Taylor Steele’s The Drifter staring Rob Machado doesn’t follow the typical format of surf flicks out these days.
If your ability to be entertained by a surf video relies on a series of dudes destroying a wave, a pop soundtrack, shenanigans, and repeat then The Drifter might not appeal to you. Don’t get me wrong, I dig “surf porn” as much as the next overly-hyped-on-surf-30-year-old-dude but I found the Drifter to be a refreshing change for a surf film.
The gist of the film is Rob Machado surfing in Bali. But the difference is it’s emotional, introspective, pseudo documentary feel. If the format of a typical surf film is a 24oz Monster Energy Drink, The Drifter would be a cup of green tea. Probably decaf.
Most videos I find myself struggling to comprehend how some dude just made that drop or another managed to get around that Alley-oop 360 and then duck right into a barrel. That kind of shiz though sick to watch and definitely entertaining seems pretty unattainable.
The waves Rob surfs in Bali are big sick barreling lefts for the most part. I’m sure I’d think twice before paddling into the same waves but the surfing in this movie looks a lot more appealing to me.
The soundtrack is really good. Songs from the Black Keys, The Raconteurs, Jose Gonzales, MGMT meld perfectly with the feel of each scene. Rock it below:
You can get The Drifter on Amazon or at ya local surf shop.
Here’s a trailer.
Gotta love Machado. Def checking out this flick.
think i've watched this one about six times in the last two weeks… The Present is a good one too.
checked it out a few weekends ago not hte typical surfer film. Translations of the locals conversations are hilarious. havent seen it but Sipping jetstreams supposed to be awesome as well. same director
[youtube qbBcRC2j37Y http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qbBcRC2j37Y youtube]
Worth watching a few times as long as you can FF a little and could mute the dialog. Yeah, Rob lost in Indo for months…doesn't he have a wife and kids?
Coast guard is training in La Push today again….probably not on image by the time you see it, but if you can always fun to see boats in the swell…unless you are surfing that day.
http://www.forkswa.com/webcam/netcam.jpg
I couldn’t stop laughing at all the introspective crap machado was spewing. “when you think you’re most alone, you’re not alone at all…” bullshit. He’s a spoiled pro surfer, not a psychologist. I saw a screening of it and Rob said he just stayed in Kuta the whole time and did two or three day side trips ‘cuz of their 20-person film crew. His family was in Bali too. Not the whole “going feral in indo” angle he and Steele are selling. That left he surfs on a 5′6 was sick though. Too actual surfing was only 5% of the movie.
Served.
I gotta agree with WaWa. Rob M. is a pro surfer who gets paid to travel the world and surf. Kind of a cheese dick. Plus, he’s really good, we’d probably be getting worked on those same waves. But, we might as well try to get to that level (lifestyle and surf skilz).
@R… I was in SD last weekend…4-8ft, 72 degrees, zero wind all day, hot chicks everywhere. It was perfect. But will always love PNW
I agree my ” week of surfing” consists of spending 5 days staring at a computer doing math problems and 1 to 2 days of surfing. and the surfing part usaly consists of sitting in a car for 6 hrs, hiking thru the woods, sleeping in a wet tent, puting on a cold wet suit, and mabey geting a decsent wave every once and a while. and by descent wave I mean a wave that wouldn’t even make it into these surf vids. So a video about someone that gets payedto surf perfect waves trying to “find him self” was a bit much. not that imprested, but there is some good surfing. check out anything by thomas campbell and one california day.
Headin to SD next month!!
Rad. I’m heading down again end of Feb. Which part of SD?
I try to limit my surf porn intake as quality surf is limited here in the PWN. Just got a months worth of waves in 4 days down in Ventura. Fuk that place was ligting up. Right point here, right point there……. And didnt get vibed once!
It's San Diego Afro Bro MELLLLOW Machado. Off course it's gonna be all soleglow mellow folk soundtrack green tea and tofu shiit. Seems like most of the vids I have seen usually have good tunes, but I am selective about the ones I peep.
Sipping's really good! In the collection and make ya wanta buy a ticket and get out. Looking foward to Castles in the Sand or Sky cant remeber exact name but the follow up. And when the hell is Timmy Turners Cold Thoughts comming out? That should be good as well.
Timmy Turner? Are you fucking serious? I would rather chew on tin foil than have to sit one of his movies with the volume turned up. At least with Machado I get the feeling that he’s got a few brain cells to rub together. I bet they could have scooped huge chunks of Timmy’s brain out when he had Staph and the dialog in his upcoming movies would still be just as interesting.
Having said that…TT movies have some bad-ass footage.
couldn't find this trailer on youtube, so sorry ahead of time about the magicseaweed link Drex. Looks like a small production from Ireland i'm guessing? Its all cold water…. which we like. No stoner commentary though, so it might fall into the 'surf porn' category. I actually was interested in buying this but I can't find it anywhere in the states. Anybody else heard of this?
http://magicseaweed.com/From-Shadows-Content/2137...
no idea about that irish surfing flick…but i have heard about this one. supposed to be pretty good. more of a documentary though. http://www.waveridersthefilm.com/
From Shadows is not out yet,
I think its out, http://store.magicseaweed.com/From-Shadows-DVD/It... but apparently you gotta be a euro to get a copy.
still filthy’s pretty damn incredible. lookin forward to watchn the drifter.
I just read a VERY DIFFERENT review of this movie.
Check out the Rob bash.
http://theroadsend.blogspot.com/2009/12/pro-leisu...
its always a trip, the range of characters that show up at the beach, in the lineup, sharing the surf stoke and hate.
claiming advanced-hippy-skills, marketed Zen-image w/ a Hurley logo, or not… just a movie PRODUCED for entertainment right, a bit of a departure from the standard surf-porn and endless-summer styles.
theroadesend (introspective fisherman/waterman?) words/rant/sentiment is contemplative, makes some & seems on-point…. looks like a reaction to a 30 minute TV spot (probably promoting the movie?), not necessarily a "review" of the movie, eh? mos def a Rob bash, or maybe just a "pro-leisurist", surf-industry and cunsumersim rant….
nice.
that's a good read. check it out ya'll.
i've read a few reviews of the Drifter…a few of em say something along the lines of how the whole movie is contrived and is a bunch of BS. that might be true…but whining about how Rob M's ‘pro leisurist' life is about as big of a waste of time as running a blog.
"Guest" is just pluggin' his blog. Interested read from what I assume is a whining, played out surfer.
Check out his other posts – he's exactly like what he claims Machado is, minus the pro surfer status, fashion, and money.
He's still soul searching like the rest of them. Nothing wrong with that, just don't hate.
I may not like seeing people play out the NW and give away info, but surf popularity is there and it is a sport that deserves rewards when you are good enough to obviously out-surf the rest, like Kelly, Rob, Taj, Mick, Laird and the whole plethora of other pros.
Scott (AKA Guest) – you can't tell me if you were pulling aerials left and right and were approached by a brand, that you wouldn't sign for the right price. I know I would, but I don't think they'll be knocking down my door anytime soon (as in never).
plug your blogs all you(s) want. that's part of the deal…
i read a few of his other post as well. i don't know….dude seems to be pretty content. livin off the land, recovering lost patagucci wetsuits, stoking on nature.
everybody soul searching. everybody finds it in the end.
Yeah – the Pata-gucci story was good.
Must be making some money off nature to buy those beasts. Warm, yes…cheap, no
I’d be whining if I lost that too.
Hey Sam O.
About your question—-would I accept an offer for money for ‘aerialism’.
Or any level of surfing ability.
Actually.
Already went that route a while back.
Another sport.
Same damn trade shows.
Kitesurfing.
It was horrible to see the shallow depth of the ocean sport industry.
Left a bad taste in my mouth.
I was a sales and marketing director in the surf industry.
Got out to move back home to Oregon.
Life is better when you surf.
And better when you don”t mix surfing with your profession.
It’s a contradiction.
To me.
I would rather catch fish in the ocean and get paid to do so.
Catching waves—- and proving it is worth someones time to ‘idolize me’ for doing so—is not really that fulfilling.
And not humbling.
As I believe surfing should be.
To me.
But my opinion means nothing.
Just typing a thought.
….
Bought the drifer on itunes for $9.99. Was worth every penny. I like watching surf vid’s that have lifestyles, cultures, documentary styl-ish. Watching a surf vid where its the same wave, same maneuvers, punk music, over and over and over and over, is not my cup of tea. But who cares.
MnM- not sure yet. Thinkin of startin at swamis and surfin the coast all the way back up into WA and only have 9 days to do it. Not so sure now though, been hearin rumors of an “el nino” february down there with wind, rain, and hail storms. After talkin with a shaper down there, i guess its been some nasty conditions down there.