Stephen Slappe, Founder and Chair of the Video and Sound Department at PNCA presents rare 16mm archival footage, tracing skateboarding’s history from clay wheels to pig boards.
These rare moving image documents feature early, sometimes uncredited, appearances by well-known skaters including Lance Mountain, Cara-Beth Burnside, Billy Ruff, Mike Weed, Stacy Peralta, Russ Howell, Tom Sims, Gregg Carroll, Bert LaMar, and Tony Alva. In addition to being a life-long skater, Slappe is Chair of the Video & Sound department at Pacific Northwest College of Art in Portland, OR.
Skateboarding Safety
(1976), 9 mins.
Tried and true safety tips, 1970's style!
The Magic Rolling Board
(1976), 15 mins.
A zany documentary examining a cross section of mid-seventies skate terrain: pools, slalom, freestyle, downhill, and skate dancing. Wait… skate dancing? Includes familiar faces like Mike Weed and TA. Keep an eye out for far-out shots of the Turning Point ramp. Beautiful cinematography and color on this print.
The Ultimate Flex Machine
(1975), 60 mins.
This is a rare treat from Australia and the highlight of my collection.
The Ultimate Flex Machine
is a 1975 documentary featuring an army of long haired, barefoot Aussie kids carving banks, bombing hills, and killin’ the hippie jumps. Russ Howell and Torger Johnson make appearances as visiting American pros. This film will probably never see an official re-release due to the large number of 1960's hit songs that make up the soundtrack. Excellent Fuji color print!