Fear And Loathing in Mainland Mex

Wes Anderson meets Kai Neville in a strange fever dream. That’s the best way we could describe Roark’s newest film, “Donde Los Terremotos” (which you can watch in full at the bottom of this post).  

While countless brands have released stock-standard films about good surfers in mainland Mex, Roark decided to go a more psychedelic direction with their latest audiovisual release.  

Following a number of different perspectives, Roark invites the viewer along for an odyssey into the intrepid mountain ranges of Oaxaca. Thinly veiled ambiguity abounds, while a syrup-voiced man speaks of smoke-filled visions and archetypal medicine.

Or — more simply — Harrison Roach eats too many mushrooms and finds a pretty cool cave. Shades of Hunter Thompson here.

Interestingly, Roark doesn’t lean on surfing as the foundation of this film (it doesn’t really begin until 10:00). Rather, they slowly lull the viewer into a dreamlike haze, into nearly forgetting the nature of our digital journey to click on this video. (If you want to watch the surf-specific edit, check the B-sides clip above.)

Then, like a surprise sunbeam on a fogbound day, glorious surfing and a bright musical accompaniment explode from the screen. It’s almost as though a brief reprieve from the endless Instagram serotonin burnout allows for a reminder of how beautiful surfing still is.

Harrison Roach draws lovely lines on a stretched twin fin, Nate Zoller floats like a butterfly, and Parker Coffin stings like a bee.

Click above for a bit of cave exploring and some sand-bottom spelunking to start your weekend.

Full film below.