Dogtown and Z-Boys

Theatrical Release Date: 2002 04 26 (USA - Limited)

UPC: 043396333550

Studio: Sony Pictures

MPAA Rating: PG13   Contains:[Questionable for Children, Adult Language, Drug Content, Suitable for Teens]

Summary: In the mid-'70s, skateboarding was widely seen as a fad of the 1960s that had all but died out, except for a handful of committed fans in California. But that began to change with the emerge of the Z-Boys, a team of teenaged skateboarders who emerged from a decaying urban community in Santa Monica, CA. Hard-core surfers who sought to translate the hot-dogging stunts of world-class wave riders onto their skateboards began hanging out at the Zephyr Productions Surf Shop, a store that stocked top-grade equipment for local surfers and skaters, and with the help of the store's owner Jeff Ho, twelve of the skaters organized themselves into a team to compete at local skate events. Soon the radical moves and scruffy-streetwise style of the Zephyr Skate Team -- the Z-Boys for short -- upended public preconceptions of skateboarding as a sport and a lifestyle, and the wild style of Z-Boy skaters such as Tony Alva, Jim Muir, and Jay Adams made them celebrities who blazed the trail for the extreme sports movement. But while the Z-Boys' success brought them a measure of fame and fortune -- lucrative endorsement contracts, deals to manufacture their own custom skateboards, and even movie roles (Tony Alva starred opposite Leif Garrett in Skateboard, while Z-Boy Stacy Peralta was top-billed in Freewheelin') -- their fame proved to be fleeting, and several of the Z-Boys fell prey to drugs, crime, and ego. Dogtown and Z-Boys is a documentary by former Z-Boy Stacy Peralta that chronicles the glory days of the Z-Boys through footage of the skaters in their prime and interviews with the pioneers of the Southern California skate scene. Rock musicians and noted skate enthusiasts Ian MacKaye, Henry Rollins, and Jeff Ament also appear to discuss the importance of the Z-Boys' legacy; Sean Penn narrates. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Category: Sports & Recreati

Awards: Documentary Audience Award – Sundance Film Festival Documentary Directing Award – Sundance Film Festival Best Documentary – Independent Spirit Awards

Features: The state of pool skating with Tony Alva and Lasek
Tony Alva art show
Commentary with director Stacy Peralta and editor Paul Crowder
Alternate ending
Deleted scenes
Extended "raw" skate footage
Lords of Dogtown webisodes
Jeff Ho 2000
Mar Vista 2000
Multi-angle footage

Dogtown and Z-Boys

Format: Blu-ray

Release Date: 01/05/2010

Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1 Pre-1954 Standard

Audio: DHMA null, DD2 Dolby Digital Stereo

Runtime: 91 Minutes

Sides: 1

Number of Discs: 1

Language(s) English

Subtitles: English

Andrea LeVasseur

Funded by the Vans shoe company, Dogtown and Z-Boys is most effective as a nostalgic look back at the stylish Southern California lifestyle of the '70s. However, as a documentary it is fails to address any pressing questions the viewer might have about the subject. The interviews with the aging original members mostly consist of overblown hero worship and a wistful recollection of their wilder youth. Filmed with MTV-style rapid cuts and quick camera movements with archival footage, it offers plenty of praise but doesn't go deep enough into the psyche of these dominating personalities. This is particularly evident in the case of Jay Adams, who apparently landed in jail for an undisclosed reason after refusing to sell out. His tributary segment suggests that he may have died, then he shows up on camera to offer some cryptic commentary which is screaming for an explanation. Also missing is any kind of critical angle or cultural analysis to supplement the simple presentation. Dogtown and Z-Boys is filled with excellent music from the era (Black Sabbath, T. Rex, Iggy Pop) and skating fans will be pleased to see all the stylish vintage footage of their favorite legends, but those looking for an in-depth documentary may be disappointed to be left with so many questions. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, Rovi

Cast and Crew: Jeff Ament  Actor 
Zephyr Skateboard Team  Actor 
Wentzle Ruml  Actor 
C.R. Stecyk  Actor 
Peggy Oki  Actor 
Stacy Peralta  Actor 
Bob Biniak  Actor 
Skip Engblom  Actor 
Henry Rollins  Actor 
Shogu Kubo  Actor 
Glen E. Friedman  Actor 
Jim Muir  Actor 
Tony Hawk  Actor 
Jay Adams  Actor 
Alan Sarlo  Actor 
Tony Alva  Actor 
Jeff Ho  Actor 
Nathan Pratt  Actor 
Paul Constantineau  Actor 
Stacy Peralta  Director 
Stacy Peralta  Screenwriter 
Agi Orsi  Producer 
C.R. Stecyk  Screenwriter 
Jay Wilson  Executive Producer 
Terry Wilson  Composer (Music Score) 
Sean Penn  Actor 

Country: USA