“The Fantastic Plastic Machine” is a documentary film from 1969 that follows a group of California surfers as they travel to an Australian surfing competition. The film is narrated by Jay North and was directed by Eric and Lowell Blum. The film covers an epic surfing journey through California, Hawaii, Australia, New Zealand, and Fiji. The soundtrack for this film was composed by Harry Betts.

00:00:Main titles. A flight from New Zealand to Los Angeles is cleared for landing.

2:52: The flight is given further instructions to head directly to Catalina, maintaining flight level 360.

3:06: The departure control frequency for the flight is set to 24.3.

4:23 – 4:46: Discussion shifts to Fiji, located 7,000 miles from Los Angeles, describing it as a colony with 250 islands, only 80 inhabited.

5:25 – 11:30: Describes cultural and economic changes in Fiji, including the influence of East Indian immigrants, the development of small towns with shops and restaurants, and the traditional Fijian village life.

12:23 – 14:25: A surfing experience in Fiji is recounted, where locals learn to surf, leading to a cultural exchange with gift-giving and a celebration of friendship.

14:25 – 15:59: Introduction to the “mechi,” a traditional Fijian event celebrating heritage through songs and dances.

16:51 – 17:57: The narrative moves back to New Zealand, where the group decides to end their Fiji trip due to flat ocean conditions, planning to surf in a lagoon and prepare for a contest in New Zealand.

22:10 – 24:09: Describes the challenges of traveling in New Zealand, including heavy rainfall, unpaved roads, and numerous livestock causing roadblocks.

24:32 – 25:41: The group experiences frustration with the lack of surfable waves after extensive travel along New Zealand’s East Coast.

25:48 – 26:30: A local suggests visiting a rock slide as an alternative activity, which turns out to be a positive experience.

27:02 – 28:31: Despite renewed hope, the weather worsens, leading to further disappointment but also determination to continue the search for good waves.

29:22 – 33:17: The group finally finds good waves at Wani, New Zealand, where they surf and prepare for an upcoming contest. Profiles of some surfers and their performances are highlighted.

33:51 – 36:03: Travel to Raglin on the other coast where they find excellent surfing conditions, leading to enthusiastic surfing sessions.

36:03 – 37:14: More detailed accounts of surfing at Raglin, showcasing various surfers, including notable performances by both local and visiting surfers, with a humorous note about a wipeout.

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This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD, 2k and 4k. For more information visit http://www.PeriscopeFilm.com