The Endless Summer
Seen it?1966 | 91 min | Documentary
Sunday Safe Betearly ratingWhy it’s a Sunday Safe Bet
Critics loved it (100% on Rotten Tomatoes), though it had soft box office. A safe bet when you want something reliable.
Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.Is it for you?
- Who'll love it
- Made for the curious. Critics rate it higher than audiences do, so it rewards patience more than it chases thrills.
- The mood
- Eye-opening.
- The pace
- Moves along nicely, at 1 hr 31 min.
- What might put you off
- Rated PG. Worth a look first if you have very young kids.
- Made in 1966: an older pace and style.
- Audiences were cooler on it than critics.
Documentary filmmaker Bruce Brown, himself a competition-level surfer, follows surfers Michael Hynson and Robert August on an around-the-world surfing adventure. With Brown's wry, sardonic narration and a twangy, guitar-driven instrumental soundtrack by The Sandals playing over the silent footage, Mike and Rob leave their California home to visit Hawaii, Australia, South Africa and other secluded surfing spots in a search for the surfer's holy grail that Brown dubs "The Perfect Wave.”
How it earned its rating
- CriticsVery strong
100% on Rotten Tomatoes
- AudiencesSolid
7.2 out of 10
- AwardsNot counted
No major awards or nominations
- Box office & staying powerBelow par
$20 million worldwide on a $50K budget; still draws a steady audience long after release
- Buzz & cultural impactSolid
About 62K people sought it out in the past year
Trailer
More like this
My Octopus Teacher
Friday Night FlickAnother critically acclaimed documentary.
Supersonic Sunday Safe BetAnother documentary, and a safe bet for a quiet night.
Katy Perry: Part of Me
Weeknight WatchAnother documentary, though it's more of a weeknight watch.
African Cats Weeknight WatchAnother documentary, though it's more of a weeknight watch.
Want more like this, picked just for you? Get my picks
Cast & crew
Directed by Bruce Brown
- Michael HynsonHimself
- Robert AugustHimself
- Lord James BlearsHimself
- Bruce BrownNarrator
- Chip FitzwaterHimself
- Chuck GardnerHimself
- Wayne MiyataHimself