In anyone else’s hands the Drive Thru Series from Poor Specimen would likely have broken down on the side of the surf film highway years ago. But with Greg Browning at the wheel and Donovan Frankenreiter and Benji Weatherly’s as co-pilots it seems that they just keep getting better and better. This is especially true with Drive Thru Australia, which had its world premiere last night (July 16, 2009) at the world famous La Paloma Theatre in Encinitas, California.
The crowds began showing up at six o’clock and by the time the doors opened for the second of two sold out shows their was a mob out front. And this wasn’t a free surf film showing. It was full pop $8 night at the movies price. While Wired Magazine Editor Chris Anderson may think that digital content is headed for free, the Drive Thru series proves that surfers are not only willing to pay for quality content, but are quite happy doing it. “These are the best surfers in the world,” said one man standing in line for the 9 PM showing. “Of course I’m going to pay to see them.”
The other thing that didn’t seem to bother anyone was that this was Donovan Frankenreiter, Benji Weatherly and Greg Browning’s (pictured right with Pat O’Connell) second drive through Australia. Five years ago (an eternity to groms in the audience) they made a similar trip with Rob Machado, Kalani Robb, and Dean Morrison. This time Pat O’Connell, Shane Dorian, Mark Occhilupo, and Andy Irons joined in.
Follow the jump for more. . .
Straight away the guys head off to Western Oz to meet up with Taj Burrow and surf some seriously ugly surf. In an era of perfect surf porn it was good to see the guys going on in conditions that are blown out, chunked up, and sharky (watch for the men in the grey suits). Andy Irons starts off the trip but somewhere along the way mentions that a cut on his foot has opened up again and is never heard from again.
From there the boys hack their way through a golf course, go skydiving, meet up with Joel Parkinson, and surf a secret spot called Snapper Rocks with six-year-old Jay Occhilupo. Along the way they sing along with a motor home alarm, back over a quad-fin, put wetsuits on backwards (“22 years as a pro surfer and I still can’t figure these things out”) and worry about Australia’s “national fish” the Great White Shark.
What makes this episode of the Drive Thru series so watchable is how real the surfers enthusiasm is for the trip. They are just like every surfer only funnier, better looking, and much much more ripping in the water. And while the surf wasn’t that great, Drive Thru Australia was another dream trip we’d all like to be on, and thanks to Greg Browning and the boys, we all get to go.
The crowd out front.
Transworld Surf Editor-In-Chief Chris Cote signing autographs out front.
Pat O’Connell and Benji Weatherly up in the La Paloma’s roomy VIP section.
Hey, just wanted to say this is a great piece of writing, about an absolutely stellar movie.
I loved that movie so much I bought 5 copies to pass along to friends. The dolphins riding the waves was unbelievable.
Cheers
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