The OC Beach Scene

Hey everyone! Surf Cinema is a new feature that I’ll be doing periodically. In each edition of Surf Cinema, I’ll be reviewing a different surf film or surf-inspired film (for the difference between surf- and surf-inspired films, think Endless Summer vs. Point Break). For our first installment of Surf Cinema, I’ll be looking at one of my all-time favorite films and a true masterpiece in the surf movie genre–The Seeding.

If you’re like 99.9% of the general population and you’ve never heard of this movie, don’t feel bad. However, if you have any interest in surfing or art or even just really good filmmaking, then you’re gonna want to head down to your local surf shop and pick up a copy of The Seedling right away (sorry to all of you living out in Middle America–it’s gonna be a bit of a drive). Directed by surfer/artist Thomas Campell, The Seedling is an important artifact of the longboard/retro movement going on in California in the late 90’s and early 2000’s. Featuring beautiful, stylish surfing, moody music, and an incomprehensibly cool vibe, The Seeding captures the essence and the feel of the longboard aesthetic better than almost any other film before or since its initial release in 1999. With an amazing cast of California surfers, including legendary surfer/shapers Donald Takayama and Skip Frye, modern-day surf heroes Joel Tudor and Josh Farberow, and a whole crew of rising young stars such as Dane Peterson and Kassia Meador, The Seedling makes a strong case for style in an era dominated by ugly arm flailing and horrible chop-hop airs. Thomas Campbell put in another great effort with 2004’s Sprout–a foray into alternative board design; however, it fails to recapture the understated beauty, the effortless cool of The Seedling. Simply put, The Seedling is a one of a kind, a contemporary classic–essential viewing for the modern retro enthusiast.