Riding Giants
Brief Synopsis
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An insider's look at the origins of surfing, the colorful and subversive birth of surf culture, and the mythology and lure of the "big wave." This passionate and fluid film is the first authentic history of surfing from its humble Hawaiian beginnings to the big business it became to the still rebell
Cast & Crew
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Stacy Peralta
Director
Greg Noll
Featured Surfer
Jeff Clark
Featured Surfer
Laird Hamilton
Featured Surfer
Titus Kinimaka
Himself
Dave Kalama
Himself
Film Details
MPAA Rating
Genre
Documentary
Sports
Release Date
2004
Production Company
Canal Plus; Danetracks Inc; Quiksilver; StudioCanal; StudioCanal
Distribution Company
Sony Pictures Classics; Cts; Dcm Film Distribution Gmbh; Fandango; Imagem Filmes; Sony Pictures Classics; Sony Pictures Home Entertainment; Sony Pictures Releasing
Technical Specs
Duration
1h 45m
Synopsis
An insider's look at the origins of surfing, the colorful and subversive birth of surf culture, and the mythology and lure of the "big wave." This passionate and fluid film is the first authentic history of surfing from its humble Hawaiian beginnings to the big business it became to the still rebellious universe it inhabits today. A study in individuality and freedom, the pursuit and techniques of pure kinetic pleasure, and the risk taking and attitudes that characterize its leading figures. Closely chronicling the sometimes-life-and-death drama that big-wave riding entails, the film is a visual thrill ride. But also revealed is the realization that the man versus nature dialectic never ends; the search for the ultimate wave and the spiritual pinnacle can only be pursued but never reached.
Director
Stacy Peralta
Director
Cast
Greg Noll
Featured Surfer
Jeff Clark
Featured Surfer
Laird Hamilton
Featured Surfer
Titus Kinimaka
Himself
Dave Kalama
Himself
Sam George
Himself
Pat Curren
Himself
John Milius
Himself
Lyon Hamilton
Himself
Mickey Munoz
Himself
Gabrielle Reece
Herself
Buffalo Keaulana
Himself
Evan Slater
Himself
Mike Stange
Himself
Matt Warshaw
Himself
Grant Washburn
Himself
James Garret
Voice Over Artist
Joe Leahy
Voice Over Artist
Ricky Grigg
Himself
Steve Pezman
Himself
Dick Brewer
Himself
Sam George
Himself
Darrick Doerner
Himself
Brian Keaulana
Himself
Kelly Slater
Himself
Dr. Sarah Gerhardt
Herself
Bill Hamilton
Himself
Peter Cole
Himself
Buzzy Kerbox
Himself
Dr. Mark Renneker
Himself
Walter Hoffman
Himself
Randy Rarick
Himself
Peter Mel
Himself
Crew
Doug Acton
Still Photographer (Mavericks)
Douglas Neal Acton
Photography
Richard Adrian
Sound Effects Editor
Richard Adrian
Sound Effects Design
Dave Alexander
Other
Dave Alexander
Cinematographer (Mavericks)
Chris Appleton
Grip
Eric Bacos
Other
Eric Bacos
Cinematographer (Tahiti)
Bernie Baker
Still Photographer (Waimea), Still Photographer (Hawaii)
Bob Barbour
Still Photographer (Mavericks)
Alan Barker
Sound Recordist
Nancy Barker
Assistant Sound Editor
Lawrence Beck
Still Photographer (Mavericks)
Robert Beck
Still Photographer (Hawaii)
Peter Beraznon
Still Photographer (Mavericks)
John Bilderbeck
Still Photographer (Waimea), Still Photographer (Hawaii)
Warren Bolster
Still Photographer (Hawaii)
Fila Brazillia
Music
Art Brewer
Still Photographer (Hawaii)
Dick Brewer
Other
Lance Brown
Rerecording Mixer
Bud Browne
Still Photographer (Waimea)
Bud Browne
Other
Bud Browne
Cinematographer (Waimea)
Sylvain Cazenave
Still Photographer (Hawaii)
Greg Cesedes
Assistant
Alice In Chains
Music
Christopher Charles
Grip
Peter Cole
Other
Dan Collins
Cinematographer (Mavericks)
Dan Collins
Other
Ede Bell Crowder
Best Girl
Paul Crowder
Editor
Paul Crowder
Music Selection
Paul Crowder
Co-Producer
Zola Jo Crowder
Best Girl
Pat Curren
Other
Patrick Darrin
Additional Cinematography
Patrick Darrin
Other
Dale Davis
Other
Dale Davis
Cinematographer (Waimea)
Dane A. Davis
Sound Supervisor
Dane A. Davis
Sound Design
Cris Dawson
Production Artist
Nathalie Delest
Executive Producer
Jeff Devine
Still Photographer (Waimea), Still Photographer (Mavericks)
Darrick Doerner
Other
Lori Dovi
Sound Recordist
John Elwell
Still Photographer (Waimea)
Tom Feldman
Gaffer
Ralph Flores
Gaffer
Vincent Foillet
Assistant
John Fontana
Grip
Tony Friedkin
Unit Still Photographer
Michael Gatt
Sound Recordist
Sam George
Screenwriter
Sam George
Other
Dr. Sarah Gerhardt
Other
Rob Gilley
Still Photographer
Steven J. Goldfisher
Production Legal
Leroy Grannis
Still Photographer (Waimea)
Rick Greenwald
3-D Surf Action Photo Finishing (Hit Squad)
Ricky Grigg
Other
Paul Hackner
Dialogue Editor
Bill Hamilton
Other
Laird Hamilton
Executive Producer
Lyon Hamilton
Other
Matt Hedges
Sound Editorial Coordinator
Bill Heick
Cinematographer (Mavericks)
Bill Heick
Other
Shawn R Hilleary
Additional Music Clearance
Walter Hoffman
Cinematographer (Waimea)
Walter Hoffman
Still Photographer (Waimea)
Walter Hoffman
Other
David Homcy
Assistant
David Homcy
Unit Still Photographer
Corinne Houillon
Production Manager
Gilles Hucault
Other
Gilles Hucault
Cinematographer (Tahiti)
Bob Johnson
Gaffer
Sebastian Jungwirth
Assistant
Jane Kachmer
Producer
Dave Kalama
Other
Kit Kalionzes
Assistant
Brian Keaulana
Other
Buffalo Keaulana
Other
Tom Keck
Other
Tom Keck
Cinematographer (Waimea)
Buzzy Kerbox
Other
Eddie Kim
Sound Design
Eddie Kim
Sound Supervisor
Don R King
Other
Don R King
Cinematographer
Titus Kinimaka
Other
Andrew Lemon
Motion Control Technician
Andrew Lichtstein
Digital Colorist
Andrew Lichtstein
Telecine
Debra Macculloch
Music Consultant
John Malvino
Cinematographer (Mavericks)
John Malvino
Other
Ken Malvino
Assistant
Jai Mannson
Assistant
Paul Marbury
Assistant
Del Martin
Digital Engineer
Franck Marty
Executive Producer
Lara Mazzawi
Assistant Editor
Jack Mccoy
Cinematographer (Tahiti)
Jack Mccoy
Other
Tim Mckenna
Still Photographer (Tahiti)
David Mcrell
Digital Engineer
Peter Mel
Other
John Milius
Other
Sonny Miller
Other
Sonny Miller
Cinematographer (Hawaii)
Tina Miranda
Transcripts (Typing Plus)
Don Montgomery
Still Photographer (Mavericks)
James Morioka
Dialogue Editor
Bruce Motyer
On-Line Editor
Mickey Munoz
Other
Curt Myers
Cinematographer (Mavericks)
Curt Myers
Other
Dave Nash
Cinematographer (Mavericks)
Dave Nash
Other
Eric Nelson
Other
Eric Nelson
Cinematographer (Mavericks)
Greg Noll
Still Photographer (Waimea)
Greg Noll
Other
Greg Noll
Cinematographer (Waimea)
Agi Orsi
Producer
Agi Orsi
Unit Production Manager
Austin Peralta
Best Boy
Stacy Peralta
Music Selection
Stacy Peralta
Producer
Stacy Peralta
Screenwriter
Mario Perez
Grip
David Perry
Still Photographer (Mavericks)
Kelly Peters
Post-Production Coordinator
Steve Pezman
Other
Peter Pilafian
Cinematographer
Peter Pilafian
Other
Mike Prickett
Cinematographer (Hawaii)
Mike Prickett
Other
Cecy Rangel
Research
Cecy Rangel
Assistant Editor
Cecy Rangel
Production Manager
Randy Rarick
Other
Gabrielle Reece
Other
Dr. Mark Renneker
Other
John Reynolds
Sound Recordist
Mercer Richards
Other
Mercer Richards
Cinematographer (Mavericks)
Jacob Riehle
Assistant Sound Effects Recordist
Kevin Roberts
Other
Kevin Roberts
Additional Cinematography
Chris Rohloff
Still Photographer (Waimea), Still Photographer (Hawaii)
Grant Rohloff
Other
Grant Rohloff
Still Photographer (Waimea), Still Photographer (Hawaii)
Grant Rohloff
Cinematographer (Waimea)
Howard Rosen
Grip
Jerold Rothouse
Assistant
Anthony Roza
Assistant Sound Editor Recordist
Larry Scharflew
Sound Recordist
Maddox Wolf Seeberg
Sound Recordist
Allan Seiden
Still Photographer (Waimea)
Lukas Seno
Grip
Tom Servais
Still Photographer (Hawaii)
John Severson
Still Photographer (Hawaii)
Evan Slater
Other
Kelly Slater
Other
Will Smith
Other
Will Smith
Cinematographer (Mavericks)
Willie Smith
Still Photographer (Mavericks)
Stan Somers
Animated Drawings
Steve Spaulding
Cinematographer (Mavericks)
Steve Spaulding
Other
Mike Stange
Other
Erik Stewart
Animated Drawings
Roger D Thompson
Gaffer
Remi Tournois
Assistant
Christine Triano
Research
Matt Warshaw
Other
Grant Washburn
Cinematographer (Mavericks)
Grant Washburn
Other
Grant Washburn
Associate Producer
Grant Washburn
Still Photographer (Mavericks)
Bryan Watkins
Sound Effects
Linda White
Assistant
Nathan Whitehead
Assistant Sound Editor
Wade Wilson
Sound Effects Editor
Wade Wilson
Sound Effects Design
Darryl Wong
Still Photographer (Hawaii)
Film Details
MPAA Rating
Genre
Documentary
Sports
Release Date
2004
Production Company
Canal Plus; Danetracks Inc; Quiksilver; StudioCanal; StudioCanal
Distribution Company
Sony Pictures Classics; Cts; Dcm Film Distribution Gmbh; Fandango; Imagem Filmes; Sony Pictures Classics; Sony Pictures Home Entertainment; Sony Pictures Releasing
Technical Specs
Duration
1h 45m
Quotes
Trivia
Miscellaneous Notes
Released in United States Summer July 9, 2004
Limited Release in United States July 9, 2004
Released in United States on Video January 4, 2005
Released in United States January 2004
Sony Pictures Classics acquired domestic distribution rights at the 2004 Sundance Film Festival.
Released in United States Summer July 9, 2004
Limited Release in United States July 9, 2004
Released in United States on Video January 4, 2005
Released in United States January 2004 (Shown at Sundance Film Festival (Opening Night) January 15-25, 2004.)
