Skaterdater (1966) Reviews

• What did you expect?

  whm18332007-03-05

  Yes this was an excellent movie. I had fun making it. The skateboard club was called the Imperials. We won a skateboard contest in Hermosa Beach around 1964 and Noel Black was there looking for some kids. Since most of the other teams were sponsored by Hobie, Jack's Surfboard,etc., he talked with us. Melisda was the only one with prior experience in acting, Noel and Marshall got her from somewhere else. All the rest of the group went to Newton Elementary and then South High in Torrance Calif. The two girls at the end of the film where Molly Macloud (RIP) and Ceilo Weislo (sp) which they usually don't get the credit for. Bill McKaig

• A nice period piece that's come full circle

  tonyu-22000-06-07

  In the mid-1960s there was a skateboard craze that came and went, and has recently been revived to an almost extreme level, and this short film is about a group of kids on the verge of coming-of-age while zooming around on skateboards in mid-'60s California. Dialog is almost non-existent and none is needed, almost everything being on a visual action level which works out just fine. The music is by Mike Curb and Nick Venet, which although dated a bit, remains very much in tune with the times and the location and fits this short film perfectly. There's a lot of nice photography and some fun skateboard sequences that will certainly bring back memories for anyone who ever scuffed their toes and skinned their knees on a skateboard. In the story, one of the skateboarder pack-leaders keeps accidently running (literally) into a girl on a bicycle. Eventually, the two of them get together and this does not sit well with the rest of "the guys" and before long a ritual contest to see who rules the hill takes place... Skaterdater remains a memorable short film with great atmosphere and was in fact nominated for an Academy Award for Best Short Film in 1966, and was shown in some theaters between features at the time, which is where I first saw it as a kid. Being a rather ambitious skateboarder myself at that time, I never forgot it and it made an impression that lasted to this day. Unfortunately, Skaterdater evidently was never released on video, not even in any short film compilations that I know of. In fact, it hardly ever gets a mention anywhere and it wasn't until just recently that I finally managed to find a copy of this remarkable little film which hopefully, with today's renewed interest in skateboarding, might eventually find its way onto home video soon.

• Skaterdater VHS or DVD

  bduffy-82007-10-02

  This is a great short film; I was looking for it for a friend who like all the other commenters saw it years ago and loved it. I decided to try the former distributor, Pyramid Media. THEY STILL HAVE IT, IT IS STILL AVAILABLE. Get Skaterdater on VHS or DVD from Pyramid. Their website is www.pyramidmedia.com - though it's not listed there. Call them (phone numbers are on the website) for a price. Not that expensive for a personal copy of a wonderful vision of growing up, surfer music, southern California and just being a kid. Hope this helps.

• What a great short

  empty11382006-09-30

  I remember seeing this for the first time as a short with Thunderball in 1965. Skater was the 1966 Grand Prix winner at Cannes. Everything about it was great, the movie and the soundtrack. I was able to find a VHS copy a couple of years ago on ebay, (marginal quality), AND, I found the soundtrack in LP format at a vintage record store in Orange county. What a find!! Put out by Mira Records. The music was especially catchy. I've seen a couple of versions of the main tune. One on a Davie Allen album and another by a surf band from Finland, of all places, Laika and the Cosmonauts. (these guys are good). Nothing like the original though.

• When it rained during recess....................

  sbrownlee2005-10-16

  Skater Dater brings back a lot a childhood memories. This is one of the three films we always watched in Catholic school when it rained during recess or lunch. It was this along with "The Red Balloon" or "Born Free." I've probably seen this movie a good 25 to 30 times. This was back in the late 60's through mid 70's, and just around the time I was starting to have an interest in girls. Before I had a crush on Marsha Brady and Laurie Partridge, there was the girl on the bicycle from Skater Dater. What was also great about watching this movie when I was young was where it was filmed. I grew up in Torrance, CA. and all of the locations were in south Torrance (my neighborhood) and in Rolling Hills (an adjoining city). I knew all locations very well. Maybe if I had kept a better eye out, I would have seen the girl on the bike ride by, but alas, it was not meant to be. If anyone knows where I can buy a copy of this film (VHS is fine, but would prefer DVD) please post and let me know.