Dogtown and Z-Boys 2002
This documentary is about the rebirth of skateboarding in the 1970’s and focuses on the Zephyr Skateboarding Team or Z-Boys. You will learn that the Z-Boys completely changed skateboarding by taking surfing moves and perfecting them in empty swimming pools in L.A. The veracity of the claims of originality and importance are certainly in question since the movie is made not by a journalist, but by one of the Z-Boys. And it is further clouded by referring to contemporary articles in Skateboarder magazine that were written by an owner of the sponsoring Zephyr Surf Shop who, using pseudonyms, wrote sensational articles about their abilities, attitude, etc. Oh, he also wrote the script narrated by Sean Penn in the movie.
Still, it is fun to watch as they trace the history of the Z-Boys. Like so many pivotal events in history, there was a perfect combination of technology, talent, and even weather that resulted in adding a new (vertical) dimension to skateboarding. The weather contributed by preventing them from surfing for all but a couple of hours a day. It then also contributed by providing a drought in California that prevented people from filling their swimming pools. Technology contributed urethane wheels that revived skateboards from the clay-wheeled 60’s fad.
A movie that was not made by a skateboarder probably would have tried to capture more of the drug use, partying, and rags to riches story. While some of that is touched on, the movie predominatly sticks to surfing and skateboarding. Most of the interviews are with the Z-Boys themselves talking about themselves and each other. There are a few other voices, including the star of the third wave of skateboarding in the 90’s, Tony Hawk. They stay very focused on telling the story. A couple of the Z-Boys (and one girl) became famous, some burned out, lost interest, or returned to surfing. They talk to all but one, who you will only find out was “last seen in Mexico,” but apparently just didn’t participate.
Like any good documentary, they have taken on a fairly small topic, but have personalized it and made it seem bigger than it is. It isn’t done in an ostentatious way: these guys have been promoting themselves for far too long to come off as smug hacks. But there is a certain element of self-glorification that would later continue by making a fictionalized version of their lives in 2005. But because they have been doing this so long, they have a great archive of movie and still photography to draw on that wouldn’t ordinarily be available. It makes for very good watching. A-.
Written: 04 Sep 2006