Surfwise: The Amazing True Odyssey of the Paskowitz Family | 
 enlarge | Director: Doug Pray
Studio: Magnolia
Category: DVD
List Price: $26.98
Buy New: $18.72
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New (41) Used (17) from $10.99
Avg. Customer Rating:  13 reviews
Sales Rank: 14914
Format: Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, Dvd-video, Subtitled, Widescreen, Ntsc
Languages: English (Original Language), Spanish (Subtitled)
Rating: R (Restricted)
Number Of Items: 1
Running Time: 93
Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1
Dimensions (in): 7.1 x 5.4 x 0.6
MPN: MAGD10093D
UPC: 876964000932
EAN: 0876964000932
Theatrical Release Date: 2007
Release Date: July 29, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Condition: Brand New - Factory Sealed! Ships 1st class automatically for FASTER delivery.
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Amazon.com
American history is filled with legendary characters who turned their backs on society, snubbing its conventions and opting for a simple, contemplative life. Like Thoreau. Kerouac. And.. Paskowitz? Well, actually, yeah. Surfwise, director Doug Pray's 2007 documentary, tells the decidedly offbeat tale of Dorian "Doc" Paskowitz. Now in his mid-80s, the guy who calls himself "one of the few dumb Jewish doctors" was once on a big-time career track; a Stanford-educated physician, he was the head of the American Medical Association in Hawaii, an expert surfer, and a strong, handsome man who often donated his services and was asked to consider a run for governor of that state. But more than 50 years ago, Paskowitz and his third wife, Juliette (his previous marriages had failed due to his own "sexual ignorance"), essentially chucked it all for the sake of family, surfing, and precious little else. They had nine children, all but one of them boys, and the entire brood lived in a 24-foot camper, traveling constantly. Money? There was precious little of that (although years later the family generated some income by establishing a popular surf camp near San Diego). Food? They managed, with Paskowitz enforcing a strict organic regimen. School? "Education be damned," Doc said, and not one of the children ever attended classes regularly. To outsiders, it was an idyllic life; "we were not attached to the physical world at all," says one of the (now middle-aged) kids today. But the downside was deep. Crammed into their tiny space, the children watched and listened as their parents noisily made love every single night (not a great thing for the kids' own later sex lives). Driven--and sometimes abused--by their ultra-controlling, narcissistic dad, they became excellent surfers but were ill-prepared for adult life when finally, in their 20s, some of them began to leave "home." Remarkably, they all seem relatively (so to speak) fine now, with real jobs in surfing, music, and the film business and a fairly clear perspective on their strange upbringing ("Don't do anything a gorilla wouldn't do" was one of Doc's mantras). Extras include outtakes, commentary, surfing footage, and more. --Sam Graham
Product Description
Legendary surfer doc paskowitz abandoned a successful medical practice to withdraw from the lifestyle of mainstream america & took his wife & 9 children along for the ride - all 11 of them living in a 24 foot camper. The family spent their days living by docs rules on health sexuality & above all surfing. Studio: Magnolia Pict Hm Ent Release Date: 07/29/2008 Run time: 93 minutes Rating: R
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| Customer Reviews: Read 8 more reviews...
 Not what I was expecting. August 5, 2008
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
I picked up this DVD thinking that it was going to be a lighthearted look at a family that I knew 'of' from the time I was a youngster. I grew up surfing in San Diego, and used to see the ads for the Paskowitz Surf Camp in the back of just about every surf magazine I ever purchased. I always wanted to attend, but ended up buying a board and teaching myself instead.
What I found was the story of a very strange family. Sometimes their life looks so wonderful it makes me want to get a camper and take my kids away from the materialism and lunacy we experience in modern life. Other times are dark, contradictory and a bit disturbing.
What I took away from this amazing dissection of a unique family was to affirm my feeling that 'everything' in moderation is the way to live. I also will be more careful about avoiding attempts to control people in my life.
Highly recommended.
Making Waves with an Unconventional Lifestyle August 8, 2008
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
SURFWISE is a fascinating documentary chronicling the unconventional lifestyle of "Doc" Poskowitz and his family. The latter includes spouse and some nine kids, who live a bohemian, itinerant, surf-centric lifestyle in a 24-foot camper van. No school for these kids! Nevertheless, they lived a somewhat regimented existence, one envied by kids who were more wealthy in material things.
All of the kids grew up with various "baggage" due to the unorthodox upbringing, and the father is a rather magnetic, charismatic character.
The cinematography here is great - you feel you are out in the ocean, in the surf, and can see how this aspect of nature would be seductive. SURFWISE raises questions about the tradeoffs involved in turning your back on the conventional path that society beckons you to follow - the good and bad features, the frayed nature of family ties, the family love that can (at least temporarily) transcend differences and childhood trauma.
Whether you endorse or abhor the lifestyle depicted in this documentary, SURFWISE is an excellent movie!
Awsome documentry October 13, 2008
This is probably the best documentary I've ever seen. Their story is fascinating, but be advised that there is frank a very graphic language not suitable for younger viewers.
Don't miss this! October 23, 2008
not your ordinary family, but that's why it's so entertaining. Surfing was and still is shaped by this family.
Great Movie! November 26, 2008
Really enjoyed this movie. It was about a rather interesting and unconventional family who grew up traveling around in a camper and surfing together wherever they went.
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