Dogtown and Z-Boys Deluxe Edition

Quite honestly, a five year old could see through Sony Pictures' decision to re-release Dogtown and Z-Boys on DVD (with a handful of new bonus features) mere weeks before the release of its narrative counterpart Lords of Dogtown. And yet, the DVD remains one of the more rewarding discs I've picked up of late, if for no other reason than director Stacy Peralta's unfettered and infectious passion for the subject matter. Documenting the rise and fall of the Z-Boys -- the first professional-level skaters to dominate the burgeoning skateboarding industry -- Peralta pours his love for the good ol' days into a riveting narrative and makes one of the best documentaries one will ever likely see.

The picture hasn't changed since is theatrical release in 2001. Tony Alva, Jay Adams and Peralta helped discover the untapped commercial potential of skateboarding by being the first skaters to transform it from a static, antiseptic sport into a veritable lifestyle. Sean Penn narrates from Peralta and co-screenwriter Craig Stecyk's text and tells a fascinating story about a bunch of kids -- some as young as eleven and twelve -- who became legends virtually overnight.

What works best about the film is its authenticity. Peralta had access to hundreds of hours of period footage of the Z-Boys skating and troublemaking. He collected and compiled it into a story that feels larger than life but is documented truth. But the DVD extras add to this level of authenticity, collecting skate footage and extra interviews to provide further insight into the emotional lives of the skaters.

There's an alternate ending, commentary by Peralta and editor Paul Crowder, and extended skate footage from the late 70s and 80s. For new buyers, the smart folks at Sony have added footage and "webisodes" of the upcoming Lords of Dogtown, which sees actors like Heath Ledger, Johnny Knoxville, and Emile Hirsch inhabit the roles of real-life skaters for director Catherine Hardwick (Thirteen).

Ultimately, the extras are definitely not worth discarding your earlier disc for but any fan of skating or extreme sports should buy this DVD immediately. For me, their golden period preceded my own days as a poseur on the streets of Orange County and put my skater skills (or lack thereof) to definite shame. But watching Dogtown and Z-Boys I could share in the experience of discovering something untapped and untouched and even if you buy into Sony's media blitz and pick up the disc on the pre-emptive strength of the forthcoming Lords, Peralta paints such an intimate portrait of this world that it feels like they're the ones getting ripped off, not you. -- Todd Gilchrist