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	Riding Giants
	Stacy Peralta Laird John Hamilton, Greg Noll, Jeff Clark, Stacy Peralta 2004		From Stacy Peralta, director of the sharp, revelatory skateboarding movie "Dogtown and Z-Boys," comes "Riding Giants," a breathtaking documentary about the sport of surfing. This wild trip includes a brief history lesson, followed by ample coverage of the surfers, their lifestyle and their daring athletic achievements. Strictly speaking, it isn't a comprehensive overview, since Peralta doesn't bother much with the organized competitions that arose during surfing's growth spurt in the '60s and '70s. But you won't find a more exciting, artful, passionate presentation of those who surf for the love of it and for the challenge of conquering the big waves. Before introducing some of the 20th-century pioneers and masters of the surf, "Riding Giants" covers the Hawaiian origin and earliest days of surfing in a concise, informative segment. Then, the real spectacle begins, as home movies, feature film clips, talking-head interviews and astonishing on-site cinematography reveal the evolution of big-wave surfing. Interviewees include bear-like Greg Noll, whose joyful obsession with the sport helped popularize it in the '60s; Jeff Clark, who discovered and rode the treacherous waves at Maverick's in Northern California by himself for years until others joined in; and fearless, graceful Laird Hamilton, the modern-day innovator considered the best big-wave surfer ever. They're phenomenal, as is "Riding Giants."


	Wednesday, December 18, 2024





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