The best skateboarding movies
The appearance of skateboarding in movies is now used in many scenarios. It brings a determining element to the general atmosphere of the film but also to the vision carried by the spectators. In my opinion, these are some of the best skateboarding movies of all time.
Lords of dogtown
If I had to put a movie at the top of that chart, then it would definitely be “The Lords of Dogtown“. Inspired by the Z-boys and written by Stacy Peralta, the film tells the story of a group of skaters from the 70s who had a considerable influence on the movement and revolutionized skateboarding.
We will discover in this film how the great drought of 1976 in the United States had repercussions on the creation of new spots for skaters. Waves breaking 24 hours a day every day? But where to find such a spot in the middle of the city? Well in the swimming pools (bowls) which were emptied during the drought. It’s from there that new tricks appear, leaving the possibility for the riders to express themselves and to discover new variations on their boards…
Later, with the development of skateboarding, the formation of competitions, sponsors… will follow a real race against the clock of the best rider. Among them, the famous Jay Adams, Stacy Peralta and Tony Alva.
An almost entirely true story. For the most curious, I leave you below archive images of the real lords of Dogtown, the Z-Boys:
Street dreams
This second film tells us the story of a young skater with the dream of one day being sponsored, and later to become a professional. For those of you who don’t skateboard, I’ll tell you what it means to become a professional. It usually means being sponsored by a brand, and having a board with your name: a pro model. In short, to get back on track, the main character is played by pro skateboarder Paul Rodriguez. A young guy with a lot of talent on his board, but who is not sufficiently supported by his friends and family. His parents, friends and classmates don’t understand how he can have so much passion for something that has no future in their eyes. A very good film that pushes him to pursue his dreams and ignore some people’s opinions.
The director of this film is neither more nor less than Rob Dyrdek. A great skater and entrepreneur, he is the founder of the Street League, one of the biggest skateboarding competitions in the world. The film is available on Youtube I leave you a link below :
Mid90’s
The first time I heard about this film was from my mother, worrying about my youth, and whether she had been a good mother…
Mid 90’s is a Jonah Hill movie set in the city of Los Angeles. It traces the life of a 13 year old skater in the 90’s with a delicate family situation. An absent father, a mother not present enough and a violent brother. One day, he meets a group of skaters at the Motor Avenue skateshop. And discover how skating was a way to escape from life’s problems and felt for the first time that he belonged to a group. He even gets a nickname: sunburn. Wanting to gain the team’s trust, he comes to take risks that could put his life in danger.
The skaters and main actors are Sunny Suljic, Olan Prenatt, and Nakel Smith. A good film in the spirit of the skateosphere
Minding the gap
It is a documentary film directed by Bing Liu, and shot over 12 years in his hometown of Rockford, Illinois. He filmed himself and his friends, a bunch of skaters from the inner city of Rockford, on their skates and in their personal lives. The director shows us how skateboarding can be a real replacement family for these boys.
This work presents us with a multicultural society and many inequalities. It deals with family problems, unwanted pregnancy, alcohol…
The objective of the filmmaker was to highlight a difficult and underprivileged youth, which is unfortunately still too present in our societies .
Paranoïd park
Paranoïd park is a Franco-American film, directed by Gus Van Sant. The film is adapted from the novel of the same name written by Blake Nelson. The main character is a young teenager, Alex. He is living a complicated situation, his mother is on the verge of a crisis and he has very few friends. He then withdraws into himself and goes skateboarding.
Everything goes well, until one day he takes a clandestine train and accidentally kills a night watchman…
All the tension in the film rests on the young teenager’s guilt, after he unintentionally commits the murder of the security guard. The viewer is not pushed to judge his behaviour, but rather to feel the impact and consequences of this murder.
The film is shot in Portland, Oregon, including the well-known Burnside Skatepark.
It is available on Youtube in English:
Skate gang
A little more vintage and also known as Thrashin. Patinar o Morir. This is a film by David Winters, which was released in 1986. In which we find appearances of famous skaters like Tony Hawk, Tony Alva or Steve Caballero.
The film takes place in Los Angeles, and is about a war between two rival gangs of skaters. The problems will start when one of the leaders falls in love with a girl. Not just any girl… the rival leader’s sister! Then begins a long confrontation to decide who will be the king of skateboarding.
Thrashin trailer:
Skate or die
I also leave you the movie Skate or die as a recommendation. This time a French film by Miguel Courtois shot in the streets of Paris. It has been quite criticized and has not received unanimous approval, but it is a film that will appeal to a certain audience. The synopsis is the following, two young ordinary skaters, Mickey and Idriss who are going to witness a murder. Present at the scene of the crime, they are spotted and have to flee. A matter of life and death. While trying to take refuge in a police station, they will quickly understand that the killers are in fact corrupt policemen! There follows an endless chase to try to escape from them.
As previously mentioned, there are many films dedicated to skateboarding, allowing to discover this universe. Nevertheless, and as in other films where the presence of skateboarding can be found, the least familiar audience can easily associate this universe with a delinquent and disturbing practice for society.
To lighten this vision of things, let’s recall that skateboarding is a respectful universe open to every individual. In this lifestyle, we quickly learn that we are all the same, whether it is the color of skin, religion, morphology…. Anyone is welcome, as long as they respect these same principles.
Skateboarding is an art that has greatly evolved in recent years. With new tricks and always this will to surpass oneself, especially under the eye of the camera.
Beyond a personal enrichment, skateboarding is claiming freedom and vector of sharing. It evolves and cohabits with the street in the greatest respect of all.