DOGTOWN AND Z-BOYS, directed by Stacy Peralta, is a documentary that brings you into the world of skateboarding starting in the 1970’s after skateboards were introduced in the 1960’s. Peralta has special insight into this world, as he was one of the original Dogtown Zephyr Boys Skateboard team and an award winning skateboarder in the day. He also founded the Z-Boys Bone Brigade.
The documentary spends some time in the beginning of the story on the surfing culture that existed in this area of California, namely a run down area of Venice Beach on one side of Wiltshire Boulevard where skateboarding, influenced locally by surfboarding, was ultimately radically changed. It seems the documentary may spend a little too much time on surfing before getting into the subject of skateboarding, but once that happens things move along; an interesting, entertaining and informative documentary about the history and sport of skateboarding emerges. The opening makes a strong connection between the surfing culture and the Z-boy style of skateboarding.
DOGTOWN AND Z-BOYS makes extensive use of archival footage, photographs and interviews with many of the Z-Boys (there was one Z-Girl too). You get to see them as young skateboarders and as they were in 2001 when this documentary was made. These guys are legends in the skateboard world because they transformed the sport with a new style that included an assertive approach to skateboarding. Interviewees include Tony Alva, Jay Adams, Stacy Peralta, Craig Stecyk, Peggy Oki, Tony Hawk and others. After the Z-Boys appearance at the Delmar Nationals in 1975 the world of skateboarding changed forever according to the film. The “in-your-face style” of the Zephyr Boys Skaters destroyed the competition and became a major influence on future extreme sports.
DOGTOWN AND Z-BOYS as a documentary demonstrates a style of nonfiction filmmaking that Stacy Peralta will build on for subsequent documentaries like RIDING GIANTS and KRIPS AND BLOODS in later years. After a strong opening that sets the stage and tone of the documentary, there’s a historical back story leading up to the contemporary scene. A number of parallel themes are developed and seen throughout the films. In the case of DOGTOWN AND Z-BOYS, the inspiration and influence of surfing is seen as motivator for the Dogtown Z-Boys skater’s style both in technique and attitude. Once that element is established DOGTOWN AND Z-BOYS looks at events, individuals, and technology in parallel over the years leading up to the contemporary scene at the time the film was made. The documentary has both a dramatic and rhetorical structure. Dramatically it breaks down into three acts. The first act sets the stage for the obstacles facing the Dogtown boys and their new style of skateboarding. The second act picks up from the boys appearance the Delmar competition and the hostility they faced from the traditional skateboarding community. In this act the personal experiences of most of the Dogtown skaters are revealed in an essentially rhetorical fashion. In the third act many of the obstacles are resolved, the fame and the success of the skaters is shown. Finally the team gets access to a large drained private swimming pool on a wealthy patron’s property that they nick name the “Dog Bowl.” It’s here that they take their style and moves to a new level. Other issues and parallel themes like the fate of these talented individuals are also revealed at this time.
DOGTOWN AND Z-BOYS is partially voice over narrated by Sean Penn in a rather flat nondescript, monotone voice. Most of the narration is first person, from interviews with the skaters, individuals involved in the early surfing days of Dogtown, and others like Henry Rollins who witnessed or were influenced by this style of skateboarding. The first-person interviews tell the story much better than the voice over information. Sean Penn is a fine actor but maybe if he had used a little more inflection or hint of emotion reading the voice over it would have carried better.
Good documentary films leave you with new insights and information about their subjects. They may change your mind about stereotypes or advocate issues and ideas. DOGTOWN AND Z-BOYS does “all of the above” and entertains at the same time. You may look at that skateboarder you encounter on the street in a different light once you see DOGTOWN AND Z-BOYS.
J R MARTIN – AUTHOR – CREATE DOCUMENTARY FILMS, VIDEO AND MULTIMEDIA – REAL DEAL PRESS
DOGTOWN AND Z-BOYS 2001 91 MINUTES – Directed by Stacy Peralta, Produced by Agi Orsi, Co-Producers Glen E. Friedman, Stephen Nemeth and Daniel Ostoff, Executive Producer Jay Wilson, Editor, Paul Crowder, Production Designer C.R. Stecyk, DP Peter Pilafian. A Sony Pictures Classics Release
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Tags: DOCUMENTARY FIM REVIEWS, DOGTOWN AND Z-BOYS, SKATEBOARDING, SKATERS, Stacy Peralta
