Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		3.0
Overall		4.0

Dogtown and Z-Boys Blu-ray Movie Review

A 'board and a Blu; what could be better?

Reviewed by Martin Liebman January 6, 2010

There were no goals, there were no aspirations.

Few sports have enjoyed such a rapid ascent in popularity as skateboarding. Seemingly every neighborhood, every playground, every school, every church has their own community of skaters that come together for a shared love of the thrill, the rush of adrenaline, the hope of conquering that half pipe. Beginning in earnest in the run-down "Dogtown" area of Los Angels in the 1960s and now a centerpiece of ESPN's "X-Games" competition and even discussed as a possible addition to the Olympic's roster of games, there's more incentive than ever to hop on a board and learn the tricks of the trade, to become the next Tony Alva or Tony Hawk, and to cash in on the financial freight train that was born of surfing and started in earnest with a bunch of talented kids with but boards, wheels, and time to kill in Los Angeles. Still, and despite the money, fame, and fortune to be made and enjoyed, there's at the core of the skating lifestyle the thrill, the emotion, the bonding, and the highs of not only the brief ascent into the heavens with board underfoot but the soaring spirit the comes along for the ride, the knowledge that when board loses contact with wood, pavement, or urethane that, for one brief moment, a skater can be at the top of the world only a few feet from the ground.

Whatever.

It was dirty, it was filthy, it was paradise.

Dogtown -- an area of Los Angeles encompassing South Santa Monica, Venice, and Ocean Park -- was a slum, a nowhere, a place where nothing could blossom and grow. The urban concrete jungle seemed good for nothing but as a haven for junkies and a popular spot for surfers, but a band of young teenagers would forever transform both the landscape of Dogtown and indeed the landscape of American teenage culture in the 1970s when they formed the "Z-Boys" ("Z" for "Zephyr"), a group of skaters who would come to define the skating culture that thrives even some several decades later. Their exploits chronicled by journalist/photographer Craig Stecyk and immortalized in Skateboarder magazine, their inventive moves -- many born of the California droughts of the 1970s that left swimming pools empty of water and primed for skateboarding -- have left an indelible mark on the sport and ascended them all to celebrity status. Young men from nowhere, USA like Tony Alva, Stacy Peralta, and Jay Adams became overnight sensations, idols to thousands of young skating enthusiasts and prized by mega-dollar corporations that sought to capitalize on their influence and inventiveness both in the concrete jungle and in the minds of influential spenders eager to become the next skating legend. Through the triumphs and the tragedies, Dogtown and Z-Boys examines the lives of several young men and women who would transform a culture with nothing but a board, four wheels, guts, and plenty of inventiveness.

We were doing it because we loved doing it.

Director Stacy Peralta (Riding Giants), himself a member of Z-Boys, tackles Dogtown and Z-Boys with a balanced and steady approach that never feels self-serving or partial towards Peralta's own experiences rather than those of the entire Zephyr team. Though something of a partially biopic film, most viewers would probably not even realize that one of the team's own directed the movie were it not for his name in the credits. Peralta instead focuses on the entire Zephyr team, much to the benefit of the film and skateboarding's heritage and future. Peralta infuses both history and biography into the picture, not only because they both prove fascinating but because, in this instance, they're more often than not one and the same. The Z-Boys, as the film demonstrates, were pioneers of skateboarding, their exploits, style, and attitude setting the tone for the future of the skating revolution that still lives on today. Indeed, Dogtown and Z-Boys, at its core, isn't really about skating; it's about a culture and a community, people and their ideas, innovations and inspirations that were born of skating and the desire to achieve not fortune and glory but simply for the rush of the moment and the love of the style.

Like Peralta's Riding Giants, Dogtown and Z-Boys' thematic, visual, and aural tone are not of the traditional documentary style but instead spring from the rough-and-tumble grimy world of Dogtown and the adrenaline-packed and adventuresome spirit of skateboarding. Both documentaries prove incredibly informative, though Dogtown and Z-Boys seems the slight favorite amongst the two, the picture a bit more engaging from a purely contextual point of view, but there's no denying that Riding Giants enjoys a more diverse and indeed entertaining group of interview subjects. Additionally, both films highlight the ups and downs of their respective and similar worlds, focusing both on the triumphs and the tragedies, both from a collective point of view as they pertain to the respective activity, and at a more base and personal level as well. Dogtown and Z-Boys, however, enjoys a slightly more personal tone; it doesn't stem from Director Peralta's close association with the skaters and skateboarding, but there's a more intimate feel to the movie despite a more kinetic visual style. Dogtown and Z-Boys' visual style is hectic but fits in perfectly with the world of skateboarding; it's seemingly forever in motion, the picture one of the most fluid and organic ever produced, a triumph of filmmaking considering its heavy reliance on otherwise static interview clips, still photographs, and choppy and of otherwise poor quality archival footage.

Dogtown and Z-Boys Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Dogtown and Z-Boys rides onto Blu-ray with a solid 1080p, 1.33:1-framed transfer that's reflective of the quality of the material assembled for the film. Aside from the presentation retaining the film's original aspect ratio by placing vertical black bars on either side of a 1.78:1 display, Sony's Blu-ray transfer also keeps in-tact the film's original and intended gritty and rough texture that replicates Director Stacy Peralta's vision nicely. Though plagued by a plethora of artifacts, pixelation, noise, jagged edges, and any number of additional visual eyesores, there's no getting around the quality of the source material utilized throughout, and Sony has smartly preserved the rough-and-tumble feel of the movie for what is currently the hallmark visual representation of the film for home viewing consumption. Even newer interview clips with members of the Z-Boys and others -- many of which appear in black-and-white -- are overlaid with an abundance of grain that allows them to seamlessly blend in with the visual tone of the remainder of the film. There's not much to critique here; the source material is what it is, and even though it's not of the same pristine quality as brand-new releases filmed on high-dollar 35mm Hollywood cameras, it looks just as it should and therefore earns an appropriately high score.

Dogtown and Z-Boys Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Dogtown and Z-Boys rolls onto Blu-ray with a quality, but not extremely active, DTS-HD MA 5.0 lossless soundtrack. Generally speaking, this one's of the nuts-and-bolts variety, offering up a typically clear and precise soundtrack that's reflective of the film's fine but not wholly immersive sound design. Made primarily of dialogue and musical cues, there's little room for extra ambient or supportive back-channel accompaniments; however, the track does spread its wings on several occasions, offering a loud but seamless surround presentation in support of some of the throwback visuals and sound effects, and the sparse use of the surround channels makes their implementation all the more enjoyable. Musical numbers are exceptionally reproduced, all enjoying a full and gratifying presence with pinpoint clarity throughout the entire range, regardless of the style of music. Additionally, dialogue is soundly reproduced throughout, whether Sean Penn's (Casualties of War) narration or the interview contributions of the many subjects highlighted throughout the film. Though not a soundtrack that will turn heads or be remembered in the years to come for some exceptionally active or boomy presentation, this lossless soundtrack is fantastic in its own right, delivering every syllable, note, and effect with ease and within the track's established parameters.

Dogtown and Z-Boys Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Dogtown and Z-Boys skates onto Blu-ray with a fine selection of extras. First is a commentary track with Director Stacy Peralta and Editor Paul Crowder. A fine and balanced track, the participants cover a myriad of topics, speaking on the technical aspects of the production while also recounting the interview process and the participation of the interviewees. Like the film, the commentary is honest, covering the artistic decisions that went into the film, the assemblage of the footage, and more of the real-life history of the era and the people. A recommended listen for fans of the film and the people involved. Next is an alternate ending entitled Alva 2000 (480p, 3:04) and a deleted scene entitled Craig Stecyk (480p, 3:38). The State of Pool Skating With Tony Alva and Bucky Lasek (1080i, 13:25) features the two title skaters speaking on their pool preferences, the positives of skate parks, the history of pool skating, the best skaters then and now, the evolution of skating, and more.

Tony Alva Art Show (1080i, 3:31) looks all-too-briefly at how the world of skating and art intersect. 'That Question Sucked' (480p, 0:28) is a brief compilation piece of interviewees thumbing their noses at some of the questions they're asked. 'Lords of Dogtown:' Webisodes (480p, 5:58) features Lords of Dogtown Director Catherine Hardwicke hosting a collection of behind-the-scenes footage and interviews as they relate to the feature-length film centered on the Z-Boys. Freestyle Experience (Raw Footage) is an interactive piece that allows viewers to watch extended footage separate from the film when a red icon appears on-screen during the feature film's playback. Bicknell Hill Session (480p, 1:41) is a collection of still photographs shot by Pat Darrin in 1974. Jeff Ho 2000 (480p, 1:54) features the famed designer in a video montage prior to a 2000 interview. Mar Vista 2000 (480p, 2:35) features Director Stacy Peralta, Editor Paul Crowder, and Assistant Editor Scott Jurgens skating at the Mar Vista School while taking a break from the grind of the filmmaking process. Also included is BD-Live functionality and 1080p trailers for The Da Vinci Code, Ghostbusters, Michael Jackson's This is It, 2012, Armored, and The Stepfather.

Dogtown and Z-Boys Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Dogtown and Z-Boys is an exceptional documentary that's engaging and kinetic, every frame drawing audiences in closer to the world of skating as they come to know those that pioneered a new style for future generations while discovering the ups and downs of fame and fortune born from nothing but a board, a few wheels, empty pools, and some air. Evenly-keeled, Dogtown and Z-Boys never shies away from the pains in the midst of the many great pleasures, closely and movingly examining the triumphs and the heartbreaks of the Z-Boys both then and now and the world they birthed. A documentary for all viewers -- longtime skaters and novices alike -- Dogtown and Z-Boys is simply must-see filmmaking. Sony's Blu-ray release, much like that of Riding Giants, remains faithful to the source, delivering a rough but accurate 1080p video transfer, a fine lossless soundtrack, and a solid array of extras. Highly recommended.