The first time I was called a \u201ckook\u201d was 1988, my freshman year at San Diego State University. Paddling out north of Scripps Pier, a 20-something surfer didn\u2019t see me struggling inside the break and was forced to bail out of a perfect wave. While kicking out, he screamed \u201ckook\u201d in my direction. Yes, I was an amateur at a spot frequented by more seasoned surfers, but aggravating a guy in the water was never in the plans.<\/p>\n
\u201cSorry, \u2019bout that,\u201d I chirped back, but the insults kept flying.<\/p>\n
\u201cGet out of the water, you kook\u201d was followed by \u201cyou wanna take it to the beach, Barney?\u201d \u2014 a derogatory term for an inexperienced surfer.<\/p>\n
At this moment, I realized life was imitating the kitschy surf movie \u201cNorth Shore\u201d and had to laugh \u2014 and paddle away \u2014 in the face of adversity.<\/p>\n
Released by Universal Pictures in 1987, \u201cNorth Shore\u201d tells the story of a young surfer, Rick Kane (Matt Adler), who wins a wave-machine surf contest in Arizona and uses his prize money to surf the monster waves of Oahu\u2019s north shore. Once in Hawaii, he is berated by locals with terms popularized by the B-movie, including \u201ckook,\u201d \u201cbarney,\u201d and \u201chaole\u201d (a non-Hawaiian mainlander).<\/p>\n
Celebrating it\u2019s 25th anniversary, a special screening of \u201cNorth Shore\u201d will be held Jan. 18 at Bird\u2019s Surf Shed in Linda Vista.<\/p>\n
The fictional Kane eventually finds friendship in an aging soul surfer, Chandler (Gregory Harrison), love with a local girl, Kiani (Nia Peeples) and laughs with a comedic pidgin-talking haole, Turtle (John Philbin).
\nTurtle and Rick Kane (North Shore)<\/p>\n
A cross between Jeff Spicoli (Sean Penn) in \u201cFast Times at Ridgemont High\u201d and Ted Logan (Keanu Reeves) in \u201cBill and Ted\u2019s Excellent Adventure,\u201d Philbin\u2019s performance as \u201cTurtle\u201d helped propel the formulaic \u201980s movie from box-office bomb to cult-film status. But to the dismay of surfing purists, it also perpetuated the character of the stoned-out, unemployed surfer. In the film, when Rick Kane asks Turtle about employment, he responds with \u201conly when da surf\u2019s bad, Barney. \u2019Cause when da surf\u2019s good, nobody works!\u201d<\/p>\n
Packed with classic footage of surf legends Laird Hamilton, Gerry Lopez, Mark Occhilupo and Alex Rogers, it\u2019s hard to find someone in the lineup that doesn\u2019t have an appreciation, memory or funny line attached to the film.
\n\u201cNorth Shore,\u201d a 25th anniversary screening<\/p>\n
Who: Screening presented by San Diego Surf Film Festival with appearances by Matt Adler (Rick Kane) and John Philbin (Turtle)<\/p>\n
Where:Bird\u2019s Surf Shed, 1091 West Morena Blvd., Linda Vista<\/p>\n
When: Doors open at 7 p.m. Screening starts at 8 p.m.<\/p>\n
Tickets: $10 for \u201csalties\u201d (adults) and $5 for \u201cgroms\u201d (16 and under)<\/p>\n
Online:http:\/\/www.brownpapertickets.com\/event\/312672