Oddball Films Media
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Apr 20, 2012
Oddball Films presents Surfin' Tiki Luau. An evening of surf, tiki and Polynesian serenades offers an array of breathtaking, mesmerizing and rare films about an idyllic Hawaii. Highlights include psychedelic short Hang Ten (1970) by the surf film masters Greg MacGillivray and Jim Freeman; pre-jet travel footage of Waikiki beach and music by Sol Hoppii in Hawaiian Rhythm: Hawaiian Nights (1939); and Tiki featurette Isle of Tabu (1945). Extremely rare and in stunning Kodachrome, Polynesian Holiday (1955) stars bandleader Harry Owens and features his Academy Award winning Sweet Lailani; and a classic tourism short, Hawaii: State of Paradise shows the soon-to-be exploited island in all its splendor. Plus! Hawaiian Soundies and more!
Date: Saturday, April 21th, 2012 at 8:00pm
Venue: Oddball Films, 275 Capp Street San FranciscoAdmission: $10.00 Limited Seating RSVP to programming@oddballfilm.com or (415) 558-8117
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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.