Dogtown and the Z-Boys

[Gyro/T69]

I happened to see this documentary back in August on the Independent Film Channel. It’s a fascinating look at the evolution of skateboarding in Venice California during the early seventies. It’s centered on a group of kids that made up the Zephyr skateboard team. (Z-Boys) They were the first to skate built-in swimming pools and pioneered vertical skateboard maneuvers.

Before I saw this, I new nothing about skateboarding and could of cared less. What really caught my attention was seeing first hand, the evolution due to the large number of films and still shots taken of the kids. They had a lot of insight capturing the period on film, worth seeing, even if you know nothing about the subject.

On a side note, if one knows the newsgroup, can find dvdr. One might find more info on this topic.

[FUNKED1]

I saw that too, I also don't know or care anything about skateboards, and I enjoyed the movie.

[storch]

I hate to say this because it's going to sound like hooey.  At that very same time in south florida there were a bunch of us kids skating pools in newly constructed homes prior to them being filled with water.  The construction companies had to hire security firms to try and stop us.

The documentary was awesome, having never read skateboarding I was not aware of the zephyr team until I saw Dogtown and the Z-Boys.  We were every bit as innovative, not anywhere near as militant and we had no Glenn Freidmann photographing us.  There is your genious.  Well Tony Alva too.  what a remarkable skater.

Out of curiosity, does anyone recall the skateboarding under the overpass at haulover cut on days when there was no surf?

[boxboy28]

well i grew up sk8ing, still do at 32,  and its deffinantly something for every one to see even if your not into it or dont like it! It will give you a little more info. into just what it came from to where it is today!

[Gyro/T69]

Storch, boxboy28, How hard was it to skate the pools? In the film, they said the first day's challenge was to get over the light. I later read on the z-boys site, Jay Adams saying it was hard at first.

[storch]

What's hard is the reversal, that is to say your timing needs to be pretty good because you have to be going slow enough that you can execute the turn but you have to be going fast enough that momentum keeps you on the deck.  I have scars to show that it took me some time to get the timing thing working properly.  Skating a half pipe is a ton easier than skating a 15 x 30 kidney pool but we didn't have half pipes in the mid 70's.  We didn't do any aerials either but I'll tell you what it was a rush hanging out in those pools with all the gremmies staring in wide eyed wonder and all the bros howling as you were trying not to skuff off another square foot of epidermis on the as of yet not finished pool surface.  We were thankful to have the Sengra Land Developement Corporation and it's ubiquetous Miami Lakes pool homes under construction.  I never got laid as much again since those heady days

[boxboy28]

Ya pools/bowls (lets call them bowls) are more for carving and grinding the lip or doing lip tricks!

There are 2 types of bowls!  1st ones that the transitions goto  a vertical surfice like you saw in the video! As for doing airiels there you have to go strait up and strait down!  other wise you wont land back in the bowl!  

2nd is the mini type ( the transition doesnt got to vertical and are any where from 3ft deep to 6/7 ft deep)  

POOLS/BOWLs  are a lot of fun but theres no flat like in a half pipe! The flat on a Half is there to  give you a little more time to set up for your next trick, anf the fact is on a Half you can carve into you airiel and go acrossed the ramp in the air!

Just like bowls there are 2 types of Half pipes
Vert Ramps and Mini ramps!

Vert is the hardest to skate but if you want to "GET AIR" then thats what you want to skate!You can get air on a mini you justr have to pull out or pop off the lip so you dont hang up going back in!


but as to  how hard is it to skate pools i think its easier for a novice to learn how to carve in a pool than to pump and turn around on a 1/2!  

 


I have a group of guys back in MIchigan that all still skate together ages ranging from 20 to  45 +

When i was 18 there was this group of guys called the "FREAK BROTHERS" (like the comic book) from Flint Michigan!   Man them mothers fuggers tore it up!!!!! and at that time they were 28 to 35yrs old!

One old cat i saw from Ann Arbor Michigan was one crazy mo fo!
this skate park had a 12 ft vert ramp 24ft wide with 1.5 to 2 ft of vert, the last night it was open i saw him do a NAKID FRONT SIDE 540!( at that time it was UNHEARD OF! early 1990's let alone nakid with no pads)   and land it perfectly to end the last session that place ever had! Mind you this place was full of little gromet's and there parents but when the mom's and dad's saw this crazy fugger get nakid then do that trick  there Jaws were wipe agape!


I still enjoy skating to this day granted it hurts alot more than it did and now im in NC and theres not alot of places to go but i travel to em when i can!

I'll always skate!  its a life style and something ill never give up!

this is a site one of my friends just set up for fun /chits and giggles



Even old guys can still learn to skate!

[Gyro/T69]

Thanks for the info guys Sure looked like alot of fun in the film.