Lords of Dogtown

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Lords of Dogtown
Promotional poster
Directed by	Catherine Hardwicke
Produced by	John Linson
Written by	Stacy Peralta
Starring	John Robinson Emile Hirsch Victor Rasuk Michael Angarano Heath Ledger Rebecca DeMornay
Music by	Mark Mothersbaugh
Cinematography	Elliot Davis
Editing by	Nancy Richardson
Distributed by	Sony Pictures Entertainment
Release date(s)	3 June 2005 (USA)
Running time	107 minutes
Language	English
Budget	$25,000,000 (estimated)
IMDb profile

Lords of Dogtown is a 2005 film directed by Catherine Hardwicke, written by Stacy Peralta. The film is based on the story of "The Z-Boys", an influential group of skateboarders who revolutionized the sport. Comedian Mitch Hedberg, who appears in the movie, died before the film was released. The movie is dedicated to his memory.

Tagline : "They came from nothing to change everything."

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

1 Plot
2 Themes
- 2.1 Cultural revolution
- 2.2 Effects of fame on relationships
3 Cameo appearances in the film
4 External links

[edit] Plot

In the 1970’s, a group of teen surfers from a rough neighborhood known as "Dogtown" in Santa Monica, California, created a cultural revolution by transforming skateboarding from a recreational activity into an extreme sport.

When a shipment of polyurethane wheels arrives at Santa Monica's Zephyr Surf Shop, the owner, Skip Engblom, played by Heath Ledger, puts together a team of local layabouts to test his new invention.

Known as the Zephyr Skateboard Team, the boys transferred their surf skills to drain pipes and empty swimming pools with stunning results. Their acrobatic manoeuvres inspired generations of teens and catapulted them to fame and fortune.

The movie follows the character developments of Stacy, Jay and Tony as they negotiate the benefits and pitfalls of superstardom.

[edit] Themes

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[edit] Cultural revolution

Kathy Alva summed up one of Dogtown's themes when she described growing up poor, on the wrong side of the tracks: "It was harder for us to dream."

Venice, California in 1975, was not an easy place to live in, especially if you were an impressionable teenager without adults motivating you to earn an education. Venice was rough localized surf gang territory where poverty, drugs and crime was rife. It was a very depressing city known as “the ghetto by the sea.”

In a culture where most people were down on their luck, we find three young boys, Jay, Tony and Stacy, who have little or no skills to speak of other than their ability to surf and skateboard.

In the opening scene of the movie, we see all three boys sneaking out at night to pursue their passion – surfing. On their boards they are unbeatable and supremely confident. However, as daylight breaks, we see them standing near the pier waiting as the underdogs to be allowed to take to the waves. The top dogs of surfing shout at them from the waves, “you guys aren’t surfing now, you wanna surf the cove? You gotta earn it!” Even though they have the skill, they have no place in the hierarchy. When the waves cease to materialize, however, they take to the Pacific Ocean Pier on their skateboards, and here they feel like they belong. Even though they go back over and over again trying new moves on abandoned playgrounds and ditches, the technology of their boards makes it impossible to achieve…that is until three things happened.

Firstly, the owner of the local surf shop where the boys hang out, Skip Engblom, gives the boys some new skateboard wheels made of polyurethane. This technology changed everything. The wheels could now grip surfaces and this made it possible for skateboarding to go vertical.

Secondly, California experienced a terrible drought in 1975. In an effort to conserve water, households were encouraged to empty their swimming pools. The idea of using these abandoned pools as practice grounds pushed skateboarding tricks to new heights.

Finally, there was time. These boys had time to learn and experiment with no boundaries or distractions.

Lords of Dogtown celebrates the Z Boys as trailblazers who re-invented skateboarding by taking it from a tame outside activity, to an extreme sport that goes vertical.

[edit] Effects of fame on relationships

Lords of Dogtown exposes how greed and the trappings of fame and fortune can test the most enduring friendships and stretch them to breaking point. When their lives were simple and their focus was on creating cool new moves, Stacy, Tony and Jay were friends to the end. But when their stunning performances thrust them into lucrative endorsement contracts and magazines and into movie sets, it all falls apart. They were huge together, but now each can only hold onto part of the dream. For Peralta, skateboarding would open doors to other ventures. For Tony Alva, it led to being the greatest skateboarder in the world, while for Jay Adams it was always about being free and cool. Each believed their choices to be honest to their roots, but success proved to be a tougher challenge than a multiple 360. As Catherine Hardwicke so succinctly says, “The one thing they are great at is the one thing that breaks them apart.”

Tony Alva leaves the team first, seeking a better life and more fame and glory. Jay deserts soon after, disillusioned by the trappings. Despite failing to make the original team, Stacy is the last to leave. He is the most business-minded of the three boys, and although he is the most concerned about stability and his future, he leaves reluctantly.

The extent to which all the fame and success has changed the boys is clearly evident when they all meet as competitors at the world championships.

Tony arrives in true Hollywood style surrounded by all the trappings. When another competitor bumps into him, his ego, arrogance and self-importance lead to a fight which results in his disqualification, humiliation and an injury. Earlier Stacy had remarked to him that it was now just the two of them left in the competition, to which Tony quips, “No man, it’s just me.” Although his fall from glory is huge, it is eye opening, and grounding in more ways than one!

Jay’s attire as he takes to the stadium reflects his approach. He skates shirtless defiantly attempting moves that go beyond even the coolest newest tricks. Sadly, he fails to land his display, and disgusted with the judges score, he hands his board to a spectator and leaves. This sends out a strong message that he is disillusioned and is leaving not just the competition but the sport as well.

Stacy arrives dressed very conservatively. Jay remarks that he “Looks like a stock car.” As usual, he keeps all his emotions in check and under control and he performs a flawless though rather lackluster routine.

So fame and rivalry break up the Z Boys friendship…until a real issue, one with real meaning, forces them to examine who they have become and to look at what it is that really matters. The movie ends with all their energy and focus on one single thing, and one thing alone…skateboarding.