TM:
But spirituality and Buddhism has been a huge part of your life, when and how did that evolve?
AF:
Well, the seed was always there, but when I disconnected from religion I was in this vacant void. Nothing existed. Then I started surfing, and riding waves reconnected me on a spiritual level. I began having this natural connection through the ocean and it felt really good.
TM:
So, when the film was released, how was it received? There was obviously no internet, just community halls and word of mouth. Was it internationally toured?
AF:
The film was never shown outside of Australia, except one or two screenings. It was really well received here in Australia and the music was a really important part of that success. Morning of the Earth was the first Australian soundtrack to go Gold. David, who was well versed in the music scene at the time, introduced us to G. Wayne Thomas. So, Wayne came in and produced our music and contributed through his own songs. And that was a really big step because when it was finished, we had an original soundtrack. We’d give the musicians little five-minute cuts of the film — they had free reign to create the music and write the lyrics, and then they’d come back and we’d put the pieces together. And when it was released, David put his business cap on and did a deal with 2SM, the biggest radio station. They just played it non-stop, and that was part of the success of the film because it went out on a much broader scale, to young people and an audience outside of the surfing industry. “Open Up Your Heart” became a huge hit, and as a result of that, there was a tsunami of people coming to the cinema. We only had one print, so we put it in the theater in town and people would be lined up for three blocks. It was just mind boggling.
TM:
Yea it’s incredible that the film has connected with so many people, even outside of surfing. Now 50 years on, people watch it that don’t normally watch surf movies and they still connect, they’re drawn into it. The film really captured the essence of surfing and living really simply and in harmony with nature, and it’s also never been branded. It’s always inspired people, whether it’s taken them towards surfing or to just do what they love, which is something that so many people can resonate with.
AF:
Yeah, it’s pretty interesting when you examine that and try to understand what the connection is. I think it captured the real essence of the time, and not only that, the essence of humans doing something that they really love. And the lyrics were just phenomenal — timeless. You can listen to those lyrics now and go, “Yeah, we should hear lyrics like that” because it’s a reminder and a wake up call. When you look at the number of people on the planet and the degradation and consumption levels being so huge, it’s more important that films like this go out because it’s a reminder of the fragility of our planet. I always thought Morning of the Earth was about the earth. It was about the soul of surfing because that’s what we were active in doing, but it went far beyond that. It was about the planet. No fences. It wasn’t about divisiveness, it was about love, and caring for this planet, and I always thought that the title was reflective of that. Underneath it, there’s a spiritual wave and people resonate with that, whether it’s conscious or subconscious. It works for them because everyone wants to find a path and some direction in life. You have this peripheral life that you live, and after a while you go, gee, there’s got to be something more to it, and I think Morning of the Earthoffers that portal, and it stays with them because that’s how they want to live their life. Not so much the lifestyle that the film projected, but the essence of what the lifestyle projected.
TM:
Yeah, absolutely. The timelessness and relevance of it in the modern day just takes you right back and helps you realize what’s important in life and, even though it’s so saturated by the new age it’s still quite simple, hey?
AF:
Yeah, there’s nothing wrong with modern medicine and education, but it’s programmed… it’s a program and it’s not natural, it’s not a natural program for us. If you could live your life naturally, you’d live more like what Morning of the Earth has to say and what it is and what it represents in essence. And when you ride a wave, it’s not about the program, it’s the freedom and the beauty and the spiritual aspect of you connecting with nature and that’s how it is in and out of the water. And I think that’s really important in life.
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