 Title:
The Elusive
Reviewer: Mark
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The Facts:
A sturdy, no frills, up-close window on hardcore, year round
UK and ROI surfing. Realistic, mostly hand-held and gritty, the
Director took a year to drive 25,000 miles all over England, Wales,
Scotland and Ireland and just filmed what he found 鈥 and
who he found surfing 鈥 when he got there. Simple as that.
(鈥淚t was gonna happen whether there was a camera there or
not鈥). At times it鈥檚 like a home movie, but believe
me this guy has amassed a superb catalogue of life in our waters.
There are no heroes, no shiny script and no fancy film tricks.
These guys just emerge as local cold water surfers like the rest
of us.
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Mark reckons:
I love it. There is a place for perfect sunny DVD鈥檚 and
idyllic Indonesian barrels to make you dream about warm water
options overseas. But of all the surf films I鈥檝e seen, this
is the one I most relate to. It looks, on screen, like it looks
here in the day time. This is a surf movie for people who actually
surf here 鈥 not for the boy racers chasing sponsorship dreams,
fancy surf talk or babes in bikinis. It is full of wipe-outs,
360鈥檚 and full-gear aerials. It is void of pro-talk and
industry product placement. The footage from Scotland at the start
is brilliant. So many people who watch The Elusive feel they can
relate to what they鈥檙e watching. These guys are cold like
us, windswept like us, and forlorn as us at the prospect of an
onshore. They鈥檙e also as stoked as us when it goes off 鈥
and boy does it go off. No spots are named, and no surfers are
idolised. The Irish section at the end in particular is brilliant.
Some double overhead action which actually (weirdly) appears attainable.
Bundo charger Ritchie Fitzgerald鈥檚 wisdom is pure funny.
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Other surfers say:
鈥淥ne of the best underground surf movies ever made鈥
鈥淣o Pros 鈥 just your local heroes - superb鈥
- (Josh Einsle)
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Who's this one for?
Cold water Indo? You bet. If you surf here, and want a realistic
window to what it鈥檚 really like, The Elusive is the film
I鈥檇 say you should buy first 鈥 (if only to help the
dude who made it pay for the diesel. Do the math on 25,000 miles.).
First class.
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And who not?
Boy Racers.
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Extra Features
Theres a wee extra 25 minute 8mm film called 鈥淎maranth鈥
from back in the 70鈥檚. Acoustic soundtrack, Endless Summer-ish
and all very retro, but its not a patch on the main feature.
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Details
Director: Angus Dunlop.
Running time: 55 minutes.
Tinpot Productions.
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