Can they match up to the BMX Bandits?
Publisher: Universal
Mon, 8 August 2005
by: Mugwai
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Director: Steve Pasvolsky
Starring: Sean Kennedy, Richard Wilson, Ho Thi Lu & Tony Hawk
Deck Dogz screened for all of about five minutes in the cinemas, typical for an Australian production, thankfully a quality release of the dvd is here and if you like skateboarding in any way, shape or form you should check this shizzle out. Yes even all you kids who wear Bam Margera Element shirts and have no idea who he is.
The story revolves around teen skateboarders Spasmo (Kennedy), Poker (Richard Wilson), and Blue Flame (Ho Thi Lu) who are the exclusive members of their skate team Deck Dogz. Spasmo is an elite skater who can’t focus on anything but skating; Poker an anti authority, petty thief and Blue Flame is obsessed with sex, hip hop and kung fu weapons. Together the Dogz are on their way to the Beach Bowl Competition where skateboarding legend Tony Hawk will adjudicate and the winner will be sponsored. Poker believes if Spasmo can land a noseslide to underflip darkslide (the Spasm) at the competition, he’ll be sponsored and the Dogz will become pros (the legitimate kind). Only one problem; they just got arrested for trespassing, property damage, running from police and just got expelled. So can the Doggies evade angry parents, police and drug dealers who want revenge on Poker’s criminal brother to make to the Beach Bowl? Of course they can.
 | | The "stand and hold" is one of the less advanced tricks. |
It’s so nice to see a decent Australian production that cares about its content and its intended audience, director Steve Pasvolsky obviously cares deeply about skateboarding (being a skater himself and the writer of the movie) as the cinematography of the skating is of a high level. The animations of Spasmo in dog form skating in between scenes are very cool as are the wide panning of terrain and city shots.
The dialogue although aimed more at a teen audience is smart, never depicting them as naive (bar one silly character) and more in touch with their ethos than most films, the humour is also excellent and Pasvolsky credits his audience’s intelligence. It’s also good to see all Australian skaters were used as the actors’ doubles with the exception of Ho Thi Lu, and all the skate spots and music are homegrown too. Oh and the Tony Hawk appearance is cool too.
The extra features aren’t too shabby, you got interviews, an alternate ending, cut footage of Tony Hawk’s skating, behind the scenes, the real skaters footage, two commentaries (one director’s and one with the skaters), how they shot the “Spasm” plus more. My only grievances with the extras are considering this is a skateboarding movie it would have been nice to have more than a three minute clip of skating footage. That and the fact the "Spasm" wasn’t an actual completed trick, it’s done in separate takes and with wires, man get Rodney Mullen in, give him two days and he could have done it for real (Christ, he’s probably landed it already-the man is a skate god).
by: Mugwai
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More articles by Mugwai
Granted it won’t salivate the hardcore skaters, but it’s better than Grind and depicts more modern skating, plus people, you gotta support your local product. | |
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