The Prince and the Surfer
Encyclopedia
The Prince and the Surfer is a 1999
comedy
direct-to-video film about a prince who switches places with a Southern California surfer and skateboarder. It was directed by Arye Gross
and Gregory Gieras, and stars Sean Kellman, Robert Englund
, and Vincent Schiavelli
.
by Mark Twain
set in Southern California beach culture, featuring a prince and, instead of a pauper, the skateboarding surfer Cash, who wants to be rich and escape his boring life. The Queen of Gelfland brings her son, prince Edward, to the United States, seeking a trade treaty; the young prince wants to escape his life, to spend time among the common people. During Edward's one permitted limousine ride near the beach, Cash skitch
es with the limo on its way back to the hotel, and meets Edward in his suite; the two hatch their plan to trade places, and separate. Unbeknownst to them, the evil Minister Kratski plots to undermine the Queen's efforts, and instead convert Gelfland into Golfland. While pursuing princess Galina, Cash learns of the minister's plan. Meanwhile Edward pursues Cash's friend Melissa, enjoying and enduring life in the suburbs. In the end, Cash and Edward reunite to save the day.
The film also featured uncredited performances by Timothy Bottoms
as Johnny Canty, Phil Bowers, Jason Reid as Riff, Jon Voight
as the film's presenter, and Denise Wilson as Tattooed Woman.
. Filming locations included Agoura Hills
, Los Angeles
, and Venice
, California
, USA.
It was released directly to video in 1999, DVD in 2000 and 2004, rated PG for "brief mild language".
The Pound Shop movie review site relates that it is "fairly clear that this is a movie for the kiddies", but that it was "pretty unreasonable" to not have "one single instance of surfing". The reviewer found that the "stand out elements of this movie" include "Erik Lundmark’s casio keyboard score. While clearly made with a very limited amount of time, and money, I feel it is one of the few movie soundtracks that really help move the film along." Also, the "banter between the incompetent security guards at the resort actually finds its mark every now and again as well," and overall, the acting was satisfactory. Summarizing, the review stated the film is "worth a pound."
AllRovi.com reviewer Mark Deming gave the film two (of five) stars.
1999 in film
The year 1999 in film involved several noteworthy events and has been called "The Year That Changed Movies". Several significant feature films, including Stanley Kubrick's final film Eyes Wide Shut, Pedro Almodóvar's first Oscar-winning film All About My Mother, science fiction The Matrix, Deep...
comedy
Comedy film
Comedy film is a genre of film in which the main emphasis is on humour. They are designed to elicit laughter from the audience. Comedies are mostly light-hearted dramas and are made to amuse and entertain the audiences...
direct-to-video film about a prince who switches places with a Southern California surfer and skateboarder. It was directed by Arye Gross
Arye Gross
-Biography:Gross was born in Los Angeles, California, the son of Sheri and Joseph Gross, who was an aerospace engineer and later worked in business....
and Gregory Gieras, and stars Sean Kellman, Robert Englund
Robert Englund
Robert Barton Englund is an American actor, voice-actor and director, best known for playing the fictional serial killer Freddy Krueger, in the Nightmare on Elm Street film series. He received a Saturn Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor for A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors in...
, and Vincent Schiavelli
Vincent Schiavelli
Vincent Andrew Schiavelli was an American character actor noted for his work on stage, screen, and television often described as "the man with the sad eyes." He was notable for his numerous and often critically acclaimed cameo appearances.-Early life:Schiavelli was born in Brooklyn, New York, to a...
.
Synopsis
The film is an updated adaptation of the 1881 novel The Prince and the PauperThe Prince and the Pauper
The Prince and the Pauper is an English-language novel by American author Mark Twain. It was first published in 1881 in Canada before its 1882 publication in the United States. The book represents Twain's first attempt at historical fiction...
by Mark Twain
Mark Twain
Samuel Langhorne Clemens , better known by his pen name Mark Twain, was an American author and humorist...
set in Southern California beach culture, featuring a prince and, instead of a pauper, the skateboarding surfer Cash, who wants to be rich and escape his boring life. The Queen of Gelfland brings her son, prince Edward, to the United States, seeking a trade treaty; the young prince wants to escape his life, to spend time among the common people. During Edward's one permitted limousine ride near the beach, Cash skitch
Skitching
Skitching is the act of hitching a ride by holding on to a motor vehicle while riding on a skateboard or roller skates...
es with the limo on its way back to the hotel, and meets Edward in his suite; the two hatch their plan to trade places, and separate. Unbeknownst to them, the evil Minister Kratski plots to undermine the Queen's efforts, and instead convert Gelfland into Golfland. While pursuing princess Galina, Cash learns of the minister's plan. Meanwhile Edward pursues Cash's friend Melissa, enjoying and enduring life in the suburbs. In the end, Cash and Edward reunite to save the day.
Cast
- Sean Kellman as Cash Canty/Prince Edward of Gelfland
- Robert EnglundRobert EnglundRobert Barton Englund is an American actor, voice-actor and director, best known for playing the fictional serial killer Freddy Krueger, in the Nightmare on Elm Street film series. He received a Saturn Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor for A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors in...
as Kratski - Vincent SchiavelliVincent SchiavelliVincent Andrew Schiavelli was an American character actor noted for his work on stage, screen, and television often described as "the man with the sad eyes." He was notable for his numerous and often critically acclaimed cameo appearances.-Early life:Schiavelli was born in Brooklyn, New York, to a...
as Baumgarten - Jennifer O'NeillJennifer O'Neill-Early life:O'Neill was born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, the daughter of a famous Spanish-Irish dental supply import/export businessman, Oscar D' O'Neill and his English wife. As a teenager, O'Neill worked as a fashion model and appeared in television commercials and on magazine covers before moving...
as Queen Albertina - Jason Strickland as CT
- Linda CardelliniLinda CardelliniLinda Edna Cardellini is an American television and film actress. She is best known for her roles as high school student Lindsay Weir on Freaks and Geeks, as Velma Dinkley in the live-action Scooby-Doo films, and as Samantha Taggart on ER.- Early life :Cardellini was born in Redwood City,...
as Melissa - Shepard Koster as Peter
- Arye GrossArye Gross-Biography:Gross was born in Los Angeles, California, the son of Sheri and Joseph Gross, who was an aerospace engineer and later worked in business....
as Vince - C. Thomas HowellC. Thomas HowellChristopher Thomas "Tommy" Howell , known by his stage name C. Thomas Howell, is an American actor and film director. He starred in the films The Outsiders as Ponyboy Curtis and in The Hitcher as Jim Halsey. He has appeared in The Da Vinci Treasure,Soul Man, Red Dawn, Secret Admirer, Gettysburg, H. G...
as Dean - Katie Johnston as Galina
- Allyce BeasleyAllyce BeasleyAllyce Beasley is an American actress. She is known for her role as rhyming, love-struck receptionist Agnes DiPesto in the television series Moonlighting. For several years , she has been the announcer on Playhouse Disney, a morning lineup of programming for toddlers on The Disney Channel...
as Constance - Gregory Poppen as Bodybuilder
- Steven Green as Bodyguard
- Lawrence DiBlasio as Bodyguard
- Alyse Mandel as Maid
The film also featured uncredited performances by Timothy Bottoms
Timothy Bottoms
-Early life:Bottoms was born in Santa Barbara, California, the eldest son of Betty and James "Bud" Bottoms, who is a sculptor and art teacher. He is the brother of actors Joseph Bottoms , Sam Bottoms and Ben Bottoms . In 1967, Bottoms toured Europe as part of the Santa Barbara Madrigal...
as Johnny Canty, Phil Bowers, Jason Reid as Riff, Jon Voight
Jon Voight
Jonathan Vincent "Jon" Voight is an American actor. He has received an Academy Award, out of four nominations, and three Golden Globe Awards, out of nine nominations. Voight is the father of actress Angelina Jolie....
as the film's presenter, and Denise Wilson as Tattooed Woman.
Production and release
The film marked the directorial debut of actor Arye GrossArye Gross
-Biography:Gross was born in Los Angeles, California, the son of Sheri and Joseph Gross, who was an aerospace engineer and later worked in business....
. Filming locations included Agoura Hills
Agoura Hills, California
Agoura Hills is a city in Los Angeles County, California, and has the ZIP code 91301. The population was 20,330 at the 2010 census, down from 20,537 at the 2000 census. It is located in the eastern Conejo Valley between the Simi Hills and the Santa Monica Mountains. This city on the Ventura...
, Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
, and Venice
Venice, Los Angeles, California
Venice is a beachfront district on the Westside of Los Angeles, California, United States. It is known for its canals, beaches and circus-like Ocean Front Walk, a two-and-a-half mile pedestrian-only promenade that features performers, fortune-tellers, artists, and vendors...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, USA.
It was released directly to video in 1999, DVD in 2000 and 2004, rated PG for "brief mild language".
Reception
Reviews of the film were mildly positive. Brian Webster of online Apollo Guide gave the film a score of 69 percent, calling the film "decent, but unspectacular family entertainment, with plenty of minor thrills and laughs for the eight to 12-year-old set." Though he found it to be predictable, with nothing to particularly recommend, he also found "no major failings". He granted that secondary characters were mere "stereotypes (including those played by the screenwriter and one of the co-directors)", but that the young stars had "energy and just enough acting talent to pull it off." He found Cardellini to be "a decently spunky Melissa".The Pound Shop movie review site relates that it is "fairly clear that this is a movie for the kiddies", but that it was "pretty unreasonable" to not have "one single instance of surfing". The reviewer found that the "stand out elements of this movie" include "Erik Lundmark’s casio keyboard score. While clearly made with a very limited amount of time, and money, I feel it is one of the few movie soundtracks that really help move the film along." Also, the "banter between the incompetent security guards at the resort actually finds its mark every now and again as well," and overall, the acting was satisfactory. Summarizing, the review stated the film is "worth a pound."
AllRovi.com reviewer Mark Deming gave the film two (of five) stars.