Billabong Odyssey
by Philip Boston
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DVD details
Actor: Brian L. Keaulana, Darryl Virostko, Ken Bradshaw, Layne Beachley, Mike Parsons (VI)Director: Philip Boston
Brand: Billabong
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Subtitled); French (Subtitled); Spanish (Subtitled); English (Original Language)
Format: AC-3, Closed-captioned, Color, Digital Sound, Dolby, DVD, Full Screen, NTSC, Subtitled, Surround Sound
Picture Format: 1.33:1
Running Time: 88 minutes
Published: 2004-01-01
DVD Release Date: 2004-01-27
Audience Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Model: 34319
Studio: Warner Home Video
Product features:
- An extreme sports adventure! Top professional surfers scour the world's oceans to ride the biggest waves on the planet. Experience the thrills and spills of action-packed big wave surfing.Running Time: 92 min. Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: SPORTS/GAMES Rating: PG Age: 085393431921 UPC: 085393431921 Manufacturer No: 34319
DVD Reviews of Billabong Odyssey
DVD Review: good fun for surfers and non-surfers alike
Summary: 3 Stars
A few years ago, some of the top surfers in the world banded together and took off on a global search for that "perfect wave." They called their expedition The Billabong Odyssey, and this documentary chronicles both the group's formation and its first major forays into the roiling waters off the coasts of France, Mexico, Australia, Hawaii and the Pacific Northwest.
"The Billabong Odyssey" is more than just a series of breathtaking stunts being performed on awe-inspiring waves; it is an informative piece of filmmaking that instructs those of us who wouldn't know a surf board from an emery board on the fine points of the sport. Through voiceover narration by many of the men on the team, we learn about how the sport has changed and evolved over the years, most notably since the advent of towing vehicles which makes it possible for riders to go out to monster waves that previous generations of paddling surfers could only look off into the distance and dream about reaching. We are informed as to how monster waves form, where they are most likely to occur, and what kinds of dangers they pose for those brave (or foolish) enough to venture into them. We also see just how far technology will advance the sport in the years to come as innovative fans come up with more and more sophisticated equipment and accoutrements to make conquering that ultimate wave a viable possibility. In addition, the film reveals a great deal about the psychology of the sport, affording us glimpses into the mindset of people who are willing to risk life and limb in pursuit of that ultimate thrill.
Of course, the main attraction of a film like "The Billabong Odyssey" is its phenomenal, you-are-there views of some of the world's greatest waves and the men who attempt to conquer them. The filmmakers plunge us right into the thick of the action, allowing us to ride along with the members of the team, as they wipe out or fulfill their ultimate challenge - only to head right back into the surf to do it all over again.
The film feels a little disjointed at times, losing some of its focus `round about the midway point. The Odyssey members tend to get lost in the crowd and we miss that sense of camaraderie and group cohesiveness the movie provides us with at the beginning. Still, in terms of its visuals and the insight it offers into the sport, "The Billabong Odyssey" provides a first-rate arm chair adventure for both the water-logged and the landlubbers among us.
Description of Billabong Odyssey
No Description Available.Genre: Sports Highlights
Rating: NR
Release Date: 20-APR-2004
Media Type: DVD
In addition to boasting one of the most astonishing opening sequences in the history of extreme-sports filmmaking, Billabong Odyssey offers a breathtaking survey of big-wave surfing at a pivotal stage in its evolution. With the advent of Jet-Ski Waverunners used for "tow-in" access to gigantic waves that paddle-surfers could never reach, this three-year, globe-trotting quest for the world's biggest waves is nothing less than spectacular. As documentaries go it's a bit cruder than 2003's other surfing movie, Step Into Liquid, and many of the same world-class surfers appear in both films (including 49-year-old Ken Bradshaw, still going strong). But Billabong is unrivaled in its abundance of jaw-dropping footage--most of it shot from helicopters hovering in close proximity--showing the sheer, terrifying scale of breaking "tubes"--some reaching 100 feet--at the most challenging big-wave locations on the planet, including Maverick's at Santa Cruz, California; Cortes Bank off the Pacific Coast; "Cyclops" in Australia; Mundaka, Spain; and the treacherous "Jaws" reef on the coast of Maui, Hawaii.
While touching on various hot topics such as safety training, serious wipe-outs, swell-tracking technology, female surfers (like the great Layne Beachley), and hydrofoil surfboards (billed as "the future of the sport"), director Philip Boston applies a casual, competitive structure that's too diffuse and lightweight to have much impact. But when the film focuses on the climactic "Jaws" showdown between Carlos Burle and Mike Parsons, Billabong Odyssey achieves a state of raw power and spiritual intensity, culminating in Parsons' best-ever 10-point ride on a massive tube that constantly threatens to consume him. As dozens of adrenaline-junkie surfers strive for new horizons of unprecedented skill, Billabong Odyssey chronicles their efforts with amazing bird's-eye cinematography. For surfers and non-surfers alike, this movie must be seen to be believed. --Jeff Shannon
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