One major fact needs to be exposed before we get too deep into the review of Surf II: The End of The Trilogy: There was no Surf I or even a Surf III. There was no trilogy of films. So do not go looking for two other Surf movies. Although on this Blu-ray, has two different versions of Surf II. First you get the theatrical version that you might remember from USA’s Up All Night and your local mom and pop VHS store. But after nearly 40 years, you’ll get to see the version of Surf II that the director Randall Badat thought he was making.
Chuck (Pulp Fiction‘s Eric Stoltz) and Bob (Friday 13th Part III‘s Jeffery Rogers) are two L.A. surfer guys growing up in the same kind of households. One of the best comic moments of the film is how their kitchens are against each other and Bob and Chuck have the same conversations with their parents. It helps that their mom are played by Ruth Buzzi (Rowan and Martin’s Laugh-In) and Brandis (Fridays) so they knew how to pull off a brilliant timing gag. All Bob and Chuck want to do is surf and enjoy the ladies that like to watch them surf. They’re living the Spiccoli dream. But one person hates them. Menlo Schwartzer (Grease‘s Eddie Deezen) hates surfers and he wants to destroy them. He gets them to drink a disgusting soda that turns them into zombies. He use Sparkle (Fade to Black & Alien From L.A.’s Linda Kerridge) to lure the surfers to his underwater lair. Chuck and Bob get an idea of Menlo’s evil plan, but nobody believes them except their science teacher (CPO Sharkey‘s Peter Isacksen). But will that be enough to stop the surf zombies?
Surf II is great goofy fun. The cast is way beyond what you’d imagine for a film like this. Eric Stoltz had just come off Fast Times at Ridgemont High. You almost get a sense that if he had this attitude on Back to the Future, he wouldn’t have been cut out of the movie. Cleavon Little (Mel Brooks’ Blazing Saddles) is the principal. The main cops are Lyle Waggoner (Wonder Woman & The Carol Burnett Show) and Ron Palillo (Horshack on Welcome Back, Kotter). They are what you’d expect for bumbling cops with an endless supply of ammunition. One of the surf zombies is Tom Villard from One Crazy Summer and Popcorn. For those who got to stay up late in the ’70s, you get to enjoy Carol Wayne. She was the Matinee Lady on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson when he did his Art Fern sketch. The big thrill is a beach movie starring Terry Kiser as a living person. You might remember him from later in the ’80s as Bernie in Weekend At Bernie’s. Nobody has to make him look alive this time.
So why is there two different versions? Turns out that the distributor wanted to more gratuitous skin on the screen. Teens in the ’80s wanted R Rated films and not the stuff they could watch on TV at home with their parents. But what can you do when you’ve already shot and picture locked the movie? Turns out you can fake a lot of topless and bottomless side moments. You’ll find out when you watch both versions. During one scene, the producers figured out how make Chuck and Bob act like they’re watching girls flashing them on the highway. And then you can watch the Director’s cut and see what they were really looking at.
If you’re planning to have an ’80s film festival this summer, you can safely play Surf II after Fast Times At Ridgemont High and The Wild Life.
The video is 1.85:1 anamorphic. The upgrade will let you enjoy the details in the arcade, the beach and Menlo’s secret lair. The audio is mono DTS-HD MA. The levels are fine so you can hear the mirror comedy kitchen moments properly. You will crank it up to enjoy the soundtrack that features Thomas Dolby, Talk Talk and the Beach Boys.
Commentary Tracks with director Randall Badat is a joyful occassion as he finally gets to show us his version of the film without the footage inserted by the distributor. He can relax and point out things without being freaked out that hairy asses had been messing up his film. There’s a second track with Eddie Deezen. The super nerd of the ’80s explains how a duck has influenced his acting style. Badat returns for the theatrical cut to explain the changes. There’s another track with Zack Carlson & Brian Connely has the authors of Destroy All Movies discuss punks on film. They appreciate the punk zombie surfers.
The Stupidest Movie Ever Made: Drinking the Drink of Surf II (65:48) takes us into the waves of making the Surf II. They talk with the cast and crew about how the producers behind Fade to Black decided to make a goofy surf film. Randall Badat explains how he not only wrote the film, but found someone interested in backing it. Turns out composer Peter Bernstein is Elmer Bernstein’s son. Eddie Deezen talks about making three films a year after he hit with Grease and 1941. He admits his favorite memory of the film is just staring at the girls in bikinis at the beach shoots. They also praise the music department for the incredible soundtrack.
Behind the Scenes Still Gallery (1:14) shows off the sets and locations used in the film.
Original Sizzle Reel Video (21:26) is a truncated version of the film that was used to get attention and backers.
Booklet includes Joe Bob Brigg’s original review and the late Mike McPadden’s entry in Teen Movie Hell.
Vinegar Syndrome presents Surf II. Directed by Randall M. Badat. Screenplay by Randall M. Badat. Starring: Eddie Deezen, Linda Kerridge, Eric Stoltz, Ruth Buzzi, Lyle Waggoner and Carol Wayne. Rated: R. Running Time: 100 minutes for Director’s Cut & 86 minutes for the Theatrical cut. Release Date: July 27, 2021.
