Main Cast: Jim Knost, Alex Knost, Dan Malloy, Chris Malloy, Keith Malloy
Release Year: 2003
Country: US
Run Time: 87 minutes
MPAA Rating: PG
Plot
Second generation surfing documentarian Dana Brown (son to Bruce Brown, who directed The Endless Summer 2) strikes out with his own original piece of filmmaking with his 2003 ode to the world's surfing enthusiasts entitled Step Into Liquid. Part travelogue, and part attempt to redefine surfing's image, Brown travels to some of the ordinary surfing locales -- such as Hawaii and the West Coast of the United States -- as well as some rather unexpected ones, including the west coast of Wisconsin on Lake Michigan to Easter Island to a secular surfing school in Ireland. While in these diverse locations, Brown interviews the numerous souls whose lives have been taken over by the lure of surfing, ranging from seasoned professionals to casual hobbyists, in an attempt to dispel the myth of surfers being perpetually stoned slackers. Step Into Liquid was selected to screen at a handful of film festivals in 2003, including the Nodance Film Festival in Park City, UT. ~ Ryan Shriver, All Movie Guide
Review
Step Into Liquid is an unrelentingly positive and upbeat film that offers more boosterism and hagiography (and occasional good-natured teasing) than insight into the lives of surfers. While it does show that many surfers don't conform to the stoned slacker stereotype, it doesn't really explore what makes them tick beyond stating the obvious platitudes. Also, the attempts to depict surfing as a positive social force may seem a bit much to some viewers, particularly the sequence in which the Molloy Brothers bring together Protestant and Catholic children in Ireland by teaching them surfing. But the main reason to watch this type of film is to watch surfing, and Step Into Liquid does deliver in this regard by showing different styles and locations, including the obvious, the exotic, and the somewhat unexpected (e.g., riding waves created by supertankers in the Gulf of Mexico). The highlight of the film is the footage from the Cortes Bank, located 100 miles off the coast of San Diego, where a small group of surfers ventured to ride waves that reached over sixty feet high. After seeing these images and hearing the enthusiastic descriptions by the surfers of this experience, it's not hard to understand why someone would be fascinated by surfing. ~ Todd Kristel, All Movie Guide
Cast
Jim Knost
Alex Knost
Dan Malloy
Chris Malloy
Keith Malloy
Laird Hamilton; Rob Machado; Kelly Slater; Dale Webster; Ken Collins; Mike Waltze; Darrick Doerner; Shawn "Barney" Barron; Brad Gerlach; Dave Kalama; Peter Mel; Mike Parsons; Taj Burrow; Layne Beachley; Rochelle Ballard; Keala Kennelly; Jesse Brad Billauer
Credit
Scott Waugh - Associate Producer, C. Rich Wilson - Associate Producer, Scott Waugh - Co-producer, Dana Brown - Director, Dana Brown - Editor, Ray Jr. Willenberg - Executive Producer, Richard Gibbs - Composer (Music Score), George Acogny - Musical Direction/Supervision, Joe Fischer - Musical Direction/Supervision, J.P. Beeghly - Cinematographer, J.P. Beeghly - Producer, Dana Brown - Screenwriter, Bruce Brown - Co-Executive Producer
Step into Liquid (2003) is a documentary about surfing directed by Dana Brown, son of famed surfer and filmmaker Bruce Brown. The film includes surfing footage from the famous Pipeline, the beaches of Vietnam, and some of the world's largest waves, at Cortes Bank. This film was Dana Brown's first solo project.
