Crystal Voyager (1975)
- Directed by
- David Elfick
- Genre
- documentary film, biographical film
- Country
- Australia
- Runtime
- 1h 18m
- Rating
- 6.5 of 10 from 4 voters
- Elsewhere
- IMDb
The catalogue in 3D
The film shelves have a room of their own that you can walk around in. The cat behind the counter is the AI Catbot, and they pick real films from the same catalogue when you tell them what you feel like watching. Nothing is for sale, here or in there. Go in from here and this film is already out on the counter, with more like it waiting on the shelf next to it.
How it feels
This documentary follows surfer George Greenough as he searches for waves without crowds. He builds a boat and travels the coast with friends. The film shows the surfer's life and his pursuit of the perfect ride.
meditativefree-spiritedcontemplativeatmosphericsun-drenchedwanderingretropeaceful
What happens
Crystal Voyager is a 1973 Australian surf film directed by David Elfick. It was filmed by Albert Falzon, written and narrated by surfer, photographer and filmmaker George Greenough, who had previously made the 1970 surfing film The Innermost Limits of Pure Fun. The soundtrack was written and produced and performed by G. Wayne Thomas and the "Crystal Voyager Band". The film is structured as a loose biography of Greenough and was shot largely in California. It documents Greenough's search for uncrowded waves, which led to the construction of his 37-foot ocean-going yacht. It also feature Greenough's surfing friends, Californian Richie West and Australian world champion Nat Young. Crystal Voyager premiered at the Sydney Opera House on 5 December 1973 and had a successful three-week run there before opening in other states. The theatrical 35 mm version of the film is different from the original 16 mm release and was re-edited by Elfick and Greenough. It became one of Australia's most successful surf films, grossing more than A$100,000 (in 1973) on its initial Australian release, before being picked up by British Hemdale Corporation. Crystal Voyager gained substantial press on its release, mostly due to its strong reception at the Cannes Film Festival. It had a record-breaking 6-month run in London's West End, where it played a double bill with René Laloux's animated science-fiction film Fantastic Planet, grossing more than £100,000. The closing sequence, Greenough's short film Echoes, is generally considered to be the highlight of the film. Filmed with a camera in a waterproof housing strapped to Greenough's back, the sequence is composed entirely of slow-motion footage shot inside the curl of waves, edited to the 23-minute song "Echoes" by Pink Floyd. The group reportedly allowed Elfick and Greenough to use the music in their film in exchange for the use of Greenough's footage as a visual background when they performed "Echoes" in concert. (from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA)
More like this
Morning of the Earth (1971)
Struttin' the Mutton (1975)
Australia After Dark (1975)
Thrill of the Surf (1949)
Down the Wind (1975)
Sister, If You Only Knew (1975)
Four Shorts on Architecture (1975)
Sidecar Racers (1975)- More like this film, on a shelf you can walk up to.It's the lit case on the top shelf.