BBC Northern Ireland - BBC Radio Foyle - Surfing

Title: The Elusive
Reviewer: Mark

The Facts:

A sturdy, no frills, up-close window on hardcore, year round UK and ROI surfing. Realistic, mostly hand-held and gritty, the Director took a year to drive 25,000 miles all over England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland and just filmed what he found – and who he found surfing – when he got there. Simple as that. (“It was gonna happen whether there was a camera there or not”). At times it’s like a home movie, but believe me this guy has amassed a superb catalogue of life in our waters. There are no heroes, no shiny script and no fancy film tricks. These guys just emerge as local cold water surfers like the rest of us.

Mark reckons:

I love it. There is a place for perfect sunny DVD’s and idyllic Indonesian barrels to make you dream about warm water options overseas. But of all the surf films I’ve seen, this is the one I most relate to. It looks, on screen, like it looks here in the day time. This is a surf movie for people who actually surf here – not for the boy racers chasing sponsorship dreams, fancy surf talk or babes in bikinis. It is full of wipe-outs, 360’s and full-gear aerials. It is void of pro-talk and industry product placement. The footage from Scotland at the start is brilliant. So many people who watch The Elusive feel they can relate to what they’re watching. These guys are cold like us, windswept like us, and forlorn as us at the prospect of an onshore. They’re also as stoked as us when it goes off – and boy does it go off. No spots are named, and no surfers are idolised. The Irish section at the end in particular is brilliant. Some double overhead action which actually (weirdly) appears attainable. Bundo charger Ritchie Fitzgerald’s wisdom is pure funny.

Other surfers say:

“One of the best underground surf movies ever made”
“No Pros – just your local heroes - superb” - (Josh Einsle)

Who's this one for?

Cold water Indo? You bet. If you surf here, and want a realistic window to what it’s really like, The Elusive is the film I’d say you should buy first – (if only to help the dude who made it pay for the diesel. Do the math on 25,000 miles.).
First class.

And who not?

Boy Racers.

Extra Features

Theres a wee extra 25 minute 8mm film called “Amaranth” from back in the 70’s. Acoustic soundtrack, Endless Summer-ish and all very retro, but its not a patch on the main feature.