Top 10 skateboarding video parts of all time

...in this humble skateboarding journalist's opinion...

I remember one of my first writing assignments, for the Cucumber Skateboards newsletter "Seeds", having to write about my top 25 best skateboard video parts as of 1997. In the meantime lots of amazing videos have been released, and in the interest of creating some Digg-friendly content as to not be unceremoniously buried, here lies the top 10 skateboard video parts of all time, with Youtube links of course.

This is completely open to debate and will probably be expanded, so if you are a skater and are looking at this list and see a glaring deficiency, or remember a legendary video part from an amazing skater that I somehow left out, please let me know so I can either

A: Tell you that particular part isn't as awesome as you think it is and doesn't deserve inclusion or

B: Slap myself in the face for forgetting that amazing part and include it in a more detailed list.

Some of the criteria for my selections are as follows:

Is it ahead of it's time? Is that part so far advanced that we look back on it now and see how it set the standard for the modern accepted norm of a video part? Is it technically superior to other video parts of it's time? Is the style of the skater so far advanced at the time as to make others look wonky in comparison? Is the editing and filming superior for it's time?

So without further ado, here is this humble reporter's idea of his 10 favorite skateboard video parts in history...



10. John Cardiel, Sight Unseen, Transworld Skateboarding Magazine, 2001

Cards is one of the most respected skateboarders in the world, and this part highlights his mastery of transition like no other. Attacking both spots and parks in Sacramento and the norcal area, absolutely shutting down Ripon and Newburg skateparks with unparalleled aggression, and bringing speed and precision to his tricks, Cardiel, currently on the comeback trail from a near-paralyzing injury, proves that grit and determination are the cornerstones of modern skateboarding, and is an absolute inspiration both on and off board. The Cardiel rail in SF is aptly named for him for a reason, as no one else even dreams of approaching it. Gonz said, "The faster he goes the more control he has, which is unexplainable." his alley oop airs and overtweaked grabs will go down in history as some of the burliest maneuvers of all time.




9. Ricky Oyola, Eastern Exposure 3, Underacheivers, Dan Wolfe, 1996

East coast skateboarding can be defined by one part and one part only, and that's the legendary Ricky Oyola's part in Dan Wolfe's independent video Eastern Exposure 3, Underacheivers. Shot in black and white (a first for it's time,) and edited to Metallica's "Damage Incorporated," this was the first part that stood out for its musical selection and editing as well as skateboarding. Dan Wolfe's editing techniques in this video would set the standard for every video to follow, and remains one of the most influential videos of all time, as well as the spot and trick selection of Oyola and his east coast/Philly spots. Fast paced and frenetic, the video also featured unforgettable appearances by an unknown Donny Barley, Tim O'Connor and Reese Forbes, but Ricky steals the show and wraps the video with an unforgettable appearance.



8. Brian Lotti, Now N' Later, Planet Earth, 1991

If "ahead of it's time" was the only criteria used to determine the best video part ever than Brian Lotti would undoubtedly be the number one choice, as his style and trick selection was well ahead of the curve. He pioneered (or at least made the most stylish) the frontside bluntslide on street (still one of the most difficult tricks to do smoothly) and the backside 360 ollie that would set the standard for years to come.



7. Mark Gonzales, Video Days, Blind Skateboards, 1991

The Gonz, along with Natas Kaupas, were the engineers of the new era of street skateboarding, the first to skate handrails, the first to popularize kickflips and shove its on street, borrowing from inventor Rodney Mullen, and Gonz's part in the legendary 1991 Spike Jonze directed "Video Days" set his legend in stone, even years after his fame had waned from his pro debut in 1986. The first video to feature jazz music for a part (sorry Stereo "A Visual Sound",) Gonz does the coffin through traffic and skates kinked rails that no one else would even consider approaching, not to mention arguably the first gap ollied in history, the self-titled "Gonz gap" at EMB (Justin Herman Plaza in SF.) Any skateboard video afficionado must put Video Days on their top 3 best videos ever.




6. Marc Johnson, Fully Flared, Lakai Footwear, 2007

MJ must be included in this list, but the difficulty was determining which of his lengthy video parts to choose from, my first instinct was to say Man Down from the Tilt Mode Army, or maybe Maple's 7 Steps To Heaven from 1997, perhaps Yeah Right!? But in the end you gotta give it to Fully Flared, with 3 songs this time instead of the usual 2 (don't most skaters have only one song for their part? That alone says it all about Marc.) Recipient of the Skater Of The Year award from Thrasher for this part, MJ proves he hasn't lost a step and puts the curtains on the most anticipated skateboard videos of the last 10 years, arguably. San Jose's finest is unassuming, humble, and technically advanced, and it all comes together in Fully Flared.
part 1part 2



5. P.J. Ladd, P.J. Ladd's Wonderful Horrible Life, Coliseum Boardshop, 2002

As far as shop videos go, this million-plus selling release from Boston's Coliseum skateshop could arguably be one of the best ever, at the very least in terms of anticipation, and while the appearances of a then-unknown Ryan Gallant and a strong part from Alexis Sablone giving Elissa Steamer a run for her maney may be noteworthy, it's the video's namesake P.J. Ladd that puts this video on the map as one of the best independent features ever. And while the latest video with a skater's name in the title, City Skateboards, "What the F#*% is a Bachinksky" was a bit of a letdown from it's namesake, P.J.'s part was all we had dreamed it would be and more. P.J.'s flatground hijinx amaze, and his mastery of ledges and combo tricks has yet to be paralleled, even in the combo-heavy Fully Flared. Tricks like frontside 360 heelflips down 8 stairs had kids clamoring for the rewind button, and Ladd sets a new standard for lines which has yet to be equaled, with nollie heel shifties, nollie cab flips and hardflip reverts thrown in the middle of runs...and if that wasn't enough, styles for miles.



4. Guy Mariano, Mouse, Girl Skateboards, 1996

For those who are about to call shenanigans and say that his part from the recent Lakai video "Fully Flared" outdoes this part, let me defend my choice by stating that this part was so advanced for it's time that it far outweighed anything released in that time period, the switchstance tricks were completely unrecognizable until watched multiple times, as Guy pushes properly (non-mongo footed) riding in both his normal regular foot stance as well as goofy. Not to mention his greatest trick in the video, not even in his part, but during the credits of the video, a mind-numbing switch frontside shove it to switch k grind, never before done at the time, and replicated on the same rail by Lucas Puig 12 years later. Mariano's comeback is an inspiration to every skateboarder, but this part still shines in my mind as his best.




3. Rodney Mullen, Rodney Vs. Daewon Round 2, 1999

It was difficult choosing the one video part of Rodney's that excels above the rest, and while it's difficult to say who really "won" any of the Vs. battles with he and Daewon, (apples and oranges as far as I'm concerned,) this part stands out in my opinion as his best effort, stepping it up to picnic tables and completing about every krooked grind flip in, flip out trick known to man, words can't describe this originator and Digg favorite's bag of tricks so we'll let the video do the talking. Great music accompaniment as well.


2. Chris Cole, New Blood, Zero Skateboards, 2005

How could I have almost forgotten about this chap? Everyone knew Chris Cole was arguably one of the burliest and at the same time most stylish skaters of all time, but it was this part where his full potential was realized. A lackadaisical backside 360 kickflip that said, "What? Can't everyone do these?", handrail tricks that I actually want to watch, varial heels on triple sets, proper inward heelflips and back 3 nollies (who else can say that?), and all with a style that every skater envies and wishes they even could come close to. Tre' flip Wallenberg, now that's an ender ender ender. The bar has been raised forevermore.




1. Pat Duffy, The Questionable Video, Plan B, 1992

I debated whether I would put this obvious choice as my number one part of all time, but really who can argue this point? Pat Duffy was a nobody when this part first hit the scene, had the opening part in a super anticipated "dream team" of still famous pro skateboarders, and yet Duffy from Marin stole the show from skaters that are still in the top 5 of all time, showing a handrail attack that was completely unprecedented. Back smith grinds through kinks, double 360 flips, double kinked round handrails, Caballerials down hefty sets of stairs, and the astounding backside lipslide in the rain to the oh-so-appropriate "Riders On The Storm" by The Doors? So far ahead of the curve that it has to be the choice for best video part of all time.


Let me stop you before you tell me about how I forgot about Matt Hensley and Natas Kaupas, and I admit not including Jeremy Wray in Plan B "Second Hand Smoke", as that part is the first to expertly synch the music to the skateboarding, an all-too-common ocurrence in modern videos, but a top 11 would just look weird and besides, I'll probably do another one of these lists sooner than later...

So there you go, Digg nation, some content to chew on...until next time, hope these video parts provide some inspiration, get off the damn 'puter, grab your stuntwood and go out and shred it up! Late!