I usually don’t go in for the product sponsored surf videos. But Secret Machine
was quite good. Globe and the production team did more than just deliver the typical highlights reel of sponsored surfers coupled with some latest hit songs cross-promotion. Granted there were a few modern songs in there by the likes of The Killers and Arcade Fire, but there was a full eclectic mix of music in the film from big band to electro-pop.
In the movie, we follow Taj, the Hobgoods and other assorted Globe riders through their ideal surfing scenarios. In between locations we are given short bursts of abstract, metaphysical thoughts and musings about life and surfing. Later we come to find out that our heroes are hooked up to a sort of “dream machine” where they are only surfing all these ideal surf breaks in their minds. It’s all done in good fun and breaks up the film into nice digestible chunks.
Aside from the great surfing, what I really liked was the rhythm of the film. The editors/producers/directors did a sweet job into using the music, the surfing, the establishing shots, the dialogue, the abstract shots and so on to create a very tight, cohesive movie. They established a overall theme and tone to the movie and kept it up nicely throughout. I was much more impressed than I though I was going to be.
The machine is not evil.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EB4xgGeD4A4[/youtube]