Surfin' Tiki Luau at Oddball Films July 3, 2009

Event: “Surfin’ Tiki Luau”. Guest curator Pete Gowdy and Oddball Films present a night of rare surf, tiki and exotica films to kick off the true start of summer. Highlights include: “Hang Ten”, a psychedelic surf short; “Hawaiian Rhythm: Hawaiian Nights” from 1939; “Isle of Tabu”, an early Tiki featurette; “Polynesian Holiday” with bandleader Harry Owens; Hawaii: “State of Paradise”; plus vintage exotica burlesque, Jack Lord worship and more! Tiki wear encouraged, and a theme-appropriate thirst quencher will be available!
Date: Friday, July 3rd, 2009 at 8:30PM
Venue: Oddball Films, 275 Capp Street, San Francisco 94110
Admission: $10.00 RSVP Only to: 415-558-8117 or [email protected]
Web: http://www.flarerecord.com/?p=232

"Surfin’ Tiki Luau”
Screens at Oddball Films

On Friday, July 3rd, Guest Curator Pete Gowdy and Oddball Films present a night of rare surfing shorts, Tiki films and travelogues, and exotica burlesque! Let Summer truly begin!
Showtime is 8:30PM and admission is $10.00. Seating is limited so RSVP is preferred to: [email protected] or 415-558-8117.

Highlights Include:

“Hang Ten” (Color, 1970)
Directed and produced by the team of Greg MacGillivray and Jim Freeman (cult surf favorite 5 Summer Stories and the surf sequences in Big Wednesday, plus second unit scenes in Blade Runner, The Shining and more), “Hang Ten” is a psychedelic riff on surfing and surf culture. Image overlaps, color shifts, reverse motion coupled with a bizarre, fuzz/chamber pop soundtrack by the mystery band Topaz.

“Hawaiian Rhythm/Hawaiian Nights” (B+W, 1939)
Two early shorts from Castle Films (later to become the leader of 8mm and 16mm films sold to consumers for in-home projection). Hawaiian Rhythms is a compilation of mostly angolo-Hawaiian Soundies with some great hulas and luau scenes, while Hawaiian Nights is more of a travelogue with music, including the slack-key master Sol Hoppii and amazing footage of Waikiki beach, outriggers and surfers in the days long before jet travel and high-rises.

“Isle of Tabu” (Color, 1945)
Two-hour musical epic packed into 17 minutes! Part of Paramount’s Musical Parade Feauturette Series, this early Tiki film has angry Tiki gods, exploding volcanoes and a curse-lifting, human sacrifice plot with some song and dance numbers and a happy marriage ending. The not-so-authentic natives include Nancy Porter in her starring role debut (never to be heard from again) and several B-movie pretty boys. Music by Napua, Sam Koki and his Islanders and Pau Kua Lana Girls. Director William Shea’s most notable later work was an episode of “Mister Ed”.

“Polynesian Holiday” (Color, 1955)
Filmed in stunning Kodachrome color, this rare short travelogue stars bandleader Harry Owens in a tongue-in-cheek island vacation, where he’s fanned and feted by beautiful native women. Harry established the “hapa haole” style of Hawaiian music (native music as interpreted by foreigners) and won an Oscar for his song “Sweet Leilani”.

“Hawaii: State of Paradise” (B+W, 1951)
Nice early 50’s tourism short on the yet-to-be-fully exploited/spoiled Waikiki. Great surfing shots and some Tiki/Luau action.
PLUS! Exotica/burlesque shorts including “Shereé: 3 Dances”, “Jungle Ecstasy“ and more leopard-skinned bump and grind, and a clip from “Mr. Mike’s M*nd* Video” starring Dan Akyroyd as the minister of the Mainland Church of the Perfect Wave, whose God is Jack Lord, and more surfing shorts. And, a special theme-appropriate libation will be available… Tiki wear encouraged!!

Official Website: http://www.flarerecord.com/?p=232