Dogtown and Z-Boys

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, ...more

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 ...more