2001 skateboarding documentaryRating: 16/20
Plot: Details the genesis of extreme skateboarding with California's Zephyr surfing (later skateboarding) team near Venice Beach in a small community called Dogtown. When the waves were quiet, they'd be forced to surf the concrete, eventually, thanks to a terrible drought, finding their way to empty swimming pools. In the mid-70s, they find overnight fame and success and go their separate ways to influence future generations of skate punks.
Great documentary by a couple of the Zephyr gang. There's an astounding amount of video and still photographs, and the participants give comprehensive and, for the most part, humble anecdotes and details to create a complete story. I was surprised with how interested I was in this stuff considering I'm old enough to chase people like this off my lawn. Even more impressive is how director Piralta was able to make clear the impact these kids had on the sport to a guy like me who wouldn't be able to attempt standing on a skateboard without breaking an arm. I was left with very few questions. And I imagine, a skateboarding fan and aficionado would find this just as rewarding. The story's very well-paced although it nearly grinds to a halt at one point when there's a focus on a few of the individual members instead of the collective. That punk Sean Penn narrates. There's also a terrific soundtrack. I'd type more, but I have to go buy a skateboard and empty out somebody's pool. I'm about to get gnarly, bitches.
This was a Kairow recommendation that I finally got around to watching.
This was a well made documentary abut a subject I don't care about... at all. The makers add gravitas to the idea that this important movement was happening in the 70's, when in fact I kind of wish someone had just firebombed the area and put an end to it. A 15 for the film and a 2 for skateboarders.
ReplyDeleteThe movie is able to do a lot with mostly still photographs. They were lucky to have a lot of really interesting footage, which I am sure made this easier to put together.
ReplyDeleteThere is one part when Penn clears his throat during the narration, and they left it in. I didn't even notice the first time I watched. I love it. It seems very natural.
Seeing as how the director was part of the subject, he seems to have taken care to not focus on himself.
For me, this a re-watchable doc. There are few of those.
18/20
I did notice the part where Penn clears his throat. I thought it was really odd.
ReplyDeleteThe fact that I didn't realize (for sure, at least) that the director was one of the participants until the very end probably says a lot.
i didn't like this as much as klunkerz, but i was being somewhat unfair as i saw it as a rip-off of klunkerz(because i saw it first). actually this is the first movie of this ilk which a lot of other people have ripped off(joe kid on a stingray, klunkerz, rize(which you still need to see)etc.)
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