” Taylor said. “I’m going

to see it.”