Big Wednesday

Warner Brothers' 1978 coming-of-age surfing movie directed by John Milius, starring Gary Busey, Jan-Michael Vincent, and William Katt; initially a critical and box-office dud, but rehabilitated over the years into a cult favorite.

While Hollywood made about two dozen surf-themed movies in the '60s, including the cartoonish Beach Party and Beach Blanket Bingo (along with Ride the Wild Surf, a fairly straightforward drama), the $11 million PG-rated Big Wednesday was the only movie of its kind ...