Skateboarding Reviews - Videos & DVDs
Skateboarding DVD Video Review:Mike V's Greatest Hits
Director:
Studio:
Released: August 2003
Rating: 3 Stars
Staring:
Mike Vallely, Ann Vallely, Emily Vallely, Art Vallely, Bam Margera, Tony Hawk, Greg Carrol, Alex Chalmers, Ryan Dunn, Jason Ellis, Jason Maxwell, Chad Muska, Kristian Svitak and Ed Templeton.
Physical violence is an ugly thing, but Mike Vallely's hatred of security guards has to be one of the funniest things (in a good way) I've ever seen. I've read interviews with Mike V where he says this DVD gives him a bad rap. No way! I've always respected his drive and ability to do his own thing. Let's just say Mike solves problems in his own unique way.
For the record; Mike V doesn't start fights... he ends them.
He has been referred to as "skateboarding's ultimate security guard". When he sees injustice against a fellow skater, he doesn't shy away. This DVD opens with Mike sessioning an awesome arc outside a hotel lobby. He moved benches out of the way to skate the perfect transition. The security guard comes out and they get into a heated debate about the perfection of the hotel's arc as a perfect sk8 spot.
Free the Muska!
A skate demo at the Hard Rock Cafe in Universal Studios was the site of a famous Vallely incident. Chad bailed on a trick and ripped the palm of his hand open. This caused him to curse. A security guard told him he couldn't talk like that in front of the spectators. So Chad began a cursing tirade until the guards got him in an arm-lock.
Mike saw what happened and decided it was his job to free the Muska. In his usual tasmanian devil style, Mike rolls in and beats up most of the security guards. Classic.
Boycott in Germany
In 1996 the team of skaters showed up to this annual contest to find that the course had not been changed or updated for the past 5 years. All the ramps and obstacles were worn and dangerous to ride. The contest promoter arrived in a Lamborghini Diablo which set everyone off. They boycotted the event and security descended on them... not knowing that Mike was prepped to beat up everyone.
There's some pro wrestling footage that is completely uninteresting to me. It seemed more like backyard wrestling to me, but I think it's all crap anyway. Say what you wish, but pro wrestling is choreographed and fake.
At Wembly arena security wouldn't let Mike's wife and daughter into the restricted area. They actually knocked his wife over while she was holding their daughter. Mike grabbed the 2 guards, in headlocks, and jumped backwards down a flight of stairs where he began elbowing them in their heads. Gotta love him.
I've never understood Hockey and won't try to right now other than to say Mike likes to play hockey... and punch people while playing Hockey. Neat.
CKY 3
This is my favorite segment - also available on the CKY3 DVD.
Outside a 7-11 convenience store, four jocks in a Jeep try to start some crap with Mike and some other skaters. The jocks grossly underestimated the power of SK8... and Vallely. Mike pulls off his shirt and dives in beating up all four of them by himself. As Jason Ellis put it, "Before they knew what was happening, each one had been punched in the head."
BTW: did you know that 7-11 first opened in 1927? That's a helluva long time to be selling Slurpees.
Despite all this hysterical footage, don't forget that Mike V is the only guy who can session a curb for an entire day. He sees things in skateboarding that most of us can not. This sets him apart in yet another way. He's a cool dude.
Bonus Stuff
Vallely Skate Co. Commercial, Etnies japan Tour, Etnies Commercial, Ready to Rumble, World's Toughest Skater (more wrestling crap) and Mike V's Check Up.
The Bottom Line
There's some funny stuff on here, but there's very little skating. I'd rent it first.
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