Rating: 
Summary: Exceptional Documentary
Review: This is an exceptional documentary of a group of guys in blue-collar south Venice Beach, CA that revolutionized skateboarding. As a 50 year old who grew up in Southern California in the mid-60s skateboarding in the "uncool" manner that they portrayed in the first skateboard tournament, I was absolutely mesmerized by the evolution to vertical skateboarder, ie, "airtime". This film narrated by Sean Penn interviews the members of the Zephyr Surf Shop skateboarding team from the 70s. Sean Penn does an excellent job as voice over and the teammates and shop owners are very honest and forthright in sharing the evolution through the skateboarding where they were first seen, to the urban guerilla boarding in empty swimming pools, to skateboard stardom, and finally to grown-ups. Many reviewers mention the braggadocio of the participants since the director was also a Z-Boy. Also many complained that they were just a bunch of skateboarders. But I didn't view it that way at all. I found their reporting to be very balanced and in fact, I thought the director somewhat downplayed his stature in the skateboarding world vs. say, Tony Alva. Also as a former skateboarder of a previous generation, I found it absolutely fascinating watching the evolution of the sport. Whether true or not, following that evolution to airborne makes fascinating history. Now, skateboard/wakeboard/surfing/in-line skating have merged into extreme sports. Did these guys invent it? Of course not. But they were substantial in its evolution. My wife who has never lived outside Southeast US viewed this also and while the subject matter was not familiar, she found it interesting. I recommend this for people wanting to study 70s culture, Southern California or pop culture.
Rating: 
Summary: (((((((AWESOME!)))))))))))
Review: Must see for all who survived the 70's.
I'm not a skateboarder...but LOVED this dose of my history. =^..^=
Rating:
Summary: 40 Going On 14...
Review: When I first heard about this movie, back when it was debuting at Sundance, I couldn't wait to see it. When it did finally come to my town, I dragged my husband to it; it certainly confused him, seeing his 39 year old computer nerd wife turn into a teen age skate rat overnight! In my mispent youth, I lived about 20 miles south of Dogtown & idolized Tony Alva. I had his magazine shots covering my walls; I memorized every issue of Skateboarder when it arrived in my mailbox. I also spent every available moment gonzoing the local hilly streets with my friends. As soon as I was old enough to get my own place, where did I move to? You guessed it, Dogtown. I don't talk much about those days now, or at least I didn't until DOGTOWN & Z-BOYS came out. This movie is wonderful. It really captures what that time felt like, when skateboarding was still closely allied to surfing & just finding it's own identity. The archival footage is amazing, especially the P.O.P. sequence, & the early shots of the Z-Boys at Paul Revere & Bellagio. The editing is brilliant, & the music rocks! What is truly remarkable is that it manages to make skateboarding accessible & enjoyable to those who never participated, such as my husband. He's just as blown away at some of the footage as I was. The DVD transfer is great. It's nice to be able to slow down some of the sections, or freeze a frame to get a better look, or just repeat your fave sections over & over again. The voice-over commentary by Peralta on the bonus track adds many anecdotes that had to be left out of the film, as well as giving credit to many of the people who contributed footage the documentary relies heavily on. There's also an additional, uncut film of today's Tony A during a pool session, which is nice to see. The only reason this film doesn't get 5 stars is because of some of the people it left out. Where's Tom Inouye, of the notorious Inouye's Pool Service? When it came to outlaw pool-finding, Tom was the man! Laura Thornhill was probably the only other hard-core girl who got attention at the time; she's completely unmentioned. Although Stacy Peralta gets his props for modesty, he sometimes errs on the side of being TOO modest; there was a spectacular Arizona Pipe session I recall that goes unmentioned, one that Stacy made history at. It would have been nice to see some of that footage too. All in all, Dogtown & Z-Boys can't be beat if you remember those days. If you're at the age where all this is new to you, it's a great way to learn where all those moves you're busting came from. Now to dig out some OP's & Vans, & I'll be stylin' again...
Rating:
Summary: Very Entertaining Documentary
Review: A friend highly recomended this documentary about skateboarding, and I was very doubtful going in because I do not skateboard and am not interested in it. Surprisingly, I found the documentary to be entertaining, informative and definitely interesting. It's a very unique look into a group of unsung heros who unintentionally gave birth to a new sport and a worldwide counter-culture that has undoubtedly influenced several generations. This documentary is not just for skaters; anyone interested in the forgotten but influential events in history would like this film. What these guys did in the world of early skateboarding is on the same level as the way the Fosbury Flop changed the high-jump in track and field, but even bigger because it was part of a cutural revolution that gave rise to a whole new genre of sport. Once the cat was out of the bag, the world could never go back. Equally important was the early promotion of the sport and the lifestyle, of which the writer/director was an early pioneer. He was also a member of the Z-boys, which provides a perspective that no one else could deliver. He personally knows all the early superstars of the sport and the guys behind the scenes, which seems to make those interviewed very candid and open. You will not be dissatisfied with this film, even if you know nothing about skateboarding or have bo interest in it.
Rating:
Summary: Awsome video
Review: This video goes through the history of skateboarding with kids and how skateboarding became a fad. It mentions the start of vert and different styles were created. I recormenend this video to any skateboarder or just skateboard enthusiast. I give it a 5 for everything. Its awsome.
Rating:
Summary: Awesome movie...even for non-skateboarders like me!
Review: My brother-in-law lent us this DVD to watch. I ended up watching it twice in 2 days and then running out to get my own copy! An absolutely fabulous documentary on the So. Cal. skateboarding scene in the 70's. Even if you don't skateboard, the stories on these athletes are riveting...in particular Jay Adams. I can't say enough about the music in this movie. Great songs, one and all. Every song clicked perfectly with what was going on visually at the time. Very impressive directorial work by Stacy Peralta.
Rating:
Summary: Awesome Old School
Review: This movie was the best overall skate documentary that I have ever seen. It showed everything about the gang. I reccomend it to anyone who loves true skateboard videos. It shows all of their struggles to big-time skatin'. Buy this movie!
Rating:
Summary: Going Back With the Best
Review: I was resting in my room when this movie came on cable. The soundtrack roused me and the narrative style of Sean Penn pulled me in. So, I got up, and went out to watch this documentary. I came of age - on the East Coast - during the 70's. I have to admit, I was a party girl, running with the boys - and knew nothing of stakeboarding. Yet, the ZBoys soundtrack was the background to my life in the early 70's. I was fascinated by their absolute lack of fear. Watching Jay Adams take that road with no helmet at 70 mph took my breath away. This movie celebrates that very special time in life, and the Zboys,and the soundtrack did it proud. Loved this flick and am really looking forward to the Lords of Dogtown. Good Luck, Tracy.
Rating: 
Summary: Shameless self-promotion
Review: I certainly can appreciate the cultural influence that this group of skaters had...but I have never seen a group of people who felt more self-important about something that is so unimportant. It isn't surprising that the movie was made by Peralta (whose enthusiasm along with everyone elses is acutely artificial). Who makes a documentary about themself and passes it off as something with historical credence? The film is full of could of's, hyperbole and lifetime channel attempts to be dramatic. At one point the film eulogizes Jay Adams as if he was dead (really he just didn't sell out like Peralta and Alva and make enough money). Its feeble attempt at tragedy falls quite short and seems ridiculously self-involved. One moment they are lauding themselves for being loners, then they are celebrating themselves for signing contracts and offering themselves up for money. The soundtrack, although quite good, is anachronistic with the time period and furthers the fact that this is a silly attempt to make more money off something that they once held to be so pure.
This movie was nauseatingly contrived and offensively commercial. It was quite good when it ended
Rating:
Summary: Dogtown and the Z-Boyz
Review: I'm from Brazil and skateboard is as popular here as it is in the US. I started skating in the 80's so names like Peralta, Alva, Hosoi and Caballero were top skaters we've never seem, but we knew those guys could skate. I saw tons of pics of Alva riding a pool, Jay Adams' stylish tricks, but I never saw any footage of'em. When I saw this movie, it felt like I was in the dogbowl. It really made me understand how skateboard change those kids' lifes and how they changed skateboarde course and the whole skateboard scene, with the way they dressed, the shoes they wore, and stuff like that. Skateboard industry was never the same after Dogtown Boys. It's a complete source of information of how skateboard grew, got popular and changed the life of millions kids around the world.
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