Billabong Odyssey
“No special effects…what you are about to see is real!”
BILLABONG ODYSSEY UK SMASH HIT COMES TO DVD on January 31st 2005
Double Disc Collectors’ Edition
50p from every DVD sold being donated to UNICEF
“Awesome!” Richard & Judy
“An awe-inspiring film” FHM
“A mesmerising, fearsome and exhilarating journey *****” Total Film
“Jaw dropping” The Guardian
“Astonishing” Empire
Opening in October, Billabong Odyssey took the UK by storm, becoming one
of the most talked about independent films of the year. Unusually for an
independent, little-known surfing movie – it captured the media’s
imagination, with everyone from Jonathan Ross to Richard & Judy raving
about it.
Huge media support and word of mouth mean millions of people have heard of
it and have been downloading the pioneering surfing images from the
net. Its success on screen means Billabong Odyssey is now enjoying an
extended national tour – but for many the release of the DVD is the first
time they’ll have access to some of the most breathtaking footage in
cinema history.
So why did Billabong Odyssey become a UK smash hit? With a screen average
of £2,000 in its first weekend – Billabong Odyssey performed better than
many blockbusters in the UK box office top 10. Why? Because it’s simply
breathtaking, boasting the most astonishing opening sequences in the
history of filmmaking which you’ll want to play again and again. And with
the release of the DVD – you’ll be able to.
Watch it and understand why widescreens were invented. This three-year,
globetrotting quest for the world’s biggest ride is nothing less than
spectacular.
Revolver Entertainment will be donating 50p from every copy of Billabong
Odyssey sold to UNICEF and the South East Asia Disaster Relief Fund.
SYNOPSIS:
A surfer is towed by jetski on to the tip of a rising wave, the camera
pulls back and the wave begins to swell. As your eyes re-adjust to the
change in scale the camera pulls back further. Within seconds the wave
has risen to a monstrous 70ft – one thousand tons of moving liquid arching
over the surfer’s head. Accelerating up to 55mph, he flies through the arc
of rushing water in a race to pull clear before it collapses upon
him. This is the beginning of Billabong Odyssey, an epic journey that
brought together the greatest surfers in the world with just one goal. to
surf the biggest wave in history.
Billabong Odyssey offers a breathtaking journey into the world of big-wave
surfing. Forget everything you think you know about surf movies, this is
a film that shatters pre-conceptions. Unrivalled in its abundance of
jaw-dropping footage, the film is also a moving journey into the lives and
psyches of the few surfers equipped to ride giant waves. A human tale of
triumph and disaster, it has received accolades from critics and audiences
alike. Billabong Odyssey culminates in the world tow-in championships at
legendary break JAWS, off the coast of Hawaii. A final sequence that
almost claims the life of one of the expedition’s top surfers, it provides
a nail-biting climax to an utterly remarkable and completely unforgettable
piece of filmmaking. As you watch the spectacular footage unfold, don’t
forget to keep reminding yourself, there are no special effects. what you
are about to see is real.
DISC ONE – BILLABONG ODYSSEY – THE FEATURE
DVD EXTRAS:
· 35 minute interview with Billabong star, Mike Parsons on being
petrified, on the dangers of big wave surfing and the loss of his best
friend, Mark Foo
· 30 minute interview with director, Philip Boston – on the mentality and
danger of directing 1000 tonnes of water!
· UK theatrical trailer
DISC TWO – CUSTOMS
In this bonus 60min documentary, take a mesmerising journey through the
spectacular breaks of Europe with the top surfers in the world in this
unforgettable piece of film-making. Starring Kelly Slater, Taj Burrows and
Andy Irons. With music by Coldplay, Incubus, The Cranberries, Soul II
Soul and Goldie.
