Watch: Barons (trailer)
Well, this will be interesting.
Coming up on the ABC sometime this year is the eight part series, Barons. Widely believed to be based on the trials and tribulations of the developing Quiksilver, Billabong and Rip Curl empires in the 70's, the series was filmed in Australia, the USA and Indonesia in 2021.
Barons was created by Michael Lawrence (Bra Boys, Fighting Fear) and John Molloy (The Gloaming, Molly), and features water cinematography from Taylor Steele. Heading up the cast is Bussleton-born Sean Keenan, who played the main character in Lockie Leonard back in 2007, an award-winning kid's TV series adapted from books written by Tim Winton.
Here's how the ABC's pitching it:
"Set in the 1970’s, a surf-crazed group of hippy friends turn their backs on the world in search of their ideal patch of surfing paradise. Little do they know that their desire for ultimate freedom and the perfect wave, will take them from the beach to the boardroom, creating billion-dollar empires. But in selling their surfing dream to the world, these best friends will become fierce rivals and the question for this found family is – once you sell paradise can you ever get it back again?"
I'll be more interested to see how well they sourced their vintage quivers.
Broadcast dates are yet to be finalised.
Comments
All roads lead to West Yamba estate.
Looks bad
Drift 2?
Nothing new under the sun I guess.
I'm sure I'll watch it anyway!
Yeah looks terrible, was excited about the plot of those pioneers of big surf brands and their history
ABC did an incredible job with Fires, and some of the actors are similar but this one looks a like it'll be a miss. Hope to be proved wrong.
I'll have to disagree with you on Fires Craig, although there were moments through the series that rang very true. Having lived through the Black Summer fires here in the Adelaide Hills, I was very disappointed that all the focus was on the east coast, while SA was completely overlooked. Felt like the experiences of my community and that of Kangaroo Island were invalidated by the oversight. Perhaps that's a bit selfish, but two years on it's still a pretty raw subject for many in my neighbourhood.
Well I guess your grievance isn't with the production/end result but with the focus on the events. Not including SA etc.
I guess they only have a limited budget and all of it was filmed down in Victoria and made out to be across the East Coast.
Looks like they're gonna mix a unique story about ambition and creativity with bog standard tropes about friendship and love.
Didn't work in Drift, doubt it'll work here.
Documentary is a better formula methinks - see 'Sea of Darkness'.
Drift was really terrible. Made me grimace.
Surely it couldn't be that bad.
Me too however non surfers thought it was good?*&^&?
100 foot wave on binge is good watching
Totally agree that Sea of Darkness is a much, much better template
It will be sickly woke and PC
Geez, give it a go you lot. We're so used to being fed American dribble and reality shit these days, get behind an Aussie production. Then shit-can it if it deserves it.
I agree dude, give it a go I will
Yea - Im with you. Just have a crack at it. I think we surfers are too precious about how we are represented - afraid of the mainstream stealing the magic at the same time as being incensed at the show getting the details wrong. Be interesting to watch it from a non-surfers view. I thought some of Fires was brilliant - but there would be a whole load of CFA volunteers out there saying "Look how they're holding the bloody hose!! You'd NEVER do that...what a crap show!!!"
I reckon it looks alright.
I wonder why they think people are / would be so interested in the start of the Australian surfing industry that a second same themed movie was needed , especially when Drift was such a shocker.
So cool to dress up in retro clothes / hair do,s and cool coloured surfing boards I guess....
Mainstream media / movies yet to get surfing right - ever
Is that Locky lennard all grown up??
I guess you never saw Breath?
Breath was great!
Agree mate, brilliant film
Ditto. But anything with Elizabeth Debicki in it is by definition 'great'. Still waiting for the Jordan Baker flapper girl golfer Great Gatsby spin off. Sigh...
Actually just watched Drift again - Didnt think it was that bad - the surf scenes were shot okay I thought. Breath was okay, although the book was way better - and I thought the surf scenes weren't that well shot - first time director maybe. Anyways i'll of course watch this one - sucker for anything just mildly surf.
"Mainstream media / movies yet to get surfing right - ever"
Big Wednesday?
Not even close.
Tim Bonython's 'The Biggest Wednesday' was better, and it had more believable acting too - take a bow RCJ, tell us again how your jet ski wasn't fast enough so you and Tony Ray got mowed down.
TBW was rightfully panned when it came out; surfers saw through the flimsy plot, revolted against the one-dimensional view of themselves, and were perplexed by things such as 'the fall swell', and it was only years later when it became a cult film, largely enjoyed by hodads and squidlips that surfers began ever so slowly, to see parts of themselves in there, and tolerate the cardboard version of surfing presented in TBW.
I reckon you could overlay Big Wednesday onto the surfing community I know pretty well.
Crew being loose in their youth, slowly evolving into adults and the associated responsibilities. Some more willingly than others, some more successfully than others. Some rejecting the idea to th3 best of their ability.
Surfing remaining a constant thread which joins otherwise disparate individuals even when they’ve moved beyond the physical act of surfing.
Jack Barlow : “ You still surfing Matt ?”
Matt Johnson “ When I have to.”
Nailed it.
The scene where Matt, Jack and Leroy meet up to farewell a deceased Waxer , after a long period apart , is as accurate a portrayal of surfers as you’ll find.
Still waiting for my Hollywood, day of days redemption swell at the point.
Anyone know when it's coming? Bear, you out there..?
Redemption only comes when most you need it, particularly in Hollywood.
You’ve got no call for redemption beyond missing a few waves. You need your character to be seriously called into question thru misdeed.
Perhaps get out on the ledge and start calling the heavy hitters off six foot sets before pulling back yourself? That’ll have you in need of redemption.
Even Bear, for all the histrionic lines, is well represented in real life.
I know crew who no longer surf due to their lifestyle choices but who in their day could just look at a wave and have those on their inside give it up (semi ) voluntarily, such was their ability and ownership of certain breaks.
"Surfing remaining a constant thread which joins otherwise disparate individuals even when they’ve moved beyond the physical act of surfing"
I think that's the crux of it. Representing a "surfing lifestyle" in a hollywood movie is folly - as there is probably no such thing beyond being a professional and the best way to represent it is possibly as a doco.
Once you step off the beach - most people will go about the normal business of living.
Ok.... forget Hollywood, hows about Sarge's Scrapbooks??
Edit...Proud card carrying Hodad here. Not sure about my lips.
I thought the part when boofhead tries to ram himself in the oven was interesting.
Oh you must have missed "Blue Crush"...lol
I've changed my mind. I think maybe Puberty Blues nailed it - the book and movie written by non surfers Salami sisters captures the "lifestyle" and feelings of the time pretty well. Who can forget the classic line "Go get me a Chiko Roll and DON’T TAKE A BITE OUT OF IT ON THE WAY OR YOU’RE DROPPED."
I identified with the portrayal of the cool surfer guys in that movie. No wonder most of my formative years were spent celibate and ostracised from the fairer sex.
There's an amazing series to be made about QuikRipaBong, isn't there.
This... might not be it.
Still, always interesting to see what parts of the surf industry capture the imagination of mainstream media.
CRINGE!!!!!!!.... stick a pen in me eye instead. I tried Drift recently as i have been at home relaxing....15 mins in i was done. Like most of these films this one will be unwatchable.
seconded for Sea of Darkness treatment
Did anyone else notice the end of the trailer
"When did all this stop being fun?"
Then it flashes up '2022'.
ha
love those old $2 notes with the sheep on them
lovin the green
Just go and buy a copy of 'Salts & Suits' by Phil Jarrett.
The real story as told by the people it's about and no doubt way more entertaining than this flick is.
Agree, was a good read.
Halfway through it atm and have to second that, ringmaster.
that's done it. I'm definitely watching it now.
Think we should all support it where we can. The industry has been decimated in recent times. I know many of us have tried to support hospitality, music and local business etc with patronage to help rejuvenate things. As an observation it can be problematic to satisfy subject matter experts (this readership) the same as cops ,firies, medicos etc when watching content which has a focus on things we know a lot about. If it’s not presenting itself as an actual account then like the penguins just smile and wave …
Sure bet one character gets caught smuggling drugs into/outof indo.
Good on them for having a go, but I'm going after the sad irony.
I'm always struck by the need for Oz productions to have some form of American influence - in this case the actual trailer intro. One day we'll be OK with being Australian and have a little faith in being able to sell things o/s because they're authentic. And then at the end they decry the pursuit of the dollar. Really?
ABC made a funny series adaption of Les Norton books. Not as good as the books but as good as any of the other shit on TV.
Im keen to watch it but i hate riding single fins even though i started off with them they are just crappy imo compared to quads or twins.Took me a long time to work out how to get speed on old school pieces of shit single fins that i found under friends houses etc.
drift had its moments, just fast forward the dull bits, which was a lot of it. Cringeworthy yes, a bit like looking into a mirror
Point Break was, imo, the closest the industry has got...J Utah, Bohdi, Gary Busey, Chilli Pepper bad dudes, Bells...it had it all!
Gary Busey the man who skid marked his brain. That's what you get for no wearing a helmet!
Breath was pretty good but the suffocation sex scenes were a bit weird.
The first half of Breath when they're learning to surf pretty much nailed it.
No one using Strawberry Fields!
Half way through the first episode. Making me a little nauseous. Too cheesy. Lacks story depth. Anyone else bother to watch who wants to give a review? I reckon I'll flag the rest of it.
Icandig, i was the same. For the first ep i was very cynical and looking for any excuse to rip in. But it actually held it's course and got good. It's a pretty good little production. The surfings there but not the main story. Just a part of it. You can see it's loosely based on alot of stuff that's happened along the course. It's definitely got it's cringe moments...(many of them if you're looking for them) but it's definitely a cool little drama series if you take it just for that on face value with surfings history intertwined in its storylines. And i love the old movie footage woven into it. Definitely enhances it's authenticity. I actually rate it and i generally despise this kind of thing. Definitely worthy of watching at least ep 2 to see the character 'Mal'. You might recognise him and he nails the role beautifully!!
Thanks BD. Made it to the end of ep 1. (Just). Might give ep 2 a run based on your recommendation. Definitely some character / storyline mash ups. Still chock full of cheese. I'll reserve my final opinion until a couple more episodes.
I'm enjoying it, but I'm not expecting it to be paying any proper dues to the true stories it may be loosely based off. I'm also not critically testing it. The surfing is good, the stories are intriguing and it's nostalgic enough for me to connect to it. Truth is, I'm just logging into ABC Iview, and chucking on some Australian, tax payer funded entertainment and enjoying my nights in watching it.
I’m with Bluediamond and Stok - they’ve nailed the reviews. You just gotta get past the first episode. I’m not really into watching much TV these days but I got hooked on Barons! Loved it. Watched the entire series over three nights on ABC iview. Left me wanting more. Even searched the internet to find out if they made/will be making series 2. Lol.
I think slow character development and 'choppiness' in the story in the first half hour led a disjointed melange of unconnected bits and pieces. The characters seemed lacklustre with no way to connect to them. Add that to my own reference points of known stories and some knowledge about existing characters and attempts to match them with what was happening on the screen meant I was kind of second guessing the show overall. I'll take a step back and watch the second ep with a more open mind. Still reserving judgement.
I watched all the episodes and thought they did OK. It was a bit overacted as usual in some bits but I think because I grew up as an older grom in the era it brought back a lot of memories both good and bad. Made me realise I was only a few years off being drafted too…even heard my birthday called…gave me shivers…worth a watch for sure.
Breathe was classic (excepting the bizarre choking fetish wtf haha) and Barons treads the same golden breed tracks. Takes me back to riding in my cousins panel van with Hotel California cranking, I love that.
The gogglebox crew rated it 'two shakas out of two'. Sally would be proud
is there any way to see Sea of Darkness in Australia now?
Yeah ive got a private video on vimeo of SOD but cant remember the password. I also have a copy of it on a hard drive but don't know where i put it...when i find it ill see if i can put it up on vimeo on a new account or i could send you a flash drive with a few videos.
passwords eh
thanks GS
Groundy have u tried Vimeo Acc recovery ?
I'll try that i cant remember the email account i used either..but ill try.
Fictional?
Last name Trotter, Asian girlfriend/wife.
It's a story about Trotsky and Soar Fins!
Too obscure for me that one Stu. Watched ep 2 and it's still yet to grab me. Can't put my finger on it though. Characters too contrived / no hook in the story....not sure. My wife seems to like it - so maybe I'm looking through a distorted lens?
82shoes
https://forum.surfer.com/index.php?threads/sea-of-darkness-l-copy.226129/
that seems to work, thanks udo