Download Free Riding Giants

If it were possible to distill the heart and soul of the sport--no, the
pure lifestyle--of surfing to its perfect form, this documentary has
done it. This documentary shows the life isn't just about the waves,
but it's more about the people, the pioneers, and the modern day
vanguard that are pushing the envelope of big wave further than it's
ever been.

Stacy Peralta--a virtual legend from my early '80s skateboarding days
as a SoCal teen--has edited reams of amazing stock and interview
footage down to their essence and created what is not just a
documentary, but a masterpiece of the genre. When his heart and soul is
in the subject matter--and clearly it is here--his genius is fraught
with a pure vision that doesn't glamorize, hype, or sentimentalize his
subject. He reveres surfers and the surfing/beach lifestyle, but
doesn't whitewash it either. There is a gritty reality to the sport as
well.

There is so much that could be said about this documentary, about the
surfers, the early history of the sport, and the wild big wave surfers
it profiles. Greg Noll, the first big wave personality who arguably
pioneered the sport; Jeff Carter, an amazing guy who rode virtually
alone for 15 years on Northern California's extremely dangerous
Maverick's big surf; and, the centerpiece of the documentary, Laird
Hamliton, big wave surfing's present day messiah.

There is tremendous heart and warmth among all these guys--and a few
girls who show up on camera--and a deep and powerful love for surfing
and the ocean that comes through in every word. I found the story of
how Hamilton's adopted father met him and how Hamilton as a small 4- or
5-year old boy practically forced him to be his dad especially
heartwarming (and, again, stripped of syrupy sentimentality).

If you like surfing--or even if you don't--this is a wonderful
documentary that must be watched, if only because you're a student of
the form or someone who simply appreciates incredibly well-done works
of art..

I was able to attend Riding Giants @ Sundance Film Festival (it was this
year's opening film) and can only say it is a must see movie - there is a
magic in this extraordinary surfing documentary that fires up your heart &
soul; dreams & spirit. Give thanks to the genius of Stacey Peralta
(Dogtown
& Z-boys) and his uncanny ability to brilliantly capture the life & death
drama that is part of big wave riding. I especially enjoyed the shots at
Half Moon Bay and the notoriouus surf area, Mavericks, discovered by local
big wave surfing legend Jeff Clark. Of course there is so much more, but I
loved the movie and the audience seemed to approve as well, giving it a 3
minute standing ovation..