We don’t know surf filmmaker Kai Neville. In fact, we’ve never sat through one of his movies from beginning to end (that we know of). Yes, that’s probably a shame, but we’re likely not alone. That doesn’t keep us from laughing a little when we see how much of a hoopla Mr. Neville can create with his collections of surf clothing marketing material.
Here are a few of the reviews from the January 28, 2015 premiere of his latest film Cluster at The Ace Hotel Los Angeles:
Todd Prodanovich on Surfermag.com “After Cluster”:
The problem with Cluster is actually more of a problem with expectations. Kai Neville’s movies are known for perpetually raising the bar, and that’s what we’ve come to expect, but this time the bar stayed firmly in its place. . . In a world where we can pull up free web clips on our phones featuring surfing and editing on par with anything in Cluster, you have to wonder: if it isn’t the very best, then what’s the point?
Brendan Buckley on Surfingmagazine.com “Should We Talk About Cluster”:
In my post-film bro-brah-beer mingling, I spoke with a few people who questioned what Cluster did that a five-minute edit couldn’t. You end up with the same dopamine rush. The same value of entertainment. The same excitement for surfing when it’s over. One just takes longer. But do people still appreciate the idea of full-length, in all of its unconventional glory, the same way they appreciate a good old fashioned tree-and-chemical-ink magazine? Possibly.
Travis Ferre on WhatYouth.com “THE WORLD PREMIERE OF CLUSTER PRESENTED BY HUF”
Surfers, skaters, musicians, artists, models, writers, drinkers, singers, actors, movers and shakers all came out and had a really damn fine time together. And to think we all gathered to watch surfing — of all the silly things! And God dammit it was beautiful. From the night’s MC (and your photo gallery captioner) Austyn Gillette and his constant reminders that we’re still allowed to be fun and make fun of ourselves and say fuck off and not have to say sorry because this isn’t a country club, to all the surfers involved for dedicating so much time to tearing all over the globe it was a rad night to remember that we can still bring everyone into a ridiculously nice theatre and yell at the the screen together. My dad even said, “That shit was like the ’70s!”
It must be nice for Mr. Neville to see that anything and everything he creates is referred to as the death of one thing or the birth of another. So kudos to Kai and all his corporate sponsors. And as soon as Cluster goes up online (for free) we’ll try and get through it, not that it matters.
