Lords of Dogtown -

The tough, gritty streets of “Dogtown” in Venice, California didn’t look like much to outsiders, but to a handful of teenage surfers (Stacy Peralta, Tony Alva and Jay Adams) in the 1970s they were the hard, winding, sloping inspiration for a revolutionary style of skateboarding. Transferring the aggressive wave-riding moves to concrete from their death-defying surfing skills at the Pacific Ocean Park pier, the Z-Boys -- mostly kids with rough home lives and rougher attitudes -- became sensations, local legends. They were freestyle wizards on urethane wheels, turning empty pools into arenas of wild, beautiful athleticism, the genesis of today’s “extreme sports.” Skating competitions didn’t know what to make of them, girls threw themselves at them, and suddenly marketers and promoters wanted to grab a piece of them and what was fast becoming a worldwide counterculture phenomenon. But would the friendships of this tightly knit group last as a teenage pastime turned into big business, and energetic personalities became out-of-control celebrities?

Columbia Pictures presents a TriStar Pictures release, LORDS OF DOGTOWN, a Linson Films Production in association with Senator International. The film stars Emile Hirsch as Jay Adams, Victor Rasuk as Tony Alva, John Robinson as Stacy Peralta, Michael Angarano as Sid, Nikki Reed as Kathy Alva and Heath Ledger as Skip Engblom. The film also features performances by Rebecca De Mornay, Johnny Knoxville, and numerous faces from the world of skateboarding.

In the spirit of the award-winning documentary, Dogtown and Z-Boys, LORDS OF DOGTOWN showcases the style of skateboarding made famous by the Z-Boys. The film was shot on location throughout Southern California. From the dangerous waves off a long-forgotten pier to the concrete wasteland of a city slum, LORDS OF DOGTOWN brings to cinematic life the rebel beginnings of some unforgettable sports culture stars.

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Movie Review: Lords of Dogtown