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Big Wednesday (1978)

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All Critics
Top Critics

Average Rating: 5.9/10
Reviews Counted: 8
Fresh: 5 | Rotten: 3

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Release Date: Jan 4, 1978 Wide

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Average Rating: 4/5
User Ratings: 5,607

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Movie Info

Jan-Michael Vincent plays a self-destructive beach bum to whom surfing is a Zen experience. We first meet Vincent in the devil-may-care 1960s, in the company of his carefree buddies William Katt and Gary Busey. The boys reunite ten years later, after one has served time in Vietnam. The beach is still there, the waves still break upon the shore, and towards the end of the film, the characters become people that we truly care about. Barbara Hale, the real-life mother of costar William Katt, makes

PG, 1 hr. 44 min.

Drama, Comedy

Directed By: John Milius

Written By: John Milius, Dennis Aaberg

In Theaters: Jan 4, 1978 Wide

On DVD: Jul 9, 2002

Warner Home Video

Big Wednesday Trailer & Photos

Cast

Jan-Michael Vincent
Matt
William Katt
Jack
Gary Busey
Leroy
Patti D'Arbanville
Sally
Lee Purcell
Peggy Gordon
Robert Englund
Narrator Fly
Sam Melville
Bear
Barbara Hale
Mrs. Barlow
Fran Ryan
Lucy
Reb Brown
Enforcer
Jack Bernardi
Tailor
Keith Davis
Ostrich
Sasha Jenson
Surfer #5
Steve Kanaly
Sally's Husband
Celia Kaye
Bride of the Bear
Todd Lookinland
Surfer #3
Gerry Lopez
Himself
Frank McRae
Sergeant
Stephen Mendillo
Orderly
Titus Napoleon
Chubby
Arthur Rosenberg
Official
Joe Spinell
Psychologist
Michael Talbott
Hog
Lynn Theel
Party Girl #7
Charlene Tilton
Party Girl #2
Hank Worden
Shopping Cart
Dennis Aaberg
Slick
Darrell Fetty
Waxer
Gray Fredrickson
Doctor
Perry Lang
Tall Kid
Ollie O'Toole
Minister
Clete Roberts
Yvon Arai
Boggie
Iris Korn
Old Woman
Rick Dano
Panhead
Herb Voland
Stacy Keach Sr.
Old Man
William Kaat
Jean-Michael Vincent
Patti D'arbanville-quinn

Critic Reviews for Big Wednesday

All Critics (13) | Top Critics (3) | Fresh (8) | Rotten (3) | DVD (10)

Remains noteworthy as a cult film.

July 14, 2011 Full Review Source: Ozus' World Movie Reviews

| Comment

Dennis Schwartz

Ozus' World Movie Reviews

Ambitious in goal, John Millius' tale suffers from an inconsistent tone, trying to be elegiac, nostalgic, and mythical in depicting the impact of Vietnam and aging on a clique of three surfers between 1962 and 1974 but the acting and imagery are good.

July 5, 2005 Full Review Source: EmanuelLevy.Com

| Comment

Emanuel Levy

EmanuelLevy.Com Source: EmanuelLevy.Com

Imparts quintessential elements of the male psyche more persuasively than Milius' other gung-ho action pictures

January 1, 2000 Full Review | Comment

Shane Burridge

rec.arts.movies.reviews

More Critic Reviews

Audience Reviews for Big Wednesday

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3 buddy matt, jack, and leroy(jan-michael vincent, william katt, and gary busey)who surfer and the life from 1960's to 1970's. wow robert englund(who play freddy krueger in "a nightmare on elm street" series)early role.

February 8, 2009

Johnny Star

Great passage of time movie covering the lives of three surfing buddies. Superb surfing scenes highlighted by an equally superb soundtrack. Theepitome of surfing movies.

September 3, 2007

Mike B

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