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Surfing Subculture; More than just apassion for riding waves, but a

representation in the community asnegative citizens

Brad CutlerCMC 200

Dr. Ted Gournelos24 January 2013

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“On my honor, I have read the assigned material in its entirety, and I have notgiven, received, or witnessed any unauthorized collaboration on this work.”

-Brad Cutler

Abstract:

This paper is directed to gain an understanding in the

formation of the surfing culture in America, and how it has

been so steadily continuing since the formation in the

1960’s. Surfing is a 3000-year-old pastime, and now in

America is viewed as a rebellious sport similar to other

action sports, with the general public not looking at

surfers as positive citizens. Through my research I am

looking to find the reason for surfers making there own

subculture including the beach bum look, drugs, a careless

attitude, and a lack of respect. Through a analysis of

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different books, movies, magazines, and retail stores I am

going to uncover the reasoning for why this occurs in todays

society and why surfers are looked at in a negative way.

Today, surfers get a bad rep, and through my careful

analysis I am able to find out why they are viewed like

that, and the attitudes that have formed in the beach

subculture.

Introduction

Surfing originated in the Polynesian culture nearly

3000 years ago, when they experimented with wood slabs and

began to ride the waves that broke on the shores of their

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villages. Surfing in the Americas gained popularity during

the 1960’s when there was a desire for a new “rebellious”

sport that was fun and social. Surfing is best seen in

Hawaii and California in America, and today is a multi-

billion dollar industry, that dominated in making

surfboards, clothing for the everyday person, and hundreds

of other products. Skateboarding was first called sidewalk

surfing as a result of surfers wanting an activity to do

when the waves went flat. Worldwide, surfing can be found on

nearly any coastline, and surfers are traveling farther than

ever to find the unknown waves. Surfing is the official

sport of Australia, and is as mainstream there as Football

in America. Some of the biggest and most popular sports had

emerged from surfing such as snowboarding, skateboarding,

wakeboarding, and many other board sports.

What makes surfing culture so different is that it is

such a tight nit group of people. It is the instant

connection piece that brings people who are not similar in

lifestyle, and binds them with a similar passion, allowing

nearly every surfer to get along. Surfing is more than just

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the woodie car with surfboards on top, blasting some beach

boys, and a lazy day at the beach, but as the worlds best

surfer Kelly Slater would put it, “its like mob, and once

your in it you cant escape it.”

The construction of the surfer in American Culture in the

1960’s

Surfer subculture formed out of the idea of a rebellion

against social norms, and originally was a result from the

lower class. The upper class did not surf and didn’t

participate in the lifestyle that the lower class surfers

did, as they would rebel against society doing things such

as sleeping on the beaches, smoking marijuana, and not

getting real jobs. Many people looked at surfers at bums who

didn’t have anything productive to do with their lives.

“British research on subcultures in the 1970’s had as its

goal to argue against the idea that youth subcultures are

simply a generational conflict”(O’Connor 2004, 410). Was

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surfing subculture just a result of the time period, or did

people feel, as it had to do with rebellion against there

social class. Through the 1960’s, it was a time of great

rebellion between the war, and racial issues, and it was a

perfect time for the surfers to begin to make their mark. In

1965, there were less than 1000 people who surfed in

America, and by time of the 1970’s over a million people

were flocking to the beaches for the sun, warmth, and the

laid back lifestyle of the surfer. “Surfing takes place

beyond reach of the usual social boundaries, so it has

assumed an unusual prominence in the collective imagination.

Still there has been a divergent opinion on the surfing

subculture over the past 200 years. The reputation of

surfers has gone from very high to very low” (Kampion

2003,46).

Many of the first surfers were also hippies. As hippies

generally didn’t have steady jobs, they were always looking

for ways to enjoy nature’s beauty and relax. Surfers in the

1960’s were called Surf Nazis. “The term Surf Nazi has

remained a part of the subcultures vernacular, its meaning

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evolving to denote a hard core surfer who focuses on surfing

at the expense of other aspects of life”(Kampion 2003, 80).

Surfing allowed them to do both of what they loved, and it

also gave surfers the first early views as being a

rebellious type of group. “Most generations have a need to

rebel against authority. The bohemian and hippie rebellions

left permanent marks on the world. Bohemians and hippies

alike did not agree with most of the ideas of mainstream

society, and through their writing, music, and clothes,

expressed their new ideas” (Hopf 2001). The hippies joined

the surfers as many surfers were also at a time of rebellion

and by opening up surfing to all different cultures and

lifestyles, influences from many cultures can be seen

prevalent in the surfing community of the 1960’s and also

through today.

Films such as The Endless Summer brought surfing

culture to the mainstream public. It was previous a

rebellious activity, and the movie helped to show that it

wasn’t about that. Other surf movies in the 1960’s such as

Gidget only support the idea of escaping the

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responsibilities. “The Endless Summer has a simple premise, the

quest for the perfect wave, which is one of the defining

myths of surf cul- ture and representations of surfing

outside the subculture”(Ormrod 2005,39). Bruce Browns

classic Endless Summer film promotes the ideas, and lays the

foundation for surfer culture.

"For some reason," says Brown, the real entrenched film

critics seemed to like it, maybe because it was different

from what they were used to seeing. We weren't one of them,

so a lot of the media in New York were into helping us out,

not hurting us. If they did a review and wrote, 'Brown did a

shitty movie,' we'd have been dead. But nobody knew who I

was, and maybe they felt it wasn't worth criticizing, so

they pretty much gave us good reviews and helped us out"

(Brown 2000).

There was such a great reaction from this film. “A

dazzling ode to sun, sand, and surf”-Time. Newsweek called

it “Breathtaking! Sweeping and Exciting”, along with “Chills

and Spills Crowd the Screen. Leaves a Viewer Breathless”

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from Time Magazine. “A Perfect Movie” Says The New Yorker. The

reviews were off the charts and it was the big break that

surfing needed to become accepted sport in society. People

had very little idea about surfing, and were getting very

interested in what it had to offer. The movie featured

peaceful days, and happy times enjoying nature, and the

beautiful surrounds. Director Bruce Brown states in a 2001

interview, “It was similar to the reaction of the people

crowding the beaches in Senegal and Ghana when Hynson and

August paddled out and rode waves right in front of their

villages -- they were stoked!” He couldn’t believe how

excited and mainstream the movie had become. It gave people

not even near the coastline to flock for the sea. “Such

films merge the subculture of enthusiasts who truly live for

"the stoke" with the mainstream. Fashion designers responded

to spume-crazed fans with Hawaiian prints and neo prene,

the material used to make wet suits. Whether they have any

hope of hitting the waves or not, lots of people want to

look the beach-bum part. Even New Yorkers like myself

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can outfit themselves with all the props at small surf

shops around the city”(Lee 2003).

Many people began to gain interest in surfing and the

first place that they turned to was the shores of Hawaii and

California, where the lifestyle of laid back (barefoot and

shirtless) could be found everywhere within the towns.

Surfers can be found with the stereotypical woodie surf

vans, listening to the beach style music, and escaping. This

movie was one of the keys to the start of the surfing

culture, as this movie was mainstream and put surfing on the

map. This movie made the biggest impact on the surfing

community. People before this movie didn’t know what surfing

lifestyle was like, and this movie provided surfers with

their own image in society. Surfers in the Endless Summer

travel the word, in void of jobs, looking for nothing more

than an extended vacation.

Surfing became mainstream as magazines such a Surfer

Magazine began hitting the shelves where large waves and

surfers brought attention to the sport. Clothing companies

were emerging with styles that were casual and nothing like

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had been seen before. “By midway through the Reagan-era,

surfing was huge business again. Firmly entrenched into the

surf market, clothing companies such as Quicksilver, Gotcha

and Stussy made a mega-impact on high fashion world as shops

struggled to keep their shelves stocked with neon clam-

diggers, splatter-print tank tops and shocking pink board

shorts with puffy paint”(Heller). Laid-back lifestyle and

relaxing was the new face of surfing. Surfing style bars

with surfboard tables and Beach Style Music could be found

in Manhattans Busy downtown (Heller).

Music was another big factor in the surfing subculture

of the 1960’s. Beach/Surf was a new style of guitar playing

where they would use fast riffs and create a distinct sound.

Also the Beach Boys were emerging and singing about the

amazing things that surfing culture had to offer. Dick Dale

as well as the beach boys were bringing surfing culture to

the United States, and making it more mainstream. Music

propelled surfing culture as the elements of subculture

include “common value system and beliefs, the centrity of

the music, the construction of the identity and the

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community” (Holland’s 2006, 396). People began listening to

the Beach Boys and dreaming of the wonderful things that the

surfing lifestyle had to offer. Beach Boys songs revolved

around women, fast cars, and surfing, and men of all ages

were setting out to try the sport. “Catch a wave and your

sitting on top of the world”(Wilson 1963). This is one of

their most famous songs, preaching how surfing the waves

makes you feel like your above and happier than everyone

else.

Surfers were starting to get their own look, with the

blonde hair and tan bodies, from lying in the sun all day

long. As the sport was becoming more mainstream, money was

becoming more prevalent in this once underground sport, with

surfboard shapers begging and clothing manufactures

sponsoring the best surfers around. People were now

dedicating everything they had to try to become professional

surfers and live the true “Endless Summer.”

Surfers In present Day Culture

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Today in surfing society, many things have changed

since the originators of the culture in the 1960’s. There

has been a movement from the retro style of surfing with the

classic stereotypes, to the modern surfer who can be seen

with tattoos from head to toe, a look of flat brimmed hats,

sleeveless shirts, and cut off jeans. Surfers today are

following a rebellious style culture that was different that

its predecessors in the 1960’s.

Today modern day surfers don’t drive woodie wagons or

VW busses; they are driving cars far different from that.

Upon a trip to Cocoa Beach, FL, I studied the types of cars

that were present in the location that I was surfing, and

only 30% off the cars that I saw were large SUV’s, and the

other 70% being small sedans that surfers had put the back

seats down in the trunk to make space for. This is a large

switch from what it was back in the 1960’s. Surfers are

buying cars not for being able to hold surfboards, but more

for practicality and gas mileage. Back in the day surfers

were concerned with what could carry their boards and

friends to the beach, and now the focus has changed. It

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seems that people today are surfing for only hobbies. “After

two decades of a steady decline in unemployment and

inflation rates, a deep recession in 2008-2009 pushed

unemployment over 10%”(Stone 2008). It is hard to support a

family, and living the beach bum surfer lifestyle is not a

possible thing for many people in the world. The raising

prices in the world, and the expenses of everyday living

make surfing just a weekend activity for most men and women.

Another dramatic change to the surf culture has been

the swing from long 10’ surfboards, to the shorter style

surfboards. “In the 1920’s and 30’s surfboards were made of

red wood and weighed about 100 pounds, and in the 1960’s

it’s was polyurethane foam and fiberglass, and in the 1970’s

the short board took over”(Brown 1994). By people not having

larger surfboards, the style in the water has changed.

Before when the surfboards were big, they were sturdier

allowing the surfer, to have a more mellow grace to how they

ride the waves, and just like surfing culture has changed

today, people are more aggressive, and the boards are

shorter. “In the long board era, the perfect wave was a

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point break like Malibu, and now it depends all on the type

of board you ride and what kind of wave that you like the

best”(Brown 1994). Brown is describing that today there are

so many different options for the rider to use. This

influences the direction that they will act within the surf

culture. With the more aggressive style of surfing that is

found in todays surf culture, the attitudes and actions have

changed.

“On the contrary, long boarders live on the periphery

of surfing culture with open tensions and hostilities

simmering between them and shortboarders. Many longboarders

in fact blame the introduction of shortboards for retarding

the growth of surfing and corrupting the pastime. According

to these critics, ultra-light shortboards with minimal

flotation, which became standard equipment in the late

1960s, require considerable strength to paddle and catch

waves, and must be continually turned (which also requires

effort and skill) just to remain on the wave. Not only did

they “send surfing down the wrong path,” writes Glen Hening,

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they destroyed “all sense of community and co-

operation”(Douglas 2001,15)

As the surfboard shape has changed, the designs and

artwork have turned from solid patterns, to the ever-popular

spray paint option. In 10 Surfing magazines, and 3 surf

films, nearly 84% of the surfboards had some form of

homemade artwork. In the surfing culture today, it is

symbolic to how they dress. Surfboards are a part of the

surfer themselves, and they express themselves through the

artwork that is presented on the surfboard. For example,

Professional surfer Dion Agius, hand paints all of his

surfboards, on economic issues and controversial images on

his surfboards. This separates him from other surfers in the

water. Craig Anderson simply paints three black lines on his

surfboard. By each surfer constituting there own designs on

their boards, it gives the imagine of surfers to be creative

and artistic.

Surfer Culture today consists has changed from the

1960’s as the surfers themselves dress differently and don’t

act like the stereotypes that Americans have given them over

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the last 40 years. Based on research that I conducted at

Cocoa Beach, FL, I found that nearly 83% of the surfers

could be seen riding short boards vs. the older style long

boards. This enforces the idea, that the culture of surfing

and styles have changed, as media and large companies, are

enforcing the riders to change to what the professionals and

media wants.

Surfing Culture has also changed in the perception that

it gives of the personal appearance of the surfer. As the

culture is changing, the style has changed from the

“Southern California” look to the new look of a “classy”

surfer. Through analyzing issues of Surfer Magazine, it was

apparent that in nearly 46% of the advertisements, the

surfers were trying to represent someone of higher class,

usually wearing a button down shirt, and a well-kept face.

This shows the split in the culture between the “die hard”

surfing fans that still find that a true surfer doesn’t care

about how they look, and the washed out surfer, is the true

surfer. Surfing today can be looked at as a healthy was to

exercise and release.

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“The commercialism nature of surfing is evident from

the marketing images portrayed now a days to the general

public-surfing is fun, surfing is healthy, Surfing is good

to name a few. This is in deference to the perhaps

antiquated conception of surfing as a sport undertaken by a

small sub group of society. (Pearson 1979). A sub group at

times portrayed as anything from rebellious to

unconventional even anti-commercial. Perhaps above it all

was a sub group dedicated to the hedonistic pursuit of waves

as pearson (1979) related “surfers have a sense of freedom

unkown to everyday nine to fivers”(Edwards 2003 ,155)

Through modern movies such as Modern Collective and

magazines such as Surfer, we can see that the surfer’s look

is changing into a look of a presentable person in society.

Surfers are trying to blend into society more, and the true

rebellious surfing culture is lost.

Women in surfing culture today are not looked down upon

like previous generations. The surfing culture today

revolves around the marketplace. Giant corporations are

controlling every aspect of surfing culture.

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“Surfing currently rides a wave of popularity. The

industry is enjoying unprecedented economic prosperity on

rising consumption of high-fashion clothing and accessories

with surfing monikers. One indicator of the booming industry

is the purchase of leading surf wear manufacturers by

multinational companies—Lightning Bolt and Hang Ten by

Pacific Dunlop, and Mambo by Gazal Corporation—and the

public listing of other major clothing and equipment

companies, including Quiksilver and Billabong.3 Surfing also

continues to attract new participants, especially young

women riders, or wahines”(Booth 2001,3).

Large corporations are directing there marketing

towards the youth of America, hoping to get them hooked on

surfing, like a tobacco company. Women surfing that were

once not prevalent in the 1960’s and women were looked down

upon.

“Margo Oberg remembers standing around fires to warm

up after sessions in the early 1960s and “all the guys

would be telling dirty, chauvinistic jokes.”32 In 1963, a

group of boys approached a young Jericho Poppler (later a

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key organizer of women’s professional surfing) and demanded

to know where she was from: “I told them, ‘Oh, I just live

down there and I have three brothers’ and they told me,

‘You’re pretty good, but why don’t you come back when your

tits are bigger.” (Booth 2001, 5)

Today women’s surfing industry competes closely with men’s,

and the culture of surfing has allowed a woman to find a

slot. Women were allowed and promoted in the American

culture because of the marketing and product design that

large companies were making money off of Women’s

professional surfing did not develop evenly around the

world.” Australia lagged behind America in terms of

commercial and administrative support”(Booth 2001, 5). “More

concerned with illustrating the place of women in the

developing culture of surfing and how important the simple

past-time of surfing was in the pioneering surf-lifesaving

clubs, underpinnings in surfing during the first sixty years

of the twentieth century”(Grant 1999,57). Americas success

with the surfing market, led the path for other countries to

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set up a professional circuit for them, and promote women

alongside men.

To find out how things have changed over the time

period, I took a look at some old Surfer Magazine’s. When

looking at them I found that nearly 92% off the

advertisements in the magazines were directed towards the

new style of riding on short boards. By having the media put

a heavy swing on the short board era, long board style

riding and culture is nearly disappearing of the map.

Advertisements all featured riders who are known to be short

board legends such as Dion Agius, Craig Anderson, and John

John Florence. They were featured in at least 6 pictures in

each of the magazines that I studied.

Surfing varies from many other mainstream sports in

that unlike basketball, baseball, football and many others,

it is all about winning. The Culture of surfing doesn’t

revolve around the winners, but idealize the ones who surf

the best and have the most fun. Surfing has always been

about social, happiness, and peace, and it still holds true.

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“Surfers' participation motives differ from those of 'main

stream' athletes. Competition against other individuals is

not valued. In addition, the surfing culture appears to

closely resemble a 'scene' rather than a subculture”(Farmer

1992). Surfing is a sport that is like no other. As Farmer

was describing, the competitions mean little to the surfer

in the culture, but being a great surfer depends on being a

all around great surfer. Contests are a meer fraction of

surfing, not including magazine shoots, movies, and many

other social forms. Winning the cometition means money, but

not “cultural wealth.”

Surfing today still has the rebellious side that has

made it a subculture in America. In the opening scenes of

Dear Suburbia (Neville 2012), we can see the key surfers such

as Craig Anderson and, Mitch Coleburn doing rebellious acts.

They show the face of Craig as he is keying the car as being

non-caring of the illegal action that he is performing. Dion

Agius can be seen playing with a dead bird, and showing the

shadows of him giving the middle finger. The main surfers

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can be seen at the end of the opening scene drinking beers

around a fire bit, setting the tone that these surfers

“don’t care” about anything and have a dark side to them.

This shows the side of the rebellious surfers. Theses

surfers are not the stereotypical surfers that have been

presented through American in the last century, and are

leading the path for a new style of surfing. No more “blonde

hair and tan,” but now tattoos, flat brim hats, and a

fearless attitude.

Surf Shops

My first form of research was based off of the

construction of surf shops in the local area. My goals for

this were to analyze the different styles of surfers that

are portrayed in the advertising artwork that lines the

store, along with how the employees act, and the types of

clothing that is being sold. Along with all of this I

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studied the different type of people that entered and left

the shops to help me build a strong argument on the surf

culture in present day, and how it has changed over the last

4 decades.

My first surf shop that I did my study at was Ron Jon

Surf Shop, located in the popular surf town of Cocoa Beach,

FL. I chose this spot, as it is the surfing capital of the

east coast, and is a major attraction for surfers, and

others alike. It is a fully functioning 24/7 surf shop, with

two levels and thousands of different products. When walking

in, I first began to analyze the types of advertisements

that were found all over the walls of the store. In nearly

45% of the advertisements, a surfer was not riding the wave,

yet posing for a picture. I was able to conclude as many of

the advertisements portrayed surfers in a casual way, to be

directed towards the tourist market, and not nearly as much

focus on the “true” surfer. At such a large surf shop like

this, it was very understandable, as they are more of an

attraction piece than a surf shop. The employees were

unknowledgeable about the surfing sport in 70% of the time,

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as I asked them questions about what types of boards were

good for certain conditions, and they were clueless. The

final point of concluding in analyzing this surf shop was

the clothing that was presented throughout the store. There

were more than just a casual array of surfing brands; they

also filled the store with souvenirs, and other cheap items,

for the tourist to be attracted to. In the 1960’s, the surf

shops, or “Shacks” were places were the local surfers

congregated and hung out, and this mainstream “fake” surf

shop was a place for only the tourists. The real surfers

were hanging at a small shop that I was to discover.

The second store that I went to was a local store that

was much smaller than the Ron Jon. It was in the same

region, and was run by one single person. The shop when I

arrived had the stereotypical look to it, as it was a small

little house, with a few surf posters on the outside of the

windows. Comparing this to the previous store, it was much

more along the lines of the places where local surfers hung

out in the 1960’s. The owner of the shop was very

knowledgeable as he told me about his travels to Costa Rica

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and other surfing destinations where he spent lots of time.

95% of the posters in his shop displayed a surfer on a wave.

Another major factor to a true surf shop was nearly one half

of the store was occupied by surfboards for sale, unlike the

larger store, where surfboard were only a fraction of the

store. This store is very similar to the surf culture in the

1960’s, where local kids can be seen hanging out, and

conversing with the true surfers of the town.

The final surf shop that stood out to me was a medium

sized surf shop that was located a few hours away from the

previous shops along the Eastern Shoreline of Florida. The

next surf shop conveyed the surfing culture of the 1960’s

completely. 100% of the advertisements seen on the wall were

showing surfers riding large waves that were found on the

original surf shops, and prestigious quality surfboards

occupied also over half of the space. There were 5 employees

that worked here, and when I asked them all individually the

surf boards, they had strong clear answers and were educated

in the subject. They had a team that they sponsored. This

was very common in the 1960’s, as surf shops would have

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teams or “gangs” that they would hang out and compete with

together. It was a connection between surf, shop, and

friendship. This surf shop portrayed all of the

characteristics of the 1960’s surf shops that were portrayed

in movies such as the Endless Summer, and Endless Summer 2.

80% of the employees were either barefoot, or wearing

sandals. The surf shop overall portrayed the characteristics

of the shops that were found to be “classic” hangouts in the

surfing culture of previous generations.

Surf Shops play a huge role in defining the surfing

culture. When people from the mainstream public shop in

them, they enter the world of the surfer, and immerse

themselves in the cultural ways. They can find the ways of

the surfer from the barefoot, tan and stereotypical terms of

speech, to the surfboards that line the walls. Unfortunately

in todays market of consumerism, surf shops have had to

change their ways from being a strictly tight group of

people who worked and shopped, to a open store for anyone

and styles and products, that everyone could use. In the

tough economy shops are trying to do everything to not go

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under, and this is a main reason for the cultural switch

from being a rebellious group, to more accepting of

societies ways. The true “soul surfers” can be found running

a small surf shop, and not advertising to the general

public, but holding only the products that are needed to the

true surfer. They are not sellouts and keep the cultures

roots of surfing still present within society. It is

becoming harder and harder to find these classic stores, and

the culture is changing to accommodate the poor economy, and

desire for consumerism.

Movies in Surf Culture

“Movies can and do have tremendous influence in shaping

young lives in the realm of entertainment towards the ideals

and objectives of normal adulthood”(Walt Disney). Movies are

some of the biggest influences that children and adults can

have on themselves. Surf movies are a multi-million dollar

industry, and are shaping the surfing industry in everything

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from surf culture, style, and attitudes. I studied surf

movies from each decade to see how the surf culture has

changed. In the 1960’s I studied the movie The Endless Summer

that was directed by Bruce Brown, and focuses on 4 surfers

as they travel the world, before surfing became popular. I

studied a mainstream movie called Fast Times at Ridgemont High of

the 1980’s, which featured a “surfer bum” that highlighted

key stereotypical phrases that American society had put on

surfers. For the surf movie of the 1990’s I choose The Endless

Summer 2. Finally I studied 3 surf movies that were released

in the last 5 years. Modern Collective, Lost Atlas, and Year

Zero. Each of these movies was released consecutively since

2010 and all hold awards for surf movies of the year 2010,

2011 and 2012. They are directed by Kai Neville, his website

highlights “Youth on the Run”(Neville).

As stated previously in the paper, The Endless Summer was

the first movie to put surfing on the radar. “Those

interviewed throughout the film reiterate that it was

“style” that more than anything else established prestige

within the group of adolescents upon which the film focuses.

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Whether on a surfboard or skateboard, style was the art of

moving at high speed, with a high level of risk, but with an

almost affected casualness. In other words, making it look

easy”(Fisher 2005,17).

Pre 1960’s only 4 country’s in the world were surfing.

It gave surfing a name in the American Public, and helped to

publicize the sport. Through the idea of living an “endless

summer”, it attracted people to live the dream lifestyle of

no responsibility. The surfing stereotype of a laid back,

beach lifestyle was established.

The movie Fast Times at Ridgemont High is a movie created in

1982 that is a mainstream comedy that features a “surf bum”

kid named Jeff Spicoli who is a pro surfer. This movie shows

the true “Southern California” surfer and brings it to the

mainstream public in a comedy. He is an avid marijuana

smoker and surfer, which put the surfing community down. In

nearly every sentence that he spoke he used the word “dude”

or “chill” and other words that are supported with stoners

and surfers. This film discriminated against surfers, and

gave the public a negative view on the lifestyle of the

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surfer. He was presented as being someone who didn’t care

about school or anything, and nothing more than a bum. He is

also portrayed through scenes in the movie as being

irresponsible, such as spending all of money to buy van

Halen to play at a party. He is shown having long blonde

hair, and wearing stereotypical surfer clothing. This movie

shows surfers in a negative fashion, and brings down surfing

culture as a whole. Though stereotypes and cultural pieces

the director shows surfing’s low points in society.

When looking at The Endless Summer 2, I found that surf

culture was prevalent in many of the scenes that were shown.

To start, the movie highlighted the idea of surfers escaping

reality, and spending all of their time and money, on trying

to ride the “perfect wave.” Only half of the surfers in this

movie rode long boards, which was higher than expected.

Throughout of the whole movie, there were no aerial tricks

performed, and the 1960’s stereotypes of surfers were still

prevalent. They never said the word “surfer dude” or

“radical” or “gnarly” in the whole movie, or any of the

other stereotypical words. The main character featured

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blonde hair and tan, and a “true surfer” that helped keep

the movie at it roots of the stereotypes. This movie

highlighted the key ideas that surfers are still just trying

to live a life of hanging out by the ocean.

From the Endless Summer movie series a lot has changed.

“Hollywood resumed production of surf movies and

reincorporated surfing into adolescent theme films in the

late 1970s after soul surfing declined. “Revisionist” beach

party movies, such as Big Wednesday63 and California

Dreaming (1978), Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982), Surf

II (1983), Surf Nazis Must Die (1987), Point Break (1991)

And Surf Ninjas (1993), contain more drama and less romance

and music than the first generation”(Booth 1996,321). The

three big releases in the last decade have been Modern

Collective, Lost Atlas, and Year Zero. These films focused on the

new style of surfing of aerial preforming. Of the 200 waves

that I studied in the film, nearly 9 out of every ten waves

featured the rider leaving the waves face, and performing

“over the lip” maneuvers. In the movies in the last 30

years, they focus on aerial maneuvers. Also in this movie,

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the surfers can be seen partying and drinking and performing

activities that are not labeled as generally being surfing,

but more along the lines of a typical “college kid.” These

movies portray the idea of not of the stereotypical surfer,

but a surfer who is living the party life of a college kid,

and a passion for surfing. 100% of the surfers in these

movies rode short boards, and there was not a single long

board that was shown in the movie. 45% of the surfers had at

least 2 tattoos on their body, which enforces the idea of a

rebellious nature. Music in the surf movies is not the

Beach/Surf style, as previous movies were, but are songs

that are fitting the music choices that public are

listening. The movement from a subculture in society, is

adapting to social norms through there attitudes, styles,

and ways of life. In 96% of the scenes the music that was

used was produced in the last 10 years, and many of the

songs were rap/techno songs that would be found present in

the clubs that they were party in at night. The lifestyle

can be seen to be a dramatic change since the previous

generations. These new style of surfers are putting surfing

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on the map and breaking all of the stereotypes that surfing

once had, and putting surfers in a rebellious new society,

that fit along with many other styles of people and social

groups.

There has been a dramatic change in surf culture, and

this can be perceived through the movies that have been

released over time. From The Endless Summer we can see a

movement from a rebellious anti-society group of people, to

surfers today who want to party and participate like normal

citizens. Through new styles of surfing, and a movement away

from the typical surfer stereotype, surfing is stepping foot

into new ideas that are bringing the sport to be more

acceptable, and less different from typical society. Music

in the surf movies is not the Beach/Surf style, as previous

movies were, but are songs that are fitting the music

choices that public are listening. The movement from a

subculture in society, is adapting to social norms through

there attitudes, styles, and ways of life.

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Discussion

As concluded by these two studies led me to understand

that there were two different viewpoints to what was

happening in the overall surf culture. When doing research

and comparing surf movies over the last 4 decades, I was

able to discover a large shift in the overall styles

portrayed in the movies. My research shows that the movies

have a large influence on how surfing culture is perceived

in the public’s eyes. Though the surfing companies, movies,

and other forms of advertising, they shaped how the surfing

culture was. The large scale corporate empires have taken

control and decide what surf culture should be overall.

Through my Analysis I found out that many of the factors of

the cultural changes over time, were due to the new styles

and shapes of the surfboards. As in the 1960’s the

surfboards were long and the style was very relaxed

overall. The style was present not only in the water but

also on land. Today surfing is a high action sport with

aerial moves, and a fast passed lifestyle. Movies such as

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the Endless Summer highlighted the laid back lifestyles in

surf culture through the 1960’s, and it helped to shape the

overall sports viewpoint in society. It was named to be one

of the top 10 sports movies of all time that helped to

shape the sport. As the times have changed, so has the

culture. Influnse for the surf culture is formed from the

professional surfers and magazines and movies that shape

the viewpoints of the youth surfers. Today there is an

infusion between the beach lifestyle and the mainstream

public. Non-Surfers can be seen wearing the same apparel

and surf styles that are worn on a true surfer. Large

clothing companies are erasing the boundaries, and

marketing their products to all types of people. This large

switch has allowed the surfing industry and culture to grow

within American society, and in the last 15 years, become

more of a mainstream sport and common interest for others

alike. Surfing culture is no longer off the map, and is

seen at nearly every beach in the World.

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Conclusion

Surfing has come along way since 3000 years ago in

Polynesia, where the first surfers were ripping bark off

the trees, and trying to ride the waves that broke on the

shores of their village. Today the culture has changed

based on a changing marketplace. The construction of the

surfer in today’s society is based of the factors of the

Professional surfer, the surf media (magazines, movies) and

the mainstream public. As I closely analyzed the surf

movies over the last 40 years, along with research on the

topic, I was able to understand how the surf culture has

changed, and has turned towards becoming more mainstream.

Movies in this culture were the main shaping point in

giving them a name in the general public some of the films

promoted surfing in a good way, and others negatively.

Surfing style has become very common among everyday

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citizens, and clothing corporations affiliated with

surfing, are not just targeting “true” surfers, but the

general public. Surfers are known to be lazy, and caring

only about finding the “dream wave” but these stereotypical

ways are rare in todays surfing subculture. Surfers are

trying to become everyday citizens, with a side passion of

riding the waves. Surfers are a truly individual

subculture, where waves, sun, sand, and good times fuel the

subcultures roots.

References

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Brown, Bruce, 2000 "The Endless Summer." Monterey Media Brown, Bruce.1994 “The Endless Summer 2”Monterey MediaNeville, Kai. 2009 “Modern Collective”. 2009 Kai Neville

Studios*Farmer, R.J.1992. “Surfing Motivations, Values, and

Culture.” Journal of Sports Behavior, 15(3)Heckerling, Amy.1982 “Fast Times at Ridgemont High”

Universal Studios Production CompanyHeller, Greg. "Surf Culture Explained" February 2.

http://wwww.Surfline.com

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*Hollands, Robert and Tracy Greener. 2010 "Beyond Subcultureand Post Subculture." Journal of Youth Studies 9(4) January 22,2013.

*Hopf, Courtney and Rachael Brown .2001. "Hippie Culture." Bohemianism and Counter-Culture.

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*Ormrod, Joan. 1964 “Endless Summer: Consuming Waves and Surfing the Frontier” Journal of Film and Television Studies,35(1).39-51

*Stone, Gerald W, 2008. "Measuring Inflation and Unemployment." Core Economics. Worth Publishing (2)

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of Sport: Some Like It Hot: The Beach as a Cultural Division” Sport Culture and Society. Vol 3. January 22, 2013

Lee, Carol E. 1923, "What Gidget Knew: Women and Surfing Arean Endless Combination." The New York Times, A14

*Rodwell, Grant. (1999 )“‘The sense of victorious struggle’:The eugenic dynamic in Australian popular surf‐culture,1900‐50”, Journal of Australian Studies, 23(62), 56-63

*Fisher, Kevin, 2005. “Economies of Loss and Questions of Style in Contemporary Surf Subcultures” Junctures Vol 4. January 28,2013.

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*-Indicates a scholarly source

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