Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #4781 in DVD
• Released on: 2006-06-01
• Rating: Parental Guidance
• Aspect ratio: 2.35:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Format: PAL
• Original language: English
• Subtitled in: English, French, Italian, German, Spanish, Arabic, Dutch, Romanian
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 114 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Review
John Milius charts a decade of social change as three surfing buddies use the sport as a personal touchstone for their lives whilst growing up in the turbulent 1960s. Irresponsible hot-dogging legend Matt (Jan-Michael Vincent),serious and stable Jack (William Katt) and mad misfit Leroy, aka "Masochist" (Gary Busey), are teenage surf bums in 1963, living at the beach in a perpetual summer under the sway of surfboard-maker Bear (Sam Melville), guru, mentor, and keeper of the lore. But times are changing and boys grow up in the shadow of Vietnam while adulthood pushes them into hard decisions. John Milius mixes the nostalgia of American Graffiti with the reverence of a John Ford cavalry drama. Surfing becomes a kind of spiritual quest spoken of in awed mythic tones and photographed with the epic grandeur of a rite of passage. Milius's heavy-handed direction andr everent attitude slows the films and will turn off some viewers but Milius fans will appreciate his macho stylings and philosophical musings, and surfing fans will love the spectacular surfing footage, including the dazzling stylings of world champion Gerry Lopez (who Milius later cast in Conan the Barbarian). Lee Purcell costars as Matt's supportive wife, with Patti D'Arbanville, Barbara Hale and Robert Englund in supporting roles. Look for Ford stock player Hank Worden in a small role and Milius himself in a cameo role selling marijuana in Tijuana. --Sean Axmaker

Amazon.co.uk Review
John Milius charts a decade of social change in Big Wednesday as three surfing buddies use surfing as a personal touchstone for their lives while growing up in the turbulent 1960s. Irresponsible hot-dogging legend Matt (Jan-Michael Vincent), serious and stable Jack (William Katt), and mad misfit Leroy, aka "Masochist" (Gary Busey), are teenage surf bums in 1963, living at the beach in a perpetual summer under the sway of surfboard-maker Bear (Sam Melville), guru, mentor, and keeper of the lore. But the times they are a changin' and boys grow up in the shadow of Vietnam while adulthood pushes them into hard decisions.

John Milius mixes the nostalgia of American Graffiti with the reverence of a John Ford cavalry drama. Surfing becomes a kind of spiritual quest spoken of in awed mythic tones and photographed with the epic grandeur of a rite of passage. Milius' heavy-handed direction and reverent attitude slows the films and will turn off some viewers, but the director's fans will appreciate his macho attitudes and philosophical musings, and surfing fans will love the spectacular surfing footage, including the dazzling stylings of world champion Gerry Lopez (whom Milius later cast in Conan the Barbarian). Lee Purcell costars as Matt's supportive wife, with Patti D'Arbanville, Barbara Hale, and Robert Englund in supporting roles. Look for Ford stock player Hank Worden in a small role and Milius himself in a cameo selling marijuana in Tijuana. --Sean Axmaker

Special Features
Audio commentary by Director John Milius
Capturing the Swell featurette (20 minutes)
Theatrical trailer
2.35:1 widescreen
Dolby 2.0
Subtitles: English, French, Italian, Spanish, German, Dutch, Arabic, Romanian
Hearing Impaired: English, Italian

Customer Reviews

Very moving with superb surfing footage
With the backdrop of incredible surfing scenes, comes the story of 3 guys growing up under the uneasy shadow of the Vietnam war. But life throws up it's own set of problems and hard decisions for the lads to take. And the escape is the water, the swell and the search for the perfect wave. The complexity of the different personalities lends an endearing quality to the whole production and come the end, the magnaninous end, we were all choking for breath. The thumping soundtrack of classic sixties tracks rams it all home of course.
Coming forward to present times, it hasn't gotten any easier. And this wonderful film reminds you that life's a beach, a VW Camper, a board and beer. Enjoy.

A classic movie that time forgot.
This is a breathtaking film from start to finish, be it the boisterous parties that the stars attend, the trip to Tijuana, or the beautiful footage of the ocean and the surfers.

Jan Michael Vincent pulls at your heart strings as the immature alcoholic Matt Johnson who manages to find peace within himself and with his friends, whilst growing up on the beach, and he is ably asisted by Gary Busey and William Katt who star as his chalk and cheese surf buddies.

A movie about growing up, taking responsibilities and the tragedy of war, all set to a beautiful back drop of sandy beaches and glorius ocean waves, and an impressive soundtrack.

The end of summer...
Even if you're not into surfing, you'll find Big Wednesday a treat. Its ambience is almost a stripped down American Graffiti, also dealing in that film's nostalgia but presenting a more moving, tighter story. Shot through the nostalgia is an elegiac voiceover and grace notes such as the surfing hero of the previous decade becoming forgotten by the present crop of Surfers. It's not downbeat though with a witty truth to the writing and a livewire Gary Busey performance. Events begin to pull friendships apart and Vietnam interrupts the freewheeling lives, the only hope to rekindle youthful spirit and vigour is the dream of the ultimate wave ... the Big Wednesday.