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Image Not Available for A Winters Tale by Sheppard and Usher
A Winters Tale by Sheppard and Usher
Image Not Available for A Winters Tale by Sheppard and Usher

A Winters Tale by Sheppard and Usher

Artist
Printer (Australian)
Date1974
Object number00031868
NamePoster
MediumColour lithograph on paper
DimensionsOverall: 760 x 345 mm
ClassificationsPosters and postcards
Credit LineANMM Collection
DescriptionThis Australian day bill printed from a design created for the US release of A Winter's Tale, a 90 minute film by Phil and Russell Sheppard and Bruce Usher. The original artwork was by Californian Jim Evans who also designed advertisements and artwork for US surf magazines and films. A Winter's Tale was released in Australia in early 1974 by Associated Screen Arts. It's theme of winter surfing in Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and Hawaii is seen through the surfing styles of fifty of the world's top surfers. A flashback sequence shows Midget Farrelly and Nat Young in the 1960s surfing in suburban Narrabeen, Sydney, as well as big wave action at Avalon Beach (NSW) and Bells Beach (VIC). Other Australia surfers featured include the 1974 Australian champion Michael Peterson, Wayne Lynch, Terry Fitzgerald, Bob McTavish and Ian Cairns. Hawaiian sequences filmed at the Pipeline, Oahu, feature Craig Chapman, Sam Hawk, Gerry Lopez and Rory Russell. The fim's sountrack was by Honk and the Beach Boys. Surfing films idealise the surfing lifestyle, promote the talents of individual surfers and present the varied and often exotic locations favoured by surfers. They are edited to make the most of the dramatic action on the water. HistoryA Winter's Tale is a classic surf movie featuring surfers of the 1970s. This Australian film focuses on point surf in Australia and the big waves of Pipeline on the North Shore of Oahu, Hawaii. The film was produced by Phil and Russell Sheppard and Bruce Usher. Surfing films provide an insight into the surfing lifestyle and have become part of surfing popular culture. They reflect the internationalism of surfing in their content an appeal. Hollywood began producing surf films in the late 1950s as the first generation of post-World War II War baby boomers reached adolescence. Surfing and the beach symbolised the idealism of carefree fun and freedom. Surfing films have been a critical ingredient in the popularity of surfing culture and have helped to popularised surfing and beach fashion. Surfing films provide the opportunity to watch talented and often high profile surfers catching waves that every surfer dream about riding. SignificanceSurfing films provide an insight into aspects of the surfing lifestyle and have become part of popular surfing culture. This poster reflects the graphic style surfing film advertising in the 1970s and documents Australian and American surfers who dominated the sport in the 1970s and the filmakers who recorded them.