Lords of Dogtown

It was the seventies Sam. Materialism was making a comeback. For poor kids this was a way out of the dead end they saw in their future, so many of them jumped at the chance for a corporate sponsor. Watch the documentary. These were real people. Most of the events happened in some fashion to the team members, but to make it a more cohesive story, Peralta put it into one year and focused on the three main characters for the movie. Put the Dogtown and Z-boys documentary on and watch for how well they all match the mannerisms of the real people they are portraying. They also had to be convincing skating and in some scenes surfing. Watch the movie again with Peralta and Alva's commentary running and you will see and hear how close they got it to the real life these guys had. How can you say Emile Hirsch is one dimensional? John Robinson does most of his own skating. Peralta himself doubles for the multiple 360s in the Delmar contest scene. The real Alva does some as well. I've never even skated, but I lived through the seventies and I thought it was like stepping back into the past. Very convincing. The only thing I would have done differently would be to develop Wentzle's character more-he is a hoot in the documentary.

Prior to the Z Boys skateboarding team in the Dogtown part of Santa Monica it wasn't even considered a sport with most of the tricks being more related towards gymnastics. The Z Boys one of the first teams to use polyurethane wheels which allowed them to take their skateboarding to a whole other level then anyone else. They were able to make skateboarding into more of a fast paced and daredevil artform that it's today. Being able to stay on their boards on more types of terrain then ever before. They invented skating empty swimming pools which eventually lead to vert skating being invented. All of the skateboarders of the 1980's like Tony Hawk, Christian Hosoi, Mike McGill, Lance Mountain and s on wouldn't have been able to do what they did if it wasn't for Stacy Peralta, Jay Adams and Tony Alva. They were truly the forefathers of modern skateboarding.

I grew up in California and this movie REALLY brought me back to the 70's and what was happening in the skateboard world. The actors were totally on mark with their portrayals of these guys and how things were back then in California at that time. I'm a girl and I was into skateboarding at that time. I saved my own money to buy my own boards. I even remember my mom came home one day and gave me an article from a magazine about Alva. I met him later in the 80's and he's a very down to earth guy. If you grew up in Cali at this time, you will LOVE this movie and if you didn't you will get the true idea of what it was like then. Awesome job guys on this film! A definite classic!

When I first heard this film was being made, I was very excited because, despite being about 10 years too late, grew up inspired by the Z-Boys through the writings and photographs of C.R. Stecyk and Glen E. Friedman. Adams, Alva and Peralta are the three most important skateboarders ever. Heck... I have a Jay Adams tattoo portrait.

Then I had second thoughts fearing the Hollywood-ization of their story. I thought the drama of their tough lives in Venice would likely be glamorized and exploited with much of the truth unbelievably stretched. But I wasn't their to witness it, so I asked someone who was part of the Dogtown skate scene and friends with those the film is about, and he said that is exactly what the movie.

He also told me that if you're familiar with the true story or have even just seen the documentary (Dogtown & the Z-Boys), then the movie will just come off corny. But if you go into not expecting an intelligent film and just a fun movie, you may get just that. So I saw it today think it would be just that, and it was.

The skate scenes were all right, but excited me by striking up thoughts of the truth of it all. The aggressiveness of Ledger's portrayal of Skip Enblom seemed cheesy and over the top. The kids who played Peralta and Alva weren't terrible, too, but Emile Hirsch did a good job as Jay Adams. And I'm confused at who this Chino guy is. I'm guessing it's supposed to be Zephyr shop owner Jeff Ho who wouldn't have anything to do with the film.

It was funny to see cameos by Alva, Adams, Peralta, Skip and Bob Biniak. Tony Hawk's cameo was uncalled for. But overall, the film was enjoyable, especially by all everyone else in the theater, considering I was the only one above the age of 17 it seemed. And it's great to see the legend of these guys be spread to new generations, especially with skateboarding as popular than ever. I think all new skaters should recognize their roots.

I just hope people will make the effort to at least see the documentary and hopefully pick up Stecyk and Friedman's "Dogtown - The Legend of the Z-Boys" book and read all the original Skateboarder magazine stories and images. That can't be beat.

I am not a fan of surfing or skateboarding (although learning to surf is on my bucket list), but I decided to watch this film due to some of the names on the cast list such as Emile Hirsch, Heath Ledger, and a small appearance by Jeremy Renner. (Heath Ledger... what talent!)

The film begins as a surfing movie, then transitions into skateboarding, but the execution is amazing. I hardly watch movies without checking the time left, due to my incessant need to know everything, yet I didn't feel inclined to do so during this film. What that means is that the film has a perfect flow, it will keep you interested throughout the entire film.

It's a fictionalized film of "The Z-Boys" and how they revolutionized the sport of skateboarding. The film has much to do with skateboarding, but the main scenes are coming-of-age related and it really shows the simplicity of life that we take advantage of. There's many things you can take from this film: from fame, fortune, and success to humbleness, health, and friendship.

I thought this film would be a somewhat decent, but I was so wrong, it is an inspirational and interesting piece of art. I highly recommend this film if you have an open mind. If you aren't moved by the end, then you aren't human.