Surf's Up (film)
Encyclopedia
Surf's Up is a 2007 American computer-animated
mockumentary
family
comedy film
directed by Ash Brannon
and Chris Buck
. It stars the voices of Shia LaBeouf
, Jeff Bridges
, Zooey Deschanel
and Jon Heder
among others.
In production since 2002 at Sony Pictures Animation
, it was the studio's second theatrical feature. The film premiered in the United States on June 8, 2007, and was distributed by Columbia Pictures
.
It is a parody of surfing documentaries, such as The Endless Summer
and Riding Giants
, with parts of the plot parodying North Shore
. Real-life surfers Kelly Slater
and Rob Machado
have vignettes as their penguin surfer counterparts. To obtain the desired hand-held documentary feel, the film's animation team motion-captured a physical camera operator's moves.
) a 17-year-old rockhopper penguin
residing in Shiverpool, Antarctica. After a childhood visit from surf legend Zeke "Big Z" Topanga, Cody aspires to emulate the renowned legend by becoming a famous and respected surfer.
Talent scout Mikey Abromowitz (voiced by Mario Cantone
) arrives in Shiverpool scouting for surfers to compete in the Big Z Memorial Surf Contest. Cody joins the group of surfers, and quickly befriends Chicken Joe (voiced by Jon Heder
), an easy-going surfer from Sheboygan, Wisconsin
. Soon after arriving at Pen Gu Island (along with other prominent surfers Renato Mendes (Brazil), Rory Nubbins (Australia), and Tatsuhi Kobayashi (Japan)), Cody crosses paths with the local lifeguard named Lani Aliikai (voiced by Zooey Deschanel
) as she rescues the penguin child, Arnold, from "drowning", and upon first sight, Cody falls in love with her.
Shortly thereafter, Cody has an altercation with the egotistical Tank "The Shredder" Evans (voiced by Diedrich Bader
), a large muscular penguin and nine time winner of the Big Z Competition, when he witnesses Tank hurling stones at Big Z's memorial
shrine
. The disturbance catches the attention of promoter Reggie Belefonte (voiced by James Woods
), all too eager to allow Cody to challenge Tank to a surf-off on the spot. Unfortunately, Cody's inexperience with the challenges the competition has to offer leads to a terrible wipeout, and he is injured when he steps on a poison
ous fire urchin
. Lani takes Cody to the jungle home of a hermit called the Geek (voiced by Jeff Bridges
) in order to get help for his injuries and to recuperate. Meanwhile, Geek pulls out the spike Cody stepped on and suddenly Cody jumps awake. Geek goes into his cupboard and takes out a saw. Cody then tries to break free of Lani's grip just as Geek eventually takes out a pot. He fills it with rainwater and he drinks, as he is intending to urinate on Cody's foot.
Upon waking up, Cody is quickly shooed out of Geek's house. He shows Cody the route back to the beach, and leaves the young penguin be. When Geek finds Cody's necklace in his hut, he returns to the path fork, finding Cody, still sitting on a log, and returns the Big Z necklace. Geek then notices the log's type, Koa (of which all the best surfboards are made), and decides to make Cody a surfboard. Cody at first refuses, saying "Nah" but Geek demands for him to make a surfboard saying "What? I come all this way to give you your necklace and I offer you to make a board and you say, 'Nah'?"
While carrying the log back to Geek's house, the two lose control of it and the log starts rolling down a cliff. The two run after it, and the young surfer notices the cliff looks over a beautiful and pristine beach. Unable to contain his curiosity, Cody treks down the steep cliff, inadvertently taking Geek with him. On the beach, Cody explores a toppled tree and soon realizes it houses several old surfboards, those of Big Z's. Geek is seen investigating a dilapidated shack littered with messages of grief from Big Z's fans, and from his nostalgic reaction, Cody realizes that the Geek is Big Z.
Cody's excitement that his lifetime hero still lives is unleashed in a torrent of questions and theories as to what happened, much to the chagrin of Z, who quickly takes to hiding within his old home. Cody lures Z from the hut, having pulled Z's old boards from their resting spot and attempting to surf with them. Cody takes a few more wipeouts as he attempts to get Z in the water, but slowly manages to work tips from Big Z. Cody is told that he won't be doing any surfing until he has made a board of his own.
Cody, eager to make his own board, is unwilling to listen to Z's advice on making a surfboard. Z backs off, and allows Cody to pry his way through the wood, creating a "work in progress" gouged plank that quickly snaps once in the water. Cody becomes irritated and leaves the beach, leaving Z behind, Z all the time calling after Cody that he will come back. Cody runs into Lani, who reveals that she knew of Geek's true persona, and that he was her uncle. Lani then takes Cody to a series of tubes in the island, and, after a thrilling race through the tubes and a "winning" landing in glow worm droppings, a shower, and a talk, Lani convinces Cody to return to Z. Cody complies, realizing his folly, and returns to Z's beach, beginning work on a new surfboard under the bright moonlight.
In the morning, Z awakens Cody to start his training, but on land. When Z tried to teach Cody to enjoy surfing more than winning, Cody was too focused on the competition, that he said he had "no time for fun." In their training, Z seemed to enjoy playing more than Cody, who became impatient for a while. Then Cody, initially irritated by the low-progress training, soon exclaims that he is "having fun." Z then gives Cody the OK to go into the water, and joins him in the surfing. Lani soon arrives on the beach and joins the duo as they surf the rest of the day away.
In the evening, Cody asks Big Z to come and watch him surf in the Big Z Memorial Surf competition. Z is highly reluctant, becoming irritated with the questioning, but ashamedly reveals the truth behind his disappearance. Cody is in disbelief that his hero had given up. Tossing his necklace into the dark waves, Cody storms off, intending to win the contest alone. Cody continues through the forest and is caught in a trap set by the natives of Pen Gu island. Chicken Joe appears, having been looking for Cody ever since his disappearance, and he retrieves Cody just as the horn blows for the start of the Surf Off.
Taking the audience by surprise, the three finalists turn out to be Cody, Tank, and Joe, who turns out to be a natural born surfer. Before the final, Lani breaks up with Cody, saying that he said that he cares about winning more than her and Z last night. In the final, Tank attempts to take out Chicken Joe, but Cody helps his friend escape an attack, even though that results in Cody and Tank becoming disqualified for surfing out of bounds. Then they need to safely surf through the rocks near the beach. Tank is knocked out cold after colliding with the rocks, so Lani comes to his rescue. Cody is saved by Z, who was watching the competition secretly, and together they swim back ashore. In doing so Z reveals his presence to the crowd, eventually inviting all to the north shore to surf. Cody finishes talking with the documentary crew at this point and joins his friends in the water. The film comes to a close with Big Z, Cody, Lani, and many others surfing the waves as the sun sets.
During the first few minutes of the end credits, there is a last interview with Cody's mother and brother, Glenn. His mother is revealed to not mind that Cody didn't win, but Glenn still sees Cody as a loser. His mother then tells Glenn that she wishes he could be more like Cody, to which Glenn responds by telling the cameraman "This interview's over." After the credits, Glenn is seen mumbling and throwing the documentary crew's equipment out of the window, ending the scene with "Go back to Hollywood!" as he covers the camera.
But after another was added in itunes song called: Get Delirious by Lil 'Chris. This will include 15 official songs.
According to the film's end credits, the version of "Wipe Out" heard in the film is actually performed by the punk band The Queers
. The official soundtrack includes this version under the pseudonym
"Big Nose," presumably for marketing purposes. Two songs by Green Day
, "Welcome to Paradise
" and "Holiday
", are used for background music in the film. However, neither song appears on the official soundtrack album. In the primary teaser trailer, the song "Get on Top" by the Red Hot Chili Peppers
can be heard in the background. "Welcome to Paradise" was also used in the second trailer promoting Surf's Up, as well as "Three Little Birds
" by Sean Paul
featuring Ziggy Marley
.
The DVD and Blu-ray behind-the-scenes featurette entitled "Making Waves" features the song "The Water", performed by Venice
. This also does not appear on the "Surf's Up" soundtrack, but can be found on Venice's "Garage Demos Part 2: Fast Stuff" CD.
and it was released on a limited edition (of a thousand units) 23 track CD.
, with a 77% approval rating among reviews. Some noted that in spite of it coming so soon after many films featuring penguins (The Pebble and the Penguin
, March of the Penguins
, Madagascar
, and Happy Feet
), it was able to stand out on its own. This was an improvement from Open Season
, Sony Pictures Animation's previous film, which received mixed reviews.
It was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature in January 2008. While Ratatouille
(the eventual winner) and Persepolis
were widely regarded as being certain nominees, some thought that the third nominee in this category would be The Simpsons Movie
.
It was also nominated for the 80th Academy Awards
for Academy Award for Best Animated Feature
but lost to Ratatouille.
issued eight Surf's Up toys in their Happy Meals for one month. Each meal came with one of the following:
In the Australian market, a few small plush
characters of Cody, Lani, Chicken Joe, and Geek replace some of the toys in the US lineup.
locations included Halloween themed Trick-Or-Treat bags with Halloween inspired Surf's Up characters on either side (Lani in witch garb, Cody as a vampire). A two-sided puzzle was available, as well as a figurine of the Geek, including stickers.
There appear to be one other set of toys available in the Cool Kids meals as well. Those included are a Cody figurine with spring-launch surfboard, a Lani figurine that balances on a surfboard, Chicken Joe, a bobble type figure
, much like the McDonald's release. The last toy is a set of stickers with two backgrounds.
motion surf board shaped pieces. The characters included are as follows:
It should be noted that the bios on the boards are mistaken in places. Cody is "seventeen years of age" in the film, and Geek is listed as an emperor penguin in source material.
A rare set of larger (Geek measures 15 inches) and higher quality plushes had been made available at the premiere's after party. Won either through available games, or given away with gift sets for attendees. Cody, Lani, Arnold and Geek were created and so far no plans for the dolls to be sold commercially have appeared.
in minimal quantities to most major retailers. Five characters were produced, including Cody, Tank, Big Z, Arnold, & Chicken Joe. Each character has an attached washcloth/surfboard, but sport questionable likenesses (and in the case of Chicken Joe, entirely off model, bearing more of a resemblance to Mikey).
Six Surf's Up eggs that allow you to "hatch" a character and let it grow in water are also available.
was released for all the current video gaming systems on the market. All versions of the game are the same with mild graphical differences, with only the Nintendo DS
version changing the overall format.
The film was also made in to a mobile video game by developer Gameloft
, which became available on cell phones.
, PSP UMD
Video and DVD
in the United States
on October 9, 2007. It is sold in both Widescreen and Fullscreen versions.
Computer animation
Computer animation is the process used for generating animated images by using computer graphics. The more general term computer generated imagery encompasses both static scenes and dynamic images, while computer animation only refers to moving images....
mockumentary
Mockumentary
A mockumentary , is a type of film or television show in which fictitious events are presented in documentary format. These productions are often used to analyze or comment on current events and issues by using a fictitious setting, or to parody the documentary form itself...
family
Family film
A family film is a film genre that is designed to appeal to a variety of age groups and, thus, families.In December 2005, Steven Spielberg's 1982 film E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial came first in a poll of the 100 Greatest Family Films. The genre today generates billions of dollars per annum.Family...
comedy film
Comedy film
Comedy film is a genre of film in which the main emphasis is on humour. They are designed to elicit laughter from the audience. Comedies are mostly light-hearted dramas and are made to amuse and entertain the audiences...
directed by Ash Brannon
Ash Brannon
Ash Brannon is an American animator, writer and director. He was a story artist and directing animator on Toy Story and co-director on Toy Story 2...
and Chris Buck
Chris Buck
Chris Buck is a film director known for directing Tarzan and Surf's Up. He also worked as supervising animator on Home on the Range and Chicken Little....
. It stars the voices of Shia LaBeouf
Shia LaBeouf
Shia Saide LaBeouf is an American actor who became known among younger audiences for his part in the Disney Channel series Even Stevens and made his film debut in Holes . In 2007, he starred as the leads in Disturbia and Transformers...
, Jeff Bridges
Jeff Bridges
Jeffrey Leon "Jeff" Bridges is an American actor and musician. He won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his role as Otis "Bad" Blake in the 2009 film Crazy Heart....
, Zooey Deschanel
Zooey Deschanel
Zooey Claire Deschanel is an American actress, musician, and singer-songwriter. In 1999, Deschanel made her film debut in Mumford, followed by her breakout role as young protagonist William Miller's troubled older sister Anita in Cameron Crowe's 2000 semi-autobiographical film Almost Famous...
and Jon Heder
Jon Heder
Jonathan Joseph "Jon" Heder is an American screenwriter, actor, and filmmaker. His feature film debut came in 2004 as the title character of the comedy film Napoleon Dynamite...
among others.
In production since 2002 at Sony Pictures Animation
Sony Pictures Animation
Sony Pictures Animation is an American computer-animated film production company owned by Sony Pictures Entertainment, founded in May 2002. It is working closely with Sony Pictures Imageworks, which takes care of the digital production...
, it was the studio's second theatrical feature. The film premiered in the United States on June 8, 2007, and was distributed by Columbia Pictures
Columbia Pictures
Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. is an American film production and distribution company. Columbia Pictures now forms part of the Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group, owned by Sony Pictures Entertainment, a subsidiary of the Japanese conglomerate Sony. It is one of the leading film companies...
.
It is a parody of surfing documentaries, such as The Endless Summer
The Endless Summer
The Endless Summer is a 1966 film in the surf movie genre.Director Bruce Brown follows two surfers, Mike Hynson and Robert August, on a surf trip around the world. Despite the balmy climate of their native California, cold ocean currents make local beaches inhospitable during the winter...
and Riding Giants
Riding Giants
Riding Giants is a 2004 documentary film directed and narrated by Stacy Peralta, a famous skater/surfer who helped define modern skateboarding. The movie traces the origins of surfing and specifically focuses on the art of big wave riding...
, with parts of the plot parodying North Shore
North Shore (film)
North Shore is a 1987 film about Rick Kane , a young fictional surfer from a wave tank in Arizona, who heads to surf the season on the North Shore of Oahu and see if he has the skills to cut it as a pro surfer...
. Real-life surfers Kelly Slater
Kelly Slater
Robert Kelly Slater is an American professional surfer known for his competitive prowess and style. He has been crowned ASP World Champion a record 11 times, including 5 consecutive titles from 1994–98. He is the youngest and the oldest to win the title...
and Rob Machado
Rob Machado
Robert Edward Machado is an American professional surfer from Cardiff-by-the-Sea, a community in Encinitas , California....
have vignettes as their penguin surfer counterparts. To obtain the desired hand-held documentary feel, the film's animation team motion-captured a physical camera operator's moves.
Plot
A documentary crew follows the events of Cody Maverick (voiced by Shia LaBeoufShia LaBeouf
Shia Saide LaBeouf is an American actor who became known among younger audiences for his part in the Disney Channel series Even Stevens and made his film debut in Holes . In 2007, he starred as the leads in Disturbia and Transformers...
) a 17-year-old rockhopper penguin
Rockhopper penguin
The rockhopper penguins are three closely related taxa of crested penguins that have been traditionally treated as a single species and are sometimes split into two or three species. Not all experts agree on the classification of these penguins...
residing in Shiverpool, Antarctica. After a childhood visit from surf legend Zeke "Big Z" Topanga, Cody aspires to emulate the renowned legend by becoming a famous and respected surfer.
Talent scout Mikey Abromowitz (voiced by Mario Cantone
Mario Cantone
Mario Cantone is an American stand-up comedian, writer and actor, with numerous appearances on Comedy Central including Chappelle's Show. He also played Anthony Marentino on Sex and the City...
) arrives in Shiverpool scouting for surfers to compete in the Big Z Memorial Surf Contest. Cody joins the group of surfers, and quickly befriends Chicken Joe (voiced by Jon Heder
Jon Heder
Jonathan Joseph "Jon" Heder is an American screenwriter, actor, and filmmaker. His feature film debut came in 2004 as the title character of the comedy film Napoleon Dynamite...
), an easy-going surfer from Sheboygan, Wisconsin
Sheboygan, Wisconsin
-Airport:Sheboygan is served by the Sheboygan County Memorial Airport, which is located several miles from the city.-Roads:Interstate 43 is the primary north-south transportation route into Sheboygan, and forms the west boundary of the city. U.S...
. Soon after arriving at Pen Gu Island (along with other prominent surfers Renato Mendes (Brazil), Rory Nubbins (Australia), and Tatsuhi Kobayashi (Japan)), Cody crosses paths with the local lifeguard named Lani Aliikai (voiced by Zooey Deschanel
Zooey Deschanel
Zooey Claire Deschanel is an American actress, musician, and singer-songwriter. In 1999, Deschanel made her film debut in Mumford, followed by her breakout role as young protagonist William Miller's troubled older sister Anita in Cameron Crowe's 2000 semi-autobiographical film Almost Famous...
) as she rescues the penguin child, Arnold, from "drowning", and upon first sight, Cody falls in love with her.
Shortly thereafter, Cody has an altercation with the egotistical Tank "The Shredder" Evans (voiced by Diedrich Bader
Diedrich Bader
Karl Diedrich Bader , better known as Diedrich Bader, is an American actor, voice artist and comedian. Many know him for his roles as Oswald Lee Harvey on The Drew Carey Show, Lawrence from the film Office Space, the Tae Kwon Do instructor Rex from Napoleon Dynamite, Tank "Shredder" Evans in Surf's...
), a large muscular penguin and nine time winner of the Big Z Competition, when he witnesses Tank hurling stones at Big Z's memorial
Memorial
A memorial is an object which serves as a focus for memory of something, usually a person or an event. Popular forms of memorials include landmark objects or art objects such as sculptures, statues or fountains, and even entire parks....
shrine
Shrine
A shrine is a holy or sacred place, which is dedicated to a specific deity, ancestor, hero, martyr, saint, daemon or similar figure of awe and respect, at which they are venerated or worshipped. Shrines often contain idols, relics, or other such objects associated with the figure being venerated....
. The disturbance catches the attention of promoter Reggie Belefonte (voiced by James Woods
James Woods
James Howard Woods is an American film, stage and television actor. Woods is known for starring in critically acclaimed films such as Once Upon a Time in America, Salvador, Nixon, Ghosts of Mississippi, Casino, and in the television legal drama Shark. He has won three Emmy Awards, and has gained...
), all too eager to allow Cody to challenge Tank to a surf-off on the spot. Unfortunately, Cody's inexperience with the challenges the competition has to offer leads to a terrible wipeout, and he is injured when he steps on a poison
Poison
In the context of biology, poisons are substances that can cause disturbances to organisms, usually by chemical reaction or other activity on the molecular scale, when a sufficient quantity is absorbed by an organism....
ous fire urchin
Sea urchin
Sea urchins or urchins are small, spiny, globular animals which, with their close kin, such as sand dollars, constitute the class Echinoidea of the echinoderm phylum. They inhabit all oceans. Their shell, or "test", is round and spiny, typically from across. Common colors include black and dull...
. Lani takes Cody to the jungle home of a hermit called the Geek (voiced by Jeff Bridges
Jeff Bridges
Jeffrey Leon "Jeff" Bridges is an American actor and musician. He won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his role as Otis "Bad" Blake in the 2009 film Crazy Heart....
) in order to get help for his injuries and to recuperate. Meanwhile, Geek pulls out the spike Cody stepped on and suddenly Cody jumps awake. Geek goes into his cupboard and takes out a saw. Cody then tries to break free of Lani's grip just as Geek eventually takes out a pot. He fills it with rainwater and he drinks, as he is intending to urinate on Cody's foot.
Upon waking up, Cody is quickly shooed out of Geek's house. He shows Cody the route back to the beach, and leaves the young penguin be. When Geek finds Cody's necklace in his hut, he returns to the path fork, finding Cody, still sitting on a log, and returns the Big Z necklace. Geek then notices the log's type, Koa (of which all the best surfboards are made), and decides to make Cody a surfboard. Cody at first refuses, saying "Nah" but Geek demands for him to make a surfboard saying "What? I come all this way to give you your necklace and I offer you to make a board and you say, 'Nah'?"
While carrying the log back to Geek's house, the two lose control of it and the log starts rolling down a cliff. The two run after it, and the young surfer notices the cliff looks over a beautiful and pristine beach. Unable to contain his curiosity, Cody treks down the steep cliff, inadvertently taking Geek with him. On the beach, Cody explores a toppled tree and soon realizes it houses several old surfboards, those of Big Z's. Geek is seen investigating a dilapidated shack littered with messages of grief from Big Z's fans, and from his nostalgic reaction, Cody realizes that the Geek is Big Z.
Cody's excitement that his lifetime hero still lives is unleashed in a torrent of questions and theories as to what happened, much to the chagrin of Z, who quickly takes to hiding within his old home. Cody lures Z from the hut, having pulled Z's old boards from their resting spot and attempting to surf with them. Cody takes a few more wipeouts as he attempts to get Z in the water, but slowly manages to work tips from Big Z. Cody is told that he won't be doing any surfing until he has made a board of his own.
Cody, eager to make his own board, is unwilling to listen to Z's advice on making a surfboard. Z backs off, and allows Cody to pry his way through the wood, creating a "work in progress" gouged plank that quickly snaps once in the water. Cody becomes irritated and leaves the beach, leaving Z behind, Z all the time calling after Cody that he will come back. Cody runs into Lani, who reveals that she knew of Geek's true persona, and that he was her uncle. Lani then takes Cody to a series of tubes in the island, and, after a thrilling race through the tubes and a "winning" landing in glow worm droppings, a shower, and a talk, Lani convinces Cody to return to Z. Cody complies, realizing his folly, and returns to Z's beach, beginning work on a new surfboard under the bright moonlight.
In the morning, Z awakens Cody to start his training, but on land. When Z tried to teach Cody to enjoy surfing more than winning, Cody was too focused on the competition, that he said he had "no time for fun." In their training, Z seemed to enjoy playing more than Cody, who became impatient for a while. Then Cody, initially irritated by the low-progress training, soon exclaims that he is "having fun." Z then gives Cody the OK to go into the water, and joins him in the surfing. Lani soon arrives on the beach and joins the duo as they surf the rest of the day away.
In the evening, Cody asks Big Z to come and watch him surf in the Big Z Memorial Surf competition. Z is highly reluctant, becoming irritated with the questioning, but ashamedly reveals the truth behind his disappearance. Cody is in disbelief that his hero had given up. Tossing his necklace into the dark waves, Cody storms off, intending to win the contest alone. Cody continues through the forest and is caught in a trap set by the natives of Pen Gu island. Chicken Joe appears, having been looking for Cody ever since his disappearance, and he retrieves Cody just as the horn blows for the start of the Surf Off.
Taking the audience by surprise, the three finalists turn out to be Cody, Tank, and Joe, who turns out to be a natural born surfer. Before the final, Lani breaks up with Cody, saying that he said that he cares about winning more than her and Z last night. In the final, Tank attempts to take out Chicken Joe, but Cody helps his friend escape an attack, even though that results in Cody and Tank becoming disqualified for surfing out of bounds. Then they need to safely surf through the rocks near the beach. Tank is knocked out cold after colliding with the rocks, so Lani comes to his rescue. Cody is saved by Z, who was watching the competition secretly, and together they swim back ashore. In doing so Z reveals his presence to the crowd, eventually inviting all to the north shore to surf. Cody finishes talking with the documentary crew at this point and joins his friends in the water. The film comes to a close with Big Z, Cody, Lani, and many others surfing the waves as the sun sets.
During the first few minutes of the end credits, there is a last interview with Cody's mother and brother, Glenn. His mother is revealed to not mind that Cody didn't win, but Glenn still sees Cody as a loser. His mother then tells Glenn that she wishes he could be more like Cody, to which Glenn responds by telling the cameraman "This interview's over." After the credits, Glenn is seen mumbling and throwing the documentary crew's equipment out of the window, ending the scene with "Go back to Hollywood!" as he covers the camera.
Voice cast
- Shia LaBeoufShia LaBeoufShia Saide LaBeouf is an American actor who became known among younger audiences for his part in the Disney Channel series Even Stevens and made his film debut in Holes . In 2007, he starred as the leads in Disturbia and Transformers...
as Cody Maverick - A seventeen year old Northern Rockhopper PenguinNorthern Rockhopper PenguinThe Northern Rockhopper Penguin, Eudyptes c. moseleyi, is usually considered a subspecies of rockhopper penguin, although fairly recent studies show evidence of distinction from the Southern Rockhopper Penguin group Eudyptes c. chrysocome/E. c. filholi.A study published in 2009 showed that the...
who is determined to win the tenth annual Big Z Memorial Surf Off. - Jeff BridgesJeff BridgesJeffrey Leon "Jeff" Bridges is an American actor and musician. He won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his role as Otis "Bad" Blake in the 2009 film Crazy Heart....
as Ezekiel 'Big Z' Topanga/Geek - The uncle of Lani and a former surfer who Cody first met when he was a young penguin. After been beaten in surf off with Tank Big Z went into hiding and went under the name of Geek but at the end of the film came back into the public eye. - Zooey DeschanelZooey DeschanelZooey Claire Deschanel is an American actress, musician, and singer-songwriter. In 1999, Deschanel made her film debut in Mumford, followed by her breakout role as young protagonist William Miller's troubled older sister Anita in Cameron Crowe's 2000 semi-autobiographical film Almost Famous...
as Lani Aliikai - The niece of Big Z and Cody's love interest who works as a lifeguard. - Jon HederJon HederJonathan Joseph "Jon" Heder is an American screenwriter, actor, and filmmaker. His feature film debut came in 2004 as the title character of the comedy film Napoleon Dynamite...
as Chicken Joe - A wannabe surfer who befriends Cody when they go to the Big Z Memorial Surf Off. - Mario CantoneMario CantoneMario Cantone is an American stand-up comedian, writer and actor, with numerous appearances on Comedy Central including Chappelle's Show. He also played Anthony Marentino on Sex and the City...
as Mikey Abromowitz - A talent scout who is sent out to find wannabe surfers. - James WoodsJames WoodsJames Howard Woods is an American film, stage and television actor. Woods is known for starring in critically acclaimed films such as Once Upon a Time in America, Salvador, Nixon, Ghosts of Mississippi, Casino, and in the television legal drama Shark. He has won three Emmy Awards, and has gained...
as Reggie Belafonte - an otterOtterThe Otters are twelve species of semi-aquatic mammals which feed on fish and shellfish, and also other invertebrates, amphibians, birds and small mammals....
who used to manage Big Z but later managed Tank. His character is loosely based on boxing promoter Don King. - Diedrich BaderDiedrich BaderKarl Diedrich Bader , better known as Diedrich Bader, is an American actor, voice artist and comedian. Many know him for his roles as Oswald Lee Harvey on The Drew Carey Show, Lawrence from the film Office Space, the Tae Kwon Do instructor Rex from Napoleon Dynamite, Tank "Shredder" Evans in Surf's...
as Tank "The Shredder" Evans - The main antagonistAntagonistAn antagonist is a character, group of characters, or institution, that represents the opposition against which the protagonist must contend...
. A surfer who has won the Big Z Memorial Surf Off nine times and was the reason Big Z went into hiding. - Rebecca Honig as Mila Savanah
- Dana BelbenDana BelbenDana L. Belben is an American voice actress, animator, screenwriter, effects artist, and comedienne.-Career:Belben worked as story editor on Happy Tree Friends, as well as providing the voices for Giggles, Petunia, and Cub....
as Edna Maverick - Cody and Glen's mother. - Brian PosehnBrian PosehnBrian Edmund Posehn is an American actor, voice actor, musician and comedian, known for his roles as mail clerk Kevin Liotta on NBC's Just Shoot Me!, a cast member and writer on HBO's Mr. Show, and most recently as Brian Spukowski on Comedy Central's The Sarah Silverman Program.-Early life:Posehn...
as Glen Maverick - Edna's son and Cody's older brother. - Kelly SlaterKelly SlaterRobert Kelly Slater is an American professional surfer known for his competitive prowess and style. He has been crowned ASP World Champion a record 11 times, including 5 consecutive titles from 1994–98. He is the youngest and the oldest to win the title...
as Himself - Rob MachadoRob MachadoRobert Edward Machado is an American professional surfer from Cardiff-by-the-Sea, a community in Encinitas , California....
as Himself - Sal MasekelaSal MasekelaSelema Mabena "Sal" Masekela is an American television host, sports commentator, actor, and singer.-Biography:...
as SPEN Announcer - Reed Buck as Arnold
- Michael McKeanMichael McKeanMichael John McKean is an American actor, comedian, writer, composer and musician, perhaps best known for his portrayal of Squiggy's friend, Leonard 'Lenny' Kosnowski, on the sitcom Laverne and Shirley; and for his work in the Christopher Guest ensemble films, particularly as David St...
as Rock (deleted scenes) (uncredited) - Jane KrakowskiJane KrakowskiJane Krakowski is an American actress and singer. She is most well known for her performance of Elaine Vassal on Ally McBeal, for which she was nominated for a Golden Globe Award, and for her current role as Jenna Maroney on the NBC sitcom 30 Rock, for which she has been nominated for three Emmy...
as Sheila Limberfin (deleted scenes) (uncredited) - Mindy SterlingMindy SterlingMindy Lee Sterling is an American actress. Although she had worked in film for over 30 years, she only began to garner attention after playing Frau Farbissina, the diminutive and domineering Germanic cohort of Dr. Evil in the Austin Powers series of comedy films, and has a recurring role as Ms...
as Doris Flipkitz (deleted scenes) (uncredited)
Soundtrack
Surf's Up: Music from the Motion Picture was released on June 5, 2007. The following 14 songs are on Sony's official film soundtrack.But after another was added in itunes song called: Get Delirious by Lil 'Chris. This will include 15 official songs.
According to the film's end credits, the version of "Wipe Out" heard in the film is actually performed by the punk band The Queers
The Queers
The Queers are a punk band formed in 1981 by Portsmouth, New Hampshire native Joe King . The band originally broke up in 1984, but reformed with Joe Queer and a new line-up in 1986. In 1990, the band signed with Shakin' Street Records and released their first album Grow Up...
. The official soundtrack includes this version under the pseudonym
Pseudonym
A pseudonym is a name that a person assumes for a particular purpose and that differs from his or her original orthonym...
"Big Nose," presumably for marketing purposes. Two songs by Green Day
Green Day
Green Day is an American punk rock band formed in 1987. The band consists of lead vocalist and guitarist Billie Joe Armstrong, bassist and backing vocalist Mike Dirnt, and drummer Tre Cool...
, "Welcome to Paradise
Welcome to Paradise
"Welcome to Paradise" is a song by the American punk rock band Green Day. It was released as the second single from its third studio album and its major label debut, Dookie. The original version of the song was released on the band's second studio album, Kerplunk and was re-recorded for Dookie in...
" and "Holiday
Holiday (Green Day song)
7" picture discVinyl Boxset* Live tracks recorded September 21, 2004 at Irving Plaza, New York-Music video:The first half of the video takes place in a car , where Billie Joe Armstrong, Mike Dirnt and Tré Cool are partying around the town...
", are used for background music in the film. However, neither song appears on the official soundtrack album. In the primary teaser trailer, the song "Get on Top" by the Red Hot Chili Peppers
Red Hot Chili Peppers
Red Hot Chili Peppers is an American rock band, formed in Los Angeles in 1983. The group's musical style primarily consists of rock with an emphasis on funk, as well as elements from other genres such as punk, hip hop and psychedelic rock...
can be heard in the background. "Welcome to Paradise" was also used in the second trailer promoting Surf's Up, as well as "Three Little Birds
Three Little Birds
"Three Little Birds" is a song by Bob Marley & The Wailers. It is the fourth track on side two of their 1977 album Exodus and was released as a single in 1980. The song reached the Top 20 in the UK, peaking at number 17. It is one of Bob Marley's most popular songs. The song has been covered by...
" by Sean Paul
Sean Paul
Sean Paul Ryan Francis Henriques , who performs under stage name Sean Paul, is a Jamaican pop rap and reggae singer.-1973–1996: Early life:...
featuring Ziggy Marley
Ziggy Marley
David "Ziggy" Marley is a Jamaican musician and leader of the band Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers. He is the oldest son of famed reggae musician Bob Marley...
.
The DVD and Blu-ray behind-the-scenes featurette entitled "Making Waves" features the song "The Water", performed by Venice
Venice (band)
Venice was started in Venice, California in 1977 by cousins Michael Lennon and Kipp Lennon . Michael's brother Mark joined the band in 1978, followed by Kipp's brother Pat in 1980. Kipp and Pat are two of eleven siblings, and are younger brothers of the Lennon Sisters...
. This also does not appear on the "Surf's Up" soundtrack, but can be found on Venice's "Garage Demos Part 2: Fast Stuff" CD.
Score
Surf's Up: Original Ocean Picture Score was composed for the film by Mychael DannaMychael Danna
Mychael Danna is a Canadian film composer.-Life and career:Mychael Danna is the brother of fellow composer Jeff Danna. He has been scoring films since his 1987 feature debut for Atom Egoyan's Family Viewing, a score which earned Danna the first of his thirteen Genie Award nominations. He has won...
and it was released on a limited edition (of a thousand units) 23 track CD.
Box office
The film opened at number four and grossed $5,804,772 at the box office on its opening day in North America. It grossed $17,640,249 in its opening weekend. The film eventually grossed $58,867,694 in North America and $90,176,819 in the other territories, making the total worldwide gross $149,044,513.Critical response
Surf's Up has received generally positive reviews from critics, and the film is 'Certified Fresh' on Rotten TomatoesRotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is a website devoted to reviews, information, and news of films—widely known as a film review aggregator. Its name derives from the cliché of audiences throwing tomatoes and other vegetables at a poor stage performance...
, with a 77% approval rating among reviews. Some noted that in spite of it coming so soon after many films featuring penguins (The Pebble and the Penguin
The Pebble and the Penguin
The Pebble and the Penguin is a 1995 animated musical film, based on the true life mating rituals of the Adelie Penguins in Antarctica, produced and directed by Don Bluth and Gary Goldman. The film was released to theatres on April 11, 1995 by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in the United States and...
, March of the Penguins
March of the Penguins
March of the Penguins is a 2005 French nature documentary film. It was directed and co-written by Luc Jacquet, and co-produced by Bonne Pioche and the National Geographic Society. The film depicts the yearly journey of the emperor penguins of Antarctica...
, Madagascar
Madagascar (2005 film)
Madagascar is a 2005 computer-animated film produced by DreamWorks Animation, and released in movie theaters on May 27, 2005. The film tells the story of four Central Park Zoo animals who have spent their lives in blissful captivity and are unexpectedly shipped back to Africa, getting shipwrecked...
, and Happy Feet
Happy Feet
Happy Feet is a 2006 American-Australian computer-animated family film with music, directed and co-written by George Miller. It was produced at Sydney-based visual effects and animation studio Animal Logic for Warner Bros., Village Roadshow Pictures and Kingdom Feature Productions and was released...
), it was able to stand out on its own. This was an improvement from Open Season
Open Season (film)
Open Season is a 2006 computer-animated comedy film, written by Steve Bencich and Ron J. Friedman and directed by Jill Culton, Roger Allers, and Anthony Stacchi, and production designed by Michael Humphries...
, Sony Pictures Animation's previous film, which received mixed reviews.
It was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature in January 2008. While Ratatouille
Ratatouille (film)
Ratatouille is a 2007 American computer-animated comedy film produced by Pixar Animation Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Pictures. It is the eighth film produced by Pixar, and was directed by Brad Bird, who took over from Jan Pinkava in 2005...
(the eventual winner) and Persepolis
Persepolis (film)
Persepolis is a 2007 French animated film based on Marjane Satrapi's autobiographical graphic novel of the same name. The film was written and directed by Satrapi with Vincent Paronnaud. The story follows a young girl as she comes of age against the backdrop of the Iranian Revolution. The story...
were widely regarded as being certain nominees, some thought that the third nominee in this category would be The Simpsons Movie
The Simpsons Movie
The Simpsons Movie is a 2007 American animated comedy film based on the animated television series The Simpsons. The film was directed by David Silverman, and stars the regular television cast of Dan Castellaneta, Julie Kavner, Nancy Cartwright, Yeardley Smith, Hank Azaria, Harry Shearer, Tress...
.
Awards
Surf's Up was nominated for 10 Annie Awards including two won. It lost all other awards to Ratatouille. The nominations including:- Best Animated Feature: Sony Pictures Animation
- Animated Effects: Deborah Carlson(won)
- Animation Production Artist: John Clark (won)
- Character Animation in a Feature Production: Dave Hardin
- Character Animation in a Feature Production: Alan Hawkins
- Character Design in an Animated Feature Production: Sylvain Deboissy
- Directing in an Animated Feature Production: Ash Brannon & Chris Buck
- Production Design in an Animated Feature Production: Marcelo Vignali
- Storyboarding in an Animated Feature Production: Denise Koyama
- Writing in an Animated Feature Production: Don Rhymer and Ash Brannon & Chris Buck
It was also nominated for the 80th Academy Awards
80th Academy Awards
The 80th Academy Awards ceremony honored the best films in 2007 and was broadcast from the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, California on ABC beginning at 5:30 p.m. PST/8:30 p.m. EST, February 24, 2008 . During the ceremony, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences presented Academy Awards in 24...
for Academy Award for Best Animated Feature
Academy Award for Best Animated Feature
The Academy Award for Best Animated Feature is one of the annual awards given by the Los Angeles-based professional organization, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences...
but lost to Ratatouille.
Convention Exclusives/Promotional Merchandise
To promote the film's release, surfboard wax bearing the film's logo and a rendering of Cody was given out at the 2006 San Diego Comic-ConMcDonald's
On June 8, McDonald'sMcDonald's
McDonald's Corporation is the world's largest chain of hamburger fast food restaurants, serving around 64 million customers daily in 119 countries. Headquartered in the United States, the company began in 1940 as a barbecue restaurant operated by the eponymous Richard and Maurice McDonald; in 1948...
issued eight Surf's Up toys in their Happy Meals for one month. Each meal came with one of the following:
- Cody figurine with a surfboard.
- Rip Curl Cody (a tiny plastic penguin in a water globe shaped like a curl wave).
- Lani with a surfboard.
- Chicken Joe (a swaying bobbler on a board).
- Geek rides a plastic "wave" on a surfboard.
- Tank speeds on a board riding a wave.
- Reggie (spins on a surfboard).
- Big Z Boneyard Challenge (rectangular water tank with a floating Big Z on blue "water").
In the Australian market, a few small plush
Stuffed animal
A stuffed toy is a toy sewn from cloth, plush, or other textiles, and stuffed with straw, beans, plastic pellets, cotton, synthetic fibres, or other similar materials. Stuffed toys are also known as plush toys A stuffed toy is a toy sewn from cloth, plush, or other textiles, and stuffed with straw,...
characters of Cody, Lani, Chicken Joe, and Geek replace some of the toys in the US lineup.
Carl's Jr.
Promoting the release of the film on DVD, the "Cool Kids Combos" at Carl's Jr.Carl's Jr.
Carl's Jr. is an American fast-food restaurant chain located mostly in the Western and Southwestern United States. The first store has opened in Canada in Kelowna, BC. They are in the process of expanding to Mexico, Malaysia, Denmark, Costa Rica, New Zealand, Australia, Singapore, Russia, Vietnam,...
locations included Halloween themed Trick-Or-Treat bags with Halloween inspired Surf's Up characters on either side (Lani in witch garb, Cody as a vampire). A two-sided puzzle was available, as well as a figurine of the Geek, including stickers.
There appear to be one other set of toys available in the Cool Kids meals as well. Those included are a Cody figurine with spring-launch surfboard, a Lani figurine that balances on a surfboard, Chicken Joe, a bobble type figure
Stuffed animal
A stuffed toy is a toy sewn from cloth, plush, or other textiles, and stuffed with straw, beans, plastic pellets, cotton, synthetic fibres, or other similar materials. Stuffed toys are also known as plush toys A stuffed toy is a toy sewn from cloth, plush, or other textiles, and stuffed with straw,...
, much like the McDonald's release. The last toy is a set of stickers with two backgrounds.
Air Heads candy
There was also a tie-in with the candy Air Heads which introduces a "New Wave" flavor (pineapple) and four collectible lenticularLenticular printing
Lenticular printing is a technology in which a lenticular lens is used to produce images with an illusion of depth, or the ability to change or move as the image is viewed from different angles...
motion surf board shaped pieces. The characters included are as follows:
- Cody Maverick: "An up and coming 18 year old surfer hailing from Shiverpool, Antarctica, who aspires to live up to the legend of his idol, the late Big Z"
- Lani: "The beautiful but tough penguin lifeguard of Pen Gu Island's South Beach"
- The Geek: "A washed-up, overweight and cantankerous King Penguin who becomes Cody's mentor."
- Chicken Joe: "Having mastered the 12-inch swells of Lake Michigan, has set his sights on the monster waves of Pen Gu Island"
It should be noted that the bios on the boards are mistaken in places. Cody is "seventeen years of age" in the film, and Geek is listed as an emperor penguin in source material.
Baskin-Robbins 31
Several special edition Surf's Up ice cream flavors were offered, including "Splish Splash" and "Penguin Swirl"Kold-To-Go Thermal Insulated Surf's Up Bags
Coldkeepers, LLC made custom printed Kold-To-Go thermal bags featuring the Surf's Up lead characters. The bags were sold from May to July 2007 in major grocery store chains across the nation. official site.Build-A-Bear
Build A Bear stores sold plush toys of the film's protagonist, Cody Maverick. Patrons could "build" their own Cody as well as dress him up in an array of surf-themed clothing and other accessories in Build A Bear workshops. They could also purchase Cody and accessories at the official site.Plushes
Several plushes from Nanco intended for claw machines can also be found and purchased in varying sizes (from 6 inches to 11 inches to 17 inches). Characters available: Cody, Lani, Tank, Geek, Big Z, Chicken Joe, and Reggie Belefonte.A rare set of larger (Geek measures 15 inches) and higher quality plushes had been made available at the premiere's after party. Won either through available games, or given away with gift sets for attendees. Cody, Lani, Arnold and Geek were created and so far no plans for the dolls to be sold commercially have appeared.
Puzzles
A series of children's 100 piece puzzles are available as well depicting various characters and setups.Surf's Up Little Tub Surfers
Five inch waterproof plush tub toys released by Jakks PacificJakks Pacific
JAKKS Pacific, Inc. is a designer and marketer of toys and consumer products, with a range of products that feature numerous children's toy licenses...
in minimal quantities to most major retailers. Five characters were produced, including Cody, Tank, Big Z, Arnold, & Chicken Joe. Each character has an attached washcloth/surfboard, but sport questionable likenesses (and in the case of Chicken Joe, entirely off model, bearing more of a resemblance to Mikey).
Six Surf's Up eggs that allow you to "hatch" a character and let it grow in water are also available.
Miscellaneous
There are Cody and Lani themed comforters (full, twin, single), bed sheet sets, and throw pillows available. As well as children's underwear with Geek and Cody's visage on the garments. Several trinkets such as Surf's Up charm bracelets, necklaces, and character key chains exist.Books
The film saw the release of an extensive batch of printed media, mostly aimed towards young children.- Surf's Up: The Movie Storybook
- Surf's Up: The Art and Making of a True Story (written by a ghost-writer posing as Cody Maverick)
- Surf's Up Look & Find (Not unlike "Where's Waldo?" simplified)
- Surf's Up: The Life & Times of Cody Maverick
- Surf's Up: The Unauthorized Biography
- Surf's Up: The Legend of Big Z
- Surf's Up Interactive Sound Book
- Surf's Up: The Winning Wave
- Surf's Up Paint Book
- Surf's Up Coloring and Activity Book 3-in-1
- Surf's Up Coloring and Activity Book and Tattoos
- Surf's Up: Meet the Characters, and Island Adventures ("I Can Read" books)
- Surf's Up Reusable Sticker Book
- Surf's Up Activity Book w/Crayons
- Surf's Up Coloring and Activity Book and Stickers (Big Z centered)
Video games
Along with the release of the film, a companion Surf's Up video gameSurf's Up (video game)
Surf's Up is the video game based on Sony Pictures Animation film of the same name. Surf's Up the video game follows the basic story of Cody Maverick in the movie...
was released for all the current video gaming systems on the market. All versions of the game are the same with mild graphical differences, with only the Nintendo DS
Nintendo DS
The is a portable game console produced by Nintendo, first released on November 21, 2004. A distinctive feature of the system is the presence of two separate LCD screens, the lower of which is a touchscreen, encompassed within a clamshell design, similar to the Game Boy Advance SP...
version changing the overall format.
The film was also made in to a mobile video game by developer Gameloft
Gameloft
Gameloft SA is a major French computer and video game developer and publisher headquartered in Paris, France. The company also has subsidiaries in 31 countries around the world....
, which became available on cell phones.
Home media
Surf's Up was released on high-definition Blu-ray DiscBlu-ray Disc
Blu-ray Disc is an optical disc storage medium designed to supersede the DVD format. The plastic disc is 120 mm in diameter and 1.2 mm thick, the same size as DVDs and CDs. Blu-ray Discs contain 25 GB per layer, with dual layer discs being the norm for feature-length video discs...
, PSP UMD
Universal Media Disc
The Universal Media Disc is an optical disc medium developed by Sony for use on their PlayStation Portable handheld gaming and multimedia platform...
Video and DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
on October 9, 2007. It is sold in both Widescreen and Fullscreen versions.
- Wal-Mart had copies of the DVD paired with an exclusive "soundtrack CD sampler" and plastic Big Z necklace.
- Toys R Us received select copies of the DVD with a "create your own surfboard" kit.
- Best Buy sold a box set that included the widescreen DVD and four character figurines. Cody, Lani, Chicken Joe, and Geek stand about three to four inches and have rolling "surfboards."
- Circuit City had a box set including a plush Cody, fullscreen DVD, and wrist band.
- Vons supermarkets, a division of Safeway, had a promotion during October, 2007 (the release of the DVD) in which one purchases $50 of select items and the customer receives a free DVD of Surf's Up
- Blockbuster had copies of the DVD that came with Surf's Up boxer shorts.
- The DVD release includes The ChubbChubbs!The ChubbChubbs!The ChubbChubbs! is a 2002 American computer-animated comedy short film by Sony Pictures Imageworks. It was directed by Eric Armstrong, produced by Jacquie Barnbrook, and written by Jeff Wolverton....
and The ChubbChubbs Save XmasThe ChubbChubbs Save XmasThe ChubbChubbs Save Xmas is a 2007 computer-animated short by Sony Pictures Animation. It was produced by Kirk Bodyfelt and directed by Cody Cameron...
.
See also
- 2007 in film2007 in filmThis is a list of major films released in 2007.-Top grossing films:Please note that following the tradition of the English-language film industry, these are the top grossing films that were first released in the USA in 2007...
- List of animated feature-length films
- List of computer-animated films
External links
- Official DVD website
- Behind-the-Scenes with Sony Pictures Animation - articles about the film production, mostly technical
- Surf's Up at the 35th Annie Awards