7.5 | / 10 |
Users | 4.5 | |
Reviewer | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.1 |
Skateboarding has crossed over into the mainstream population due in large part to the humble beginnings of a group of eight teenagers in an area of Santa Monica called Dogtown. It was there that this mismatched gang of kids from broken homes formed a group known as the Zephyr Team aka Z-Boys. They rode surfboards in the morning and skateboards in the afternoon, creating a style all their own. Desperate to ride, they used guerrilla tactics such as illegally skating abandoned swimming pools in upscale Los Angeles neighborhoods. But by the mid-70s, the skateboard phenomenon had caught on, and a few of the Z-Boys were scooped up by corporate sponsors and offered large sums of money to skate on their behalf. This elevated them from freewheeling street punks to celebrity skaters; they traveled the world, showing off their cutting-edge moves. Director Stacy Peralta, one of the original Z-Boys, reunites the original crew 25 years later to hear in their own words what it was like.
Starring: Stacy Peralta, Tony Alva, Jay Adams, Jeff Ament, Steve CaballeroDocumentary | 100% |
Sport | 63% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.34:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.33:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.0
English, English SDH, Hindi
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
BD-Live
Region free
Movie | 4.5 | |
Video | 4.0 | |
Audio | 4.0 | |
Extras | 3.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
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.
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 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 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 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.
1966
2003
Films 01-30
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First: The Official Film of the London 2012 Olympic Games
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