Skateboard

I saw this movie when it first came out in the 70s. It was a great movie then! The acting is ok but the tricks they used to do back then were awesome and drew a lot of discussion between me and my boys! My boys were calling "wheelies" that they were doing in the movie, "manuals". I told them that these were the ones that paved the way for all skateboarding to come! They were the pioneers! They are called "wheelies"! Tom Sims of Sims Skateboards is also in the movie. Tony Alva is in it too. So is the 70s teenage hearthrob, Leif Garrett. It was a great movie to watch with my boys! It took a few weeks to arrive and as soon as I got it, I went straight home, sat my boys down, and watched it! It brings back memories of when a skateboard park WAS a skateboard park! A lot of the footage was filmed where I used to live in the valley of southern California. Skatercross where they did some filming, was located in Reseda which was right by Canoga Park where I lived. I never had the chance to go skate there because we left the valley but I did go there and check it out from the outside. I really miss that place! I am going to try to put this movie on DVD and eventually on my computer to preserve it! VHS tapes don't last too long. I was suprised this one lasted as long as it did! Thanks! Read more

The only reason I even had a skateboard in the '70s was because Leif Garrett was in this movie! It's a campy movie about a good natured guy who's down on his luck and owes money to a loan shark/mob guy. He stumbles across a group of kids doing tricks on their skateboards and has a revelation for his next big idea. He borrows more money, takes them on the road for local competitions and fun & drama ensue. It's a cute movie, very dated but still cute. If you love the '70s and all the raves that the decade spawned (Roller Boogie, anyone?), then you'll like it, but it's definitely not a well acted movie so don't expect too much. Leif Garrett ends up being the hero at the end of the movie, which to this sappy old '70s teen idol fan/goofball, was good enough for me! Read more

First of all, this movie was never meant to be a masterpiece, or win a grammy for best picture. But, it was a movie made for the time period. Skateboarding was very popular back then, and I should know, like alot of us who grew up during the time era, I skated, and skated hard, everyday, and loved it. I remember seeing the trailor for Skateboading in the movie theater before it came out, and thought to myself, I had to see this movie. Sure, seeing it now, it seems cheezy, or whatever you want to call it, the dialogue is cheezy, the acting is cheezy, the dress code is cheezy, but we have to remember what time period it was, it was the 70's, and it was all appropriate for its time. I bought the vhs tape of this movie a while back, but like alot of you, I dont have a vhs player anymore. VHS is obsolete, so I cannot play it anymore, and missed seeing it. I was glad to see this movie out on dvd now. I had to order it. Read more

I've been looking for this movie because it was the first skateboard movie we were able to watch on the big screen. Read more

In my quest to find unusual cult and camp movies from years gone by I stumbled on this gem capitalizing on the then-rising fad of skateboarding and Leif Garrett's blossoming teen-idol career, and it is a hilarious if painful mixed-genre low-budget monstrosity that could have only been made in the 1970's. The story involves lots of hormonally explosive teens who form a skateboarding team to save unlikely leading man Manny Bloom (Allen Garfield) from death at the hands of mobster bookie Sol (Anthony Carbone.) A side note: for those of you who are familiar with "The Mighty Boosh," Garfield has an uncanny resemblance to the character of Bob Fossil, especially during the outdoor dining scene with his hair blown asunder. This thought gave me no end of amusement. The team of skateboarders Bloom assembles are quite the ragtag bunch, fronted by genuine skateboarding legend Tony Alva as Tony Bluetile. Obviously Garrett (as Brad Harris) as the teen heartthrob is front and center, and given the material acquits himself perfectly adequately. In the commentary Alva revealed that Garrett learned to skate for the film, and in that regard, particularly given the focus on his character, I thought he was better than expected. Of course the film has ridiculous drama, even more ridiculous romance, a multi-colored school bus full of kids (where have I seen that before?), and a life or death conclusion where Sol commands Bloom to have Harris to take a dive. When Bloom refuses out of respect for his skateboarders (!) he knows that if Leif doesn't cinch the one mile downhill race he is a dead man. I won't spoil the fun of watching it for yourself to discover how it ends up. The film is an odd little production featuring guest stars like Gordon Jump (WKRP's Arthur Carlson) as Leif's father, and from the really weird department, Orson Bean as himself. I also recommend watching the closing credits carefully for some humorous credits (if you can stand the incessant 1970's soundtrack.) Most amusingly to me was the Public Service Announcement at the very end of the film claiming that these stunts are extremely dangerous and not to try them without proper gear, etc. The DVD is much more ornate that you would expect as it has a commentary track with director George Gage and Tony Alva, which is modestly interesting (there's even a very brief lesson on the irrigation of Phoenix courtesy of Alva!) There are also additional interviews with George Gage and Tony Alva. (I found Alva to be more interesting.) The original theatrical trailer is also included, and it is hilarious in an overblown 1970's way. "Skateboard" is not a good movie in the conventional sense, but it is entertaining as a camp classic. For those into skateboarding, 1970's culture, or B-movies this is a little-known gem of eye-rolling quality. Read more