Skateboarding Reviews - Videos & DVDs

I recently finished reading Nando Parrado's autobiography, "Miracle in the Andes: 72 Days on the Mountain and My Long Trek Home", commemorating (probably the wrong word) 30 years since he and his Chilean Rugby team crashed in the Andes mountains, resorting to cannibalism for survival in the absence of 7•11, before walking 70 miles to be rescued.

It's a great story of courage, determination and the human spirit. In fact it parallels my quest to obtain my favorite old school sk8 videos on DVD. My perseverance, although lesser than Mr. Parrado's, has rewarded me with a box set of three late 80's Santa Cruz videos - the first of which is Wheels of Fire. Although I didn't have to freeze my ass off on a mountain or eat my buddy's liver to survive, obtaining the Santa Cruz box set was a long process. In short, I had to wait around - with a descent meal-plan - until it was released, then plunk down some cash.

Ahh... the late 80's when skating was fun and full of energy! Those were the days... and thankfully the retro trend is bringing back that era in all its day-glo splendor. Its refreshing to see wide decks and bright fat wheels. When I rock my old school setup at the sk8 park, kids often ask where I got "that thing". The answer is: probably the same shop you bought your popsicle stick and tiny hard wheels. anyway...

Back in the day it was illegal to ride a skate in the streets of Santa Cruz. People started finding other places where the long arm of the law wouldn't turn up every five minutes. This DVD showcases everything from bombing hills at 60MPH, Salba at the Upland Pipeline and abandoned pools in the middle of nowhere.

Footage from the Love Bowl was amazing. Its a stark curved wall in Arizona, with 15 feet of vert, looking like something left behind by an alien civilization or ancient sk8 god. Then we get some footage from the depths of a missile silo. Deep below the Earth's surface, a tunnel connecting the silo is used as a tight half pipe. Next we're off to Raging Waters where Christian Hosoi does a 540, among other things.

If you crave days gone by (in the 80's) snap up this DVD or get the whole box set.

I recently finished reading Nando Parrado's autobiography, "Miracle in the Andes: 72 Days on the Mountain and My Long Trek Home", commemorating (probably the wrong word) 30 years since he and his Chilean Rugby team crashed in the Andes mountains, resorting to fucking cannibalism for survival in the absence of 7•11, before walking 70 miles to be rescued.

It's a great story of courage, determination and the human spirit. In fact it parallels my quest to obtain my favorite old school sk8 videos on DVD. My perseverance, although lesser than Mr. Parrado's, has rewarded me with a box set of three late 80's Santa Cruz videos - the first of which is Wheels of Fire. Although I didn't have to freeze my fucking ass off on a mountain or eat my buddy's liver to survive, obtaining the Santa Cruz box set was a long process. In short, I had to wait around - with a descent meal-plan - until it was released, then plunk down some cash.

Ahh... the late 80's when skating was fun and full of fucking energy! Those were the days... and thankfully the retro trend is bringing back that era in all its day-glo splendor. Its refreshing to see wide decks and bright fat wheels. When I rock my old school setup at the sk8 park, kids often ask where the fuck I got "that thing". The answer is: probably the same shop you bought your fucking popsicle stick and fucking tiny hard wheels. anyway...

Back in the day it was illegal to ride a skate in the streets of Santa Cruz. What bullshit. People started finding other places where the long arm of the law wouldn't turn up every five minutes. This DVD showcases everything from bombing hills at 60MPH, Salba at the Upland Pipeline and abandoned pools in the middle of nowhere.

Footage from the Love Bowl was fucking amazing. Its a stark curved wall in Arizona, with 15 feet of vert, looking like something left behind by an alien civilization or ancient sk8 god. Then we get some footage from the depths of a missile silo. Deep below the Earth's surface, a tunnel connecting the silo is used as a tight half pipe. Next we're off to Raging Waters where Christian Hosoi does a 540, among other things.

If you crave days gone by (in the 80's) snap up this DVD or get the whole fucking box set.