'The Performers'
Date1965
Object number00017306
NamePoster
MediumInk on paper
DimensionsOverall: 454 x 290 mm, 0.012 kg
ClassificationsPosters and postcards
Credit LineANMM Collection
Purchased with USA Bicentennial Gift funds
DescriptionThis promotional poster for the surfing movie 'The Performers' was printed in 1965. It features three images from the film of surfers. This poster advertises a screening at the Civic Auditorium in Santa Monica, California on Friday 5 August 1965.History'The Performers' was a classic 1965 surf movie. It featured footage of surfers Bob Limbacher and Richard Chew as they travelled around Baja California, Hawaii, Florida, Mexico and California. It was producer Greg MacGillivray's first surfing film.
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. In the 1960s surf art moved off the covers of surfing magazines and onto film poster promoting movies featuring surfers riding large waves in exotic locations.
Surfing films provides 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. Surfing films provide the opportunity to watch talented and often high profile surfers catching waves that every surfer dream about riding.SignificanceThis poster is an important record of the types of promotional material produced for 1960s surfing movies.