Picaresque

I recently received a copy of Mikey DeTemple's first film, Picaresque. A surf movie sans script, the film is intended to "showcase longboarding in a new light; getting away from the preconceived notions and turning up the tempo." A collaboration between High Seas Films and Flesh Profits Nothing, Picaresque features "an über-talented group of 25-and-unders," including Scotty Stopnik, Matty Chojnacki, and Chris Christenson. The project, which took DeTemple a few years to finish, allowed he and his crew to travel around the world, surfing in Australia, California, Florida, France, Mexico, New York, and Costa Rica.


As a fan of logs and longboarding, Picaresque had me green with envy, wishing I could walk to the nose with such ease, such confidence. Shot in Super 16mm film, there's a classic meets contemporary feeling throughout. Walking away from that progressive, off the lip, big bottom turn, three fin style of surfing seen so often, Picaresque sheds light on an unseen and almost always unappreciated side of surfing. There's a few extra fins in there for good measure, though. A fish and a six-foot single. But the focus remains. Big boards and unbelievable balance. Logging offers few limitations.

So, how does it stack up? Towards the top. I've seen my fair share of surf stuff recently. Short videos on Vimeo, feature length DVDs, everything in between. One thing I really appreciate is the lack of commentary. The seamless transitions between scenes. The soundtrack. More surfing, less shit. If I'm going to spend that much scratch, I hope to have a film that fills my living room full of stoke. Feed the fire. So if you love logs, longboards and other weird watercraft, watch Picaresque. Worth every penny.

This film review originally appeared on Stoke Harvester's blog.