When he was co-founder of Tracks in the early 70s, Albe Falzon had a hectic schedule. Back then Tracks was produced out of a rustic, two storey house at Whale Beach in Sydney. When he wasn’t working on the magazine, Albe would dash north to shoot for his movie project, ‘Morning of The Earth’. Somehow, between deadlines, Albe also squeezed in a trip to Bali and a spell in Hawaii to gather footage for a film that would ultimately inspire a generation, and echo through the decades. These days Albe lives on the north coast, where he spends his days pouring over his archives, tending to injured native animals and riding all the waves he didn’t while he was filming. He strives to lead a simple life in synch with his natural environment – the kind he was trying to advocate half a century ago when he first released ‘Morning of The Earth’.
While MOTE helped mythologise surfers like Michael Peterson, Steve Cooney and Baddy Treloar, Albe will tell you it was always designed to shift human consciousness towards a more symbiotic relationship with nature. This theme is established in the film’s opening sequence where a montage of brilliantly lit landscapes and geographic wonders are set against the ethereal title track – ‘Morning of The Earth’. The lyrics of which tell us ‘Earth you were magnificent through the pain of bein’ born.’ In between the exhilarating surfing action in the film we see Nat Young feeding his chooks on his farm, Chris Brock living in the Angourie treehouse he made out of driftwood, and Baddy making boards in the backyard of his weatherboard shack, to the tune of Simple Ben. MOE never preaches, rather it’s an enchantment that ushers us towards a more harmonious relationship with nature. As he prepares to release a fully remastered version of MOTE for its 50th anniversary (see more details over), it’s the film’s Arcadian themes that Albe wants to re-emphasise.
“Morning of the Earth has stood the test of time and perhaps is more important today in view of the increased number of people on the planet and the demands they are having on its resources and eco systems. We need more than ever to be reminded of the fragile system we have inherited and to a certain extent ‘Morning of the Earth’ is a reminder that we are all truly responsible for our decisions and actions. It is important that we individually and collectively embody those qualities that will ensure that we live a sustainable life, not one based on over production and over consumption, but one based on sensitivity to all life and on all levels on this Earth. Morning of the Earth reflects in a simple way how we can endure and sustain and enjoy our life here and leave a small footprint and a better world in our passing.”
To complement the redux edition, Albe also wanted to feature a different moment from the film as the catalyst for conversation. When many of us think about ‘Morning of the Earth’ we see a crystallised image of the immortalised Michael Peterson cutback, or the circular-framed picture of Stephen Cooney and Rusty Miller standing side-by-side on the edge of the reef at Uluwatu. However, for the 50th anniversary edition, Albe elected to go with the subliminal split-second flash, which appears intermittently throughout the film. “Surfing for me and many others whether they recognise it or not is a series of high points,” explains Albe. “’In Morning of the Earth’ I used the split-second flash to highlight these moments… The flash most frequently used was from the crater in Maui. It represented the flash of adrenaline at high points during the surfing of that wave… The waves that we encounter help to make us who we are… The ocean energy is transformative and that’s what I tried to capture in a very simplistic and abstract way through the film – the flash of light that appears periodically throughout the movie expresses that.”
However, Albe explains that the symbolism of the flash extends far beyond the highs we experience in pivotal surfing moments. “On a more subtle and esoteric level it also represented the moment of birth of the Earth some billions of years ago…”
Albe hopes the MOTE re-release will inspire a modern audience to embrace the ideals the film promotes, but he certainly doesn’t dismiss the role of the surfers as heralds for his message about respecting and loving the earth. “Editing the film was pure joy,” he emphasizes. “To be able to sit quietly in the editing room and reflect on the images was truly incredible. I was able to finely observe the magnificence of each surfer’s ability. I could slow everything down and look at the finer, subtle elements involved with each movement.”
When you hear Albe talk so passionately about working on MOTE you are reminded of just how powerful the film is. Somehow, the alchemy of brilliant surfing, exulting music, and deft editing makes it into something approximating a spiritual experience. Even the most cynical surfer can watch MOE and feel uplifted.
“That was a fascinating experience for me – editing is where the film truly comes together,” explains Albe. You see what was an idea – a flash in your mind – turn into something concrete. It is no longer abstract but manifests in color and form and light – add to this the beauty of sound and emotion and you truly can create something of significance that will enhance and expand someone’s consciousness in a way that you never thought would happen.”
