Dogtown and Z Boys (film)

Dogtown and Z Boys (film)

Director: Stacy Peralta
Release Date: January 3rd, 2002
Documentary


Plot Summary: Sean Penn narrates the documentary about Venice Beach, CA's Z boys. The film explores 1970's surf culture and the evolution of skateboarding in "Dogtown" and interviews with Tony Alva, Jay Adams, and Tony Hawk. The documentary explores how surf culture fueled skateboarding and when surfers were out of the water they practiced "shredding" on the concrete. Revolutionary board shaper, Jeff Ho describes his exploration of surfboard shaping, and they also describe the way they used to construct their own skateboards.

Peralta interviews Tony Alva and Jay Adams and discusses how skateboarding went from being completely recreational to a team sport, and then to competition and sponsorship. They also describe how surfing and skateboarding were counterculture sports and the culture of the sports was not like the modern day representations like Kelly Slater for surfing for example. The Zboys were aggressive and would go out of their way to find swimming pools to skate and they mention in the film how even when they were caught, they would try the next day to find a way back into the backyard.

Critical Analysis: Stacy Peralta provides an in-depth exploration of the surf and skateboard culture of Venice Beach, CA. In the interview with Jay Adams, he confesses how he wishes he would have made better business decisions and also stayed away from the drug aspect of the skating culture. This honest interview is useful for teens to see the benefits of surfing or skating but how even legends of the sport regret their negative choices.

Annotation: Former Z boy Stacy Peralta interviews his peers in an honest exploration of Venice Beach's skate and surf culture.

Genre: Documentary

Curriculum Ties: English: California youth culture

Discussion Points:
1.) Jay Adams explains how once he was sponsored and had to compete as a teen, the sport lost its fun, can you see his point?
2.)What is different about skating and surf culture today versus the 1070's when skateboarding emerged.

Selection Reasons: This documentary is important to Southern California's culture, and for teens interested in skateboarding or surfing, it is a great film.