I just found out that one of the great surf movie pioneers passed away on September 13, 2001. His films were not widely known or distributed in this era but some of you will certainly appreciate some of the titles he is credited with. Back in May or June I had been in contact with Dale via e-mail seeking a copy of “Liquid Space”, one of his later films that never made it to video release. He noted in his last e-mail to me that the original film print was lost in a fire but he had given a video copy to friends in Hawaii and was graciously looking for a copy for me. I received an e-mail from his sister in late summer noting that Dale was in the hospital for an extended stay. Several e-mail have gone unanswered since. This morning I found out that he passed away. Here are some notes I found posted about Dale Davis, his film credits and some recent efforts to redistribute some of these classic images. http://www.amsusa1.com December 7, 1940 ~ September 13, 2001 DALE DAVIS - SURF VIDEO CLASSICS OF THE 60s Dale was a very special man. Part Dino deLaurentis and part Peter Pan . He attended Brooks Institute of Photography in Santa Barbara, but his teachers usually had to look for him on the beach instead of in the classroom. He knew he was made to make movies. We’ll miss you Dale. Surf’s up, we’ll think of you shooting film ! http://www.surfvideo.net/long.html The Story Behind the Dale Davis Collection- A few years ago, a slick looking kook with a New York accent asked us if we were interested in distributing a brand new surf movie that he said he produced. We got suspicious when we saw that all the footage from the Golden Breed was from the late 60’s and early 70’s and the credits were chopped off. It took us six months to track the movie to its true owner, Dale Davis, who was surprised to hear that someone had bothered to rip off such and old movie. “If people want to see old movies,” he laughed, “Ive got some stuff buried in a closet under the cellar stairs that goes back to the 50’s.” After a few minutes behind the Moviola we found that Dale’s footage was the best we have seen from the “Golden Era” of surfing. It took a few hundred hours, and many thousands of dollars to restore, and put the pieces back together again. Now you too can rediscover perhaps the richest decade of surfing. You may also be happy to hear that the culprit who tried to rip off Dale Davis was chased out of his den in Santa Monica, back to what we hope will be a lifetime of sunless winters in his home state. _______________________________________________ Tom
Beautiful eulogy, Tom…Thanks, T.
His films will always be remembered here!Herb.
I just found out that one of the great surf movie pioneers passed away on > September 13, 2001. His films were not widely known or distributed in this > era but some of you will certainly appreciate some of the titles he is > credited with. Back in May or June I had been in contact with Dale via > e-mail seeking a copy of “Liquid Space”, one of his later films > that never made it to video release. He noted in his last e-mail to me > that the original film print was lost in a fire but he had given a video > copy to friends in Hawaii and was graciously looking for a copy for me. I > received an e-mail from his sister in late summer noting that Dale was in > the hospital for an extended stay. Several e-mail have gone unanswered > since. This morning I found out that he passed away. Here are some notes I > found posted about Dale Davis, his film credits and some recent efforts to > redistribute some of these classic images.>>> http://www.amsusa1.com December 7, 1940 ~ September 13, 2001>>> DALE DAVIS - SURF VIDEO CLASSICS OF THE 60s Dale was a very special man. > Part Dino deLaurentis and part Peter Pan . He attended Brooks Institute of > Photography in Santa Barbara, but his teachers usually had to look for him > on the beach instead of in the classroom. He knew he was made to make > movies.>>> We’ll miss you Dale. Surf’s up, we’ll think of you shooting film !>>> http://www.surfvideo.net/long.html>>> The Story Behind the Dale Davis Collection- A few years ago, a slick > looking kook with a New York accent asked us if we were interested in > distributing a brand new surf movie that he said he produced. We got > suspicious when we saw that all the footage from the Golden Breed was from > the late 60’s and early 70’s and the credits were chopped off. It took us > six months to track the movie to its true owner, Dale Davis, who was > surprised to hear that someone had bothered to rip off such and old movie. > “If people want to see old movies,” he laughed, “Ive got > some stuff buried in a closet under the cellar stairs that goes back to > the 50’s.” After a few minutes behind the Moviola we found that > Dale’s footage was the best we have seen from the “Golden Era” > of surfing. It took a few hundred hours, and many thousands of dollars to > restore, and put the pieces back together again. Now you too can > rediscover perhaps the richest decade of surfing. You may also be happy to > hear that the culprit who tried to rip off Dale Davis was chased out of > his den in Santa Monica, back to what we hope will be a lifetime of > sunless winters in his home state. > _______________________________________________>>> Tom Sad to hear of his passing…“The Golden Breed” was the first real surf film I ever saw…I remember walking in just as an empty Sunset peak feathered then threw over…the whole place was screamin…I’ve been hooked on surfing ever since then and hopefully will always be…I was glad to have obtained his films on video for they have brought me full circle back to my roots…Aloha Dale FD PS- I could have sworn seeing “Liquid Space” on video way back in the late 70’s-early 80’s but never saw the ad again after that.
I just ordered a copy of “Golden Breed” as I don’t recall ever seeing the whole thing. If you run into a copy of “Liquid Space” let me know I’d like to see it. Tom>>> Sad to hear of his passing…“The Golden Breed” was the first > real surf film I ever saw…I remember walking in just as an empty Sunset > peak feathered then threw over…the whole place was screamin…I’ve been > hooked on surfing ever since then and hopefully will always be…I was > glad to have obtained his films on video for they have brought me full > circle back to my roots…Aloha Dale>>> FD>>> PS- I could have sworn seeing “Liquid Space” on video way back > in the late 70’s-early 80’s but never saw the ad again after that.
I just ordered a copy of “Golden Breed” as I don’t recall ever > seeing the whole thing. If you run into a copy of “Liquid Space” > let me know I’d like to see it. Davis’ flick L.Space was the movie to see as 5 summer stories was the flick to see or say Endless Summer…L.Space was the one that opened the can and showed the world what one man on a 5.10 1/2 " twin fin could do in Hawaii/Rocky Point David was the man and Dale knew this, the footage of Nuuhiwa riding around in his car with his fish in the back seat going from surf spot to surf spot was the real deal …Nuuhiwa ripping 360 degree turns in 12 ft. Dorseys Rock pile…David having trunks on with the words I Need Speed hardly being able to read due to Nuuhiwa going so fast!This flick and Rainbow Bridge were the ones that molded my lifestyle and surfing style…in the 80’s I was surfing with David and mentioned L.S. he hadn’t seen it in years and didn’t own it and didn’t know how to get it either…I told David that two things I wanted out of life…To surf like David Nuuhiwa in L.Space and to play the guitar like Jimi Hendrix in Rainbow Bridge…David said" well it’s nice to dream"…since then David’s heard me play the guitar and has watch me surf on Dyno and Spitzer Fish surfboards …My answer …Believe…once I didn’t know David only his history…I didn’t know anything about Hendrix , only his history …Now Iam friuends with both…peace…Believe…and you will find the flick!
David : " I’ll think about it later"
David : " I’ll think about it later" >Ray: "…Have a promo CD for you with the " Band Of Gypsys, Buddy Miles and Billy Cox " Recorded live at the Hard Rock Cafe 9/8/01 need a p.o. box # will send both Buddy and myself would like you to have one. There is a Band of Gypsy 30th. Ann. Concert in Seattle Dec.Put on by Paul Allen at the Experience sound center…Buddy, Billy and the Hendrix family and many other musicians are to attend…Jimi’s dads health is sadly beginning to fail…peace…