Chlorine: A Pool Skating Documentary

Recently, I picked up a copy of Chlorine: A Pool Skating Documentary which was originally released around 2005. I've always had a particular affinity for pool skating because of its roots in skateboarding history -- and because of the greater diversity of what you can do in one.

At any rate, about a month or two ago I came across this particular documentary -- and I was rather surprised I hadn't heard of it. The thing is, I am fairly selective about what I'll purchase. I am not a completist. I don't need to own or even see every skate video, I don't need every book on skate art or history. What I do "need" are those that are the most authoritative and most substantial. So, having not heard of it, I wondered if it wasn't because it wasn't particularly substantial? Surely people would be mentioning it?

Well they hadn't and they didn't and what a great loss that is because I thoroughly enjoyed this particular documentary. From my perspective, it offered most of what I hoped it might. First, it had great interviews and footage of the likes of Tony Alva, Salba and Lance Mountain. Second, it gets into the history and ideals of the pool skaters and shows the fine line of legality and trespassing that they live on even still today. Third, it combines some historical footage with a whole lot of current day footage of these guys going at these pools. Oh, and you know that guy, Ozzie, who runs Blue Tile Obsession? Yeah, he's in this documentary too, draining and skating pools. It brings to life what we see in still form on his page almost everyday.

That mix of old and new is something that I always look for. I want it to feel "old school" but I want it to also be put into the present day context. That brings the old school back to life if you will (or better yet, it shows that it never died in the first place). It is a modern day, living tradition with a deep connection to the past.

The documentary has a little bit of everything and it captures well the drama and the life of the pool skaters and their run-in's with motel owners, home owners, the law, and yes, even a street gang or two.

Own it. You won't regret it.

Here are a couple of video clips from it.