Thursday, April 25

Dogtown and Z-Boys Premier

By Sal Masekela
EXPN.com

How important to skateboarding's future is skateboarding's past? Some might say that the present is what really matters. The X Games, Tony Hawk's Pro Skater, Ultimate X, The Action Sports and Music Awards, trading cards etc. One could argue that it is these things, and these things only that will influence skateboarding and the future of action sports. Perhaps. But when the dust settles and action sports are no longer the hottest trend on earth what will keep people, skating, surfing, etc? Skateboarding's past. This is no more evident than in Stacy Peralta's documentary of modern skateboarding roots, Dogtown and Z-Boys. In an era where what's cool this morning won't be cool tonight, Dogtown and Z-Boys reminds us that this wonderful ride we're on had a definite beginning over thirty years ago.

The man behind it all Stacy Peralta, with his son.

Set in Venice, California's Dogtown during the 1970's, it's an amazing story of friendship, community, struggle, heart, success, failure and just plain not giving a damn what other folks think. Before the Birdman, Koston, Lasek, Burnquist and Muska, there were names like Jay Adams, Tony Alva, and Alan Sarlo to name just a few. A core group of individuals that passed on to us what we have today. If you want to know about the birth of Basketball, Baseball, Football or any other sport you can watch ESPN Classics anytime of day. If you want to learn the true story of modern day skateboarding get the homies and the shortras together and go see Dogtown and Z-Boys.

Steve Caballero as the next guitarist for Limp? Who knows...

For those of you who have become fans of action sports in the last five years, or solely via television you will get a commercial free, invaluable education of what skateboarding is. For the kids out there that think because they have the newest pair of D.C.'s, or can switchflip the local five stair they are the hot shiz, school is in session. Skateboarding's kinship to surfing will surprise some, and make others long for the good old days. Modern day skateboarding was born of surfing and the ghetto. Please believe me. The Z-Boys were so damn cool that you will see the word in a new light after you see the flick.

Tony Alva hanging out with Cameron Diaz

I had the chance to go to the premier last night in Los Angeles and it was straight-up off the chain. Almost all the original crew was there. Director Stacy Peralta, the man who discovered Tony Hawk, held court with a gang of international reporters. Tony Alva and most of the original Z-Boys were there as well as Steve Caballero. There were crazy mad celebrities who were so hyped on the movie that their celebrity status wore off quickly. Julia Roberts, Steve Berra and Juliette Lewis, David Spade, Zach Del La Rocha, Cameron Diaz, and Sean Penn to name a few. Oops, forgot about Pennywise and the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Fred Durst was there and I have never been a fan. Ever. But, I watched him walk down the paparazzi line and say such dope things about skateboarding without once uttering the word extreme that I have to give him some props. Plus Kenna is on his label so I had better kiss up. If you don't know about Kenna you had better find out. That is a whole 'nother story though. Bottom line is that everyone in the world needs to see this film. It will do something different for everybody. And maybe, just maybe the masses will finally understand that the roots of what they might have seen as a dog and pony show is actually part of the backbone of popular culture as we know it.

Skateboarding's favorite couple, Berra and Juliette Lewis.