quote: Don Anderson

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Sounds like you don't like skaters.

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quote: Ethan Harper

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Wow, that was very racist.

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quote: Dave Williams

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1. Damaged Sidewalks
2. Ripped and Scarred Railings
3. Drug and Alcohol usage by Minors
4. Running people over with thier skateboards
5. Loitering
6. A general feeling of "FU" to the world for no apparent reason
7. Vandalism at will when "THE MAN" tells you to move on

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quote: Mike Olpin

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As soon as I saw this i stopped the movie, opened the port window, and told them to leave. This is the only time I have ever had to stop a movie.

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quote: Dave Williams

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Skaters, Gang Bangers, Alchoholics, Rapists, Murderers, Nuns, they are all the same.

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Huh? You think some 15 year old on a skateboard is the same as a rapist or murderer? Let's get some perspective here. In NYC, I rarely see any skateboarders causing any trouble. They may do some slight damage to the concrete steps in the park, but that's about it.

And I would guess that drug and alcohol abuse among skateboarders is less than those of the same age in the general population who don't pursue any outside interests (but that's just a guess.)

And nuns are equivalent to rapists and murderers? I'm no fan of organized religion, but what do you have against nuns? Did one hit you with a ruler once?
 

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Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 05-27-2005, 12:37 PM:
 
Obviously you've not read too many of Dave's posts!

I'm sure there are plenty of skateboarders out there who do volunteer work, go to church, contribute to society, hold college degrees, and help little old ladies across the street. But around here, they just hang around the WWII monument, play hacky-sack, smoke cigarettes, throw trash, and break stuff.
 

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Posted by Dave Williams (Member # 299) on 05-27-2005, 12:51 PM:
 

quote: Ethan Harper

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Wow, that was very racist.

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For now, this is the only thing I am going to comment on.

What do you know of racism?

What would you know of constantly bieng pulled over by the police because your skin is darker.

What would you know of bieng denied a room because your skin was darker.

What would you know of bieng called epithets because your skin was darker.

What would you know of racism?

I would say Ciao right here, but right now, I doubt that you would know anything of what I would mean by that.
 

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Posted by Jeremy Fuentes (Member # 2135) on 05-27-2005, 01:16 PM:
 
All I'm gonna say is, I cant wait to see Lords of Dogtown. I love skateboarding movies!! They never cause vandalism problems here, it probably has something to do with the race of the skateboarders in this area. Wait, that makes no sense whatsoever.
 

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Posted by Jeremy Jorgenson (Member # 2989) on 05-27-2005, 01:30 PM:
 
Doesn't matter what race the skateboarder is... obviously they are all identical in their evil sk8r ways.

hey, back to the original question... I think Lords of Dogtown will draw from a much broader demographic than Grind did... Whether that will help you or not, I don't know. I have to admit, my theatre experienced no problems when we played Grind.
 

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Posted by Phil Hill (Member # 371) on 05-27-2005, 01:38 PM:
 
It's a well-known fact that the worst offenders are drunk, doped-up, gang-banging nuns on skateboards.
 

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Posted by Paul Mayer (Member # 355) on 05-27-2005, 03:25 PM:
 
With rulers.
 

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Posted by Joe Beres (Member # 678) on 05-27-2005, 04:00 PM:
 

quote: Dave Williams

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What do you know of racism?

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What do you know about skateboarding? Your generalizations prove an ignorance in your thought and an intolerance not at all unlike those of racism, classism and sexism. You should learn a little more about what you are speaking about before you make such foolish and caustic statements.
 

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Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 05-27-2005, 04:16 PM:
 
I have a question for Dave...

Dave, I have met you in person. Ethan has more of a tan than you do. What is your point there??? I just don't get it. Are you saying you actually get pulled over by the police for not having pale skin, or are you speaking on behalf of some friends of yours per their experiences?

This is turning into a ridiculous thread. Anyone who actually groups "all skateboarders" or "all anything" into being something bad is crazy IMHO. That would be like me saying "all projectionists are lazy and useless", when in fact that may only apply to a few specific examples.

I can understand if the "skateboarder group" in a certain area is problematic, but again NOT ALL skateboarders by definition will be trouble.

and please, let's drop this racism nonsense. We don't need that here. Any racist people really should excuse themselves from the forums without further comment.

Please word further comments here CAREFULLY so there is no confusion as to what your point is. I think a lot of this is being misread.
 

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Posted by Mike Spaeth (Member # 524) on 05-27-2005, 04:19 PM:
 
or "all union projectionists" or "all manager-operators"
 

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Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 05-27-2005, 04:21 PM:
 
You know Mike, I was just about to edit that comment into my post above, but I couldn't agree more.
 

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Posted by Eric Hooper (Member # 1730) on 05-27-2005, 04:24 PM:
 

quote: Jeremy Jorgenson

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I have to admit, my theatre experienced no problems when we played Grind.

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That's because you had no customers for the movie either.
 

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Posted by Jeremy Jorgenson (Member # 2989) on 05-27-2005, 04:28 PM:
 
hmmm ... good point.
 

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Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 05-27-2005, 05:14 PM:
 
There is one thing skateboarders can do that we can't... FLY!
 

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Posted by Dave Williams (Member # 299) on 05-27-2005, 05:37 PM:
 

quote: Joe Beres

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What do you know about skateboarding? Your generalizations prove an ignorance in your thought and an intolerance not at all unlike those of racism, classism and sexism. You should learn a little more about what you are speaking about before you make such foolish and caustic statements.

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quote: Don Anderson

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Sounds like you don't like skaters

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quote: Dave Williams

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It's not simply a question of liking skaters or not. The true question is what are skaters contributing to our society.

1. Damaged Sidewalks
2. Ripped and Scarred Railings
3. Drug and Alcohol usage by Minors
4. Running people over with thier skateboards
5. Loitering
6. A general feeling of "FU" to the world for no apparent reason
7. Vandalism at will when "THE MAN" tells you to move on

Skaters, Gang Bangers, Alchoholics, Rapists, Murderers, Nuns, they are all the same.

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quote: Ethan Harper

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Wow, that was very racist.

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My response to this was admittedly emotional. I should have taken a moment or perhaps a day to really breath and respond with rationality.

So my rational response is to ask you to pick up a dictionary and educate yourself on what racism actually is. Skaters are a group of people that engage in an activity, not a group of people who are there beyond thier control. An activity does not denote race, nor did I denote race. I did not like the accusation, I did not appreciate the insinuation of a personal attack, and did not try to single anyone out as a "skater", or by virtue of such bieng evil or whatever.

I am sure you are a very nice person. Probably not even racist.

quote: Ethan Harper

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According to a dictionary, a race can also be defined as Humans considered as a group. He said that every person associated within the Skater group is bad which is not fact.

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quote:

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A local geographic or global human population distinguished as a more or less distinct group by genetically transmitted physical characteristics.
A group of people united or classified together on the basis of common history, nationality, or geographic distribution: the German race.
A genealogical line; a lineage.
Humans considered as a group.
Biology.
An interbreeding, usually geographically isolated population of organisms differing from other populations of the same species in the frequency of hereditary traits. A race that has been given formal taxonomic recognition is known as a subspecies.
A breed or strain, as of domestic animals.
A distinguishing or characteristic quality, such as the flavor of a wine.

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quote: Joe Beres

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What do you know about skateboarding? Your generalizations prove an ignorance in your thought and an intolerance not at all unlike those of racism, classism and sexism. You should learn a little more about what you are speaking about before you make such foolish and caustic statements.

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quote: Brad Miller

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Dave, I have met you in person. Ethan has more of a tan than you do. What is your point there??? I just don't get it. Are you saying you actually get pulled over by the police for not having pale skin, or are you speaking on behalf of some friends of yours per their experiences?

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quote: Martin Brooks

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Huh? You think some 15 year old on a skateboard is the same as a rapist or murderer? Let's get some perspective here. In NYC, I rarely see any skateboarders causing any trouble. They may do some slight damage to the concrete steps in the park, but that's about it.

And I would guess that drug and alcohol abuse among skateboarders is less than those of the same age in the general population who don't pursue any outside interests (but that's just a guess.)

And nuns are equivalent to rapists and murderers? I'm no fan of organized religion, but what do you have against nuns? Did one hit you with a ruler once?

---

The answer is yes, I did get hit a few times. But in general your answer is that yes I lump them together, however I should have gone in to greater detail.

Just like skaters are linked by the board and not by the behavior, I linked the lot of them by the anti-social behavior. In reality, any group that is not of the considered norm is therefore anti-social. Just bieng social in your own group is not necessarily social.

Quite often, it is an anti-social and negative inward view that does lead someone to an activity or group that can accept them for how they percieve themselves. For the murderer and rapist they commit the act for the power it gives them, the feeling is thier self assessed socialality. For the skater and or gang banger, it is the feeling of family that is quite often lost in thier own, and for the nun, who knows, but for whatever reason they have decided to become the abstinent brides of christ and love to hit small children on the knuckels with thier yard sticks.

All in all, the only point I was trying to make is that in general, skaters can and sometimes do forget that they must respect the point of others, and understand that by simply engaging in the act of skating, they are causing damage, and must respect how they are seen, but sometimes they fail to do so and are viewed rather negatively.

I am excited to see lords of dogtown, but will wait for the DVD, as I am all to aware of what I will be dealing with, and just don't want to take the chance of a disrupted show.

This is my experience, and I know it may not be others, so if you get good skaters, more power to you, and my blessings go with you as well.

Nothing but love for all of us!!!

Ciao
 

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Posted by Mike Spaeth (Member # 524) on 05-28-2005, 04:19 PM:
 
Wow ... that was very ... thought-provoking.
 

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Posted by Dave Williams (Member # 299) on 05-28-2005, 04:34 PM:
 
Well I hope that it wouldn't be, anything provoking. However, knowing me, I am anything but non-provoking, at least when I write.

I know I set this whole thing off, something I try to avoid. However, even I am able to see that I was not very clear in my assessment of skaters in general, and instead lopped them all into one group, or "race" of skaters, albiet unintentionally.

Of course I could just go back and "edit" my original comments, however that would be cheating. I instead stand by what I say, and also stand by the stupid dumb ass things I say, either way, you learn to either keep your trap shut and just don't start it up, or you do what I do.

Ciao
 

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Posted by Floyd Justin Newton (Member # 1316) on 05-28-2005, 07:10 PM:
 
Dave--

I,too,have MS and am legelly handicapped. Many times I have
witnessed damage at stores, libraries, and schools where these
mental midgets have gathered to exhibit their "brains-at-work".
Dave, you've hit the nail-on-the-head, AGAIN, although
some people just don't get it. Nuff said. Have a great weekend.
 

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Posted by Wayne Keyser (Member # 2420) on 05-28-2005, 11:27 PM:
 
I am waiting for the day when I talk to a theater manager and hear something like: "We played LEGALLY BLONDE and you wouldn't believe the damage - mascara all over the seats, those spike heels really rip up the carpet, and you know half of these girls are bulimic and they just don't make it all the way to the restroom before they throw up. But that's not half as bad as that college film-society crowd - I mean, between CINEMA PARADISO and POTEMKIN, I'm sweeping left-behind copies of Proust and Sartre out of here before I can even think about letting in the crowd for the matinee of SPY KIDS, and then they hang around blocking the sidewalk discussing every shot of CITIZEN KANE ... I tell ya, they're a nightmare!"
 

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Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 05-29-2005, 02:37 AM:
 
The biggest problem with teenage girls in the theatre is that glittery stuff they seem to want to spread all over themselves. That crap gets everywhere. But who's complaining?
 

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Posted by Adam Heath (Member # 2910) on 05-30-2005, 10:45 PM:
 
That's what I want to say to skateboarders....ofcourse that's what many say to me. I don't really hate them, I don't understand their sport at all, but more power to them. I just don't see why it's my problem that they don't have a proper place to skate
 

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Posted by Phil Hill (Member # 371) on 05-31-2005, 06:01 PM:
 
Ya know what really amazes me about ALL you self-appointed "judges"? The assumption that ANY person in a group that misbehaves is automatically reprehensive and indicative of the entire group! JFC! There are good and bad in any "group."

Here's a perfect example of assumptions:

Skaters
 

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Posted by Chase Hanson (Member # 2779) on 06-02-2005, 11:22 PM:
 
There does appear to be a higher than normal amount of generally stupid behavior based around movies "similar" to this.

I dont believe its worth not booking the movie, you have to transcend your vision that is clouded by the 5 asshats you have, in order to see 100 or so non-asshats who just want to see the movie. And having large mofos like myself on your floor staff are also a great boon to your sanity.
 

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Posted by Tracy Bellar (Member # 3049) on 06-04-2005, 01:15 AM:
 
Anyone remember the movie The Warriors? Gang violence in theaters. Everyone was afraid to play it and needed off duty police as security.
Skateboarding is a menace. they have no consideration as to what is someone elses property and possesion. They feel they can treat anything as there own. We are constantly telling people not to skate in front of our ticket booth while we are open. Now we are going to show a movie catering to them. They have no respect. As a whole the crowd has no respect. I understand certain individuals may not follow the norm of the Skateboarding code of terorize business's. Grind somewhere else!
 

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Posted by Emma Tomiak (Member # 1862) on 06-05-2005, 03:18 AM:
 
We've had absolutely NO problems with customers in this movie. "The Longest Yard" on the other hand...
 

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Posted by Dave Williams (Member # 299) on 06-05-2005, 09:45 PM:
 
The real problem will be when a film about people with blue jackets and lights on thier hats gets made. When these people come out it's like total pandemonium.

Ciao
 

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Posted by R. Andrew Diercks (Member # 1725) on 06-05-2005, 10:38 PM:
 
I personally feel this topic should have been locked a long time ago, got a bit too political for the rules of the forum. It started as an honest operational question and nothing more.

Dave, thank you for allowing Film-Tech to become your little grasshoppper, I am honored to be enlightened by such a wise individual.

Back to the operational issue, all movies that attract young groups of kids cause problems for us. Largely because parents drop them off and all of them try to impress the others by being "funny". I was the same way as a young punk, and I cannot ride a skateboard.
 

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Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 06-05-2005, 11:25 PM:
 
"Political" in terms of this site generally refers to things such as the presidential election, governors, etc.

Until people start being offensive or someone starts to cry, we try and let things roll.
 

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Posted by Dave Williams (Member # 299) on 06-06-2005, 10:01 AM:
 

quote: R. Andrew Diercks

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Dave, thank you for allowing Film-Tech to become your little grasshoppper, I am honored to be enlightened by such a wise individual.

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And here I was trying so very very hard to be good, then you had to go and throw up on me... Cute!

As for the definition of wise... ahem...

quote:

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Having the ability to discern or judge what is true, right, or lasting
Exhibiting common sense
Prudent
Shrewd
Crafty
Having great learning
Provided with information
Informed
Having or prompted by discernment
Marked by the exercise of good judgment or common sense in practical matters
Evidencing the possession of inside information
Able to take a broad view of negotiations
Carefully considered

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Hence while I will admit that the manner in which I handled my original comments was not wise, however the content was, as was my follow up to my comments.

In addition my response to an earlier criticism was not wise, my later apology for my response was wise.

I didn't start this whole thing anyway. I was only responding to an earlier assessment by someone else that someone other than them hated skaters. I chimed in that skaters quite often are not the cure to societies ills, and when talking of the Z-Boys, they were not the poster childern for following rules, and this was in fact a documentary of thier rise to fame. Nowhere in my original post did I ever state any hate for anyone at all at any time. Hate is for losers. I hate losers so bad!!

In all actuality, most of my points were dead on, however my manner in dealing with those points was so off the cuff that I really should have given it more thought and personal reflection before posting it. It was based purely on my own experience and instead I lumped the whole skater community into it.

Also I included what I really thought was a humourous line about the murderers and rapists and nuns, etc. Living in Utah for the last 25 years you kind of forget that people might actually still be catholic and take offence to that gang banger crack.

I never meant to insult anyone, only to point out that quite often films of this nature, and no I don't mean skater films, I mean films based on or in and about a culture as its heroic element that does not condone society in general, will quite often bring out the worst in people. It doesn't happen everywhere, but it can.

It is unfortunate, but in today's society we must take extra precaution. Innocence has gone by the wayside. There are too many wolves and not enough sheep to go around. While we do not want to become the wolf, we can no longer afford to be the sheep. Turning a blind eye to society in the pursuit of the almighty buck will only get you stabbed in the back for your wallet.

I do not live a paranoid life, I live a cautious one. I will gladly steer clear of anything I see as detrimental to my cause, to my family, to my life. If that means not seeing a skater movie in the theater, then yes you could make the claim I am paranoid, or racist, or whatever. However consider that perhaps, like myself, most people will wait until the DVD, as many people do now.

Why? Because they, like I, won't have to take any chance at all as to if it will suffer the insufferable interruptions that movies like this may be prone to.

Besides, it doesn't have cool spaceships blowing up or light saber fights between bad actors and good ones. So why give that money to my local theater when I can rent the thing from my local library in six months?

In closing, you are very wise for noting my wiseness in these matters.

Ciao
 

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Posted by Don Anderson (Member # 397) on 06-06-2005, 01:22 PM:
 
Getting back to the subject matter. No vandalism in LORDS OF DOGTOWN during the opening weekend. Absolutely NO problems what so ever. Tons of skateboarders on Friday/Saturday night. Many brought their boards which were stored in a side hallway. No property damage, or board theft. Sunday attendance was low, due to the great summer weather that has started, and all the festivals. I don't see this film have any staying power. Its kinda boring if ya saw Z-Boys.
 

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Posted by Martin Brooks (Member # 1269) on 06-07-2005, 06:55 PM:
 
If there were any incidences of problems in NYC, I haven't heard about them and they didn't make the news.
 

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Posted by Dave Williams (Member # 299) on 06-08-2005, 01:53 AM:
 
So far so good, no incedents of anything going on regarding this film, no real incidents of anyone going in to the film either. It turned out a decent 4.something million dollars, a far cry less then what the studio hoped for, and paid so far to market it.

Turns out it only appealed to a very small market, but spent like it was a big market attraction. The only people that would have any real interest would be skaters and former skaters, or anyone that had any idea who the z-boys were.

Should have done thier market research before they spent the market cash. For a film that only cost 400 grand to produce, it made quite a bit, but for the money they doled out to push it, it is in the red.. for now..

I think it will be a huge DVD hit, probably make three times the theater haul.

Ciao
 

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Posted by Paul J. Neuhaus (Member # 3205) on 06-12-2005, 05:48 PM:
 
At one of the theatres I managed in MD we had allot of problems with scateboarders grinding down the rails out front. After painting and re-painting them I finally got pissed off enough to do something. I had a welder friend who for a few free passes spot welded small bumps allong the tubular railing and then we put a fresh coat of paint over top. Just what the skaters were looking for a fresh coat of paint to vandalize. Well it only took one to try to get the word out that our railing wasn't any fun anymore!!! And the best part I was there to see the first skate-boarder to try what he had done a thousand times before only this time it ended in a face plant straight to the cement and allot of giggling theatre staff.
Sometimes ya gotta get inventive!!
 

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