"They'll bury the pool, we'll dig it out. They fill it with water, we'll empty it. They bulldoze it, we'll rebuild it. We cannot be stopped…" - Dave Reul

The Movie

Maybe it's the honesty. Maybe it's the danger. Maybe it's the humor. Or maybe it's because it's so damn entertaining. Whatever the reason, Chlorine is one of the most interesting and enjoyable skateboarding videos I've ever seen. It gets right to the nitty-gritty of this highly covert, and often perilous sport of backyard pool skating, and it pulls no punches in the process.

Chlorine stars (and is narrated by) the biggest names in underground pool skating. Names such as Steve Alba, Steve Olson, Dave Hackett, Tony Alva, Lance Mountain, Dave Reul, and Darrel Delgado. For these men - many being the pioneers of the sport - riding a backyard pool is not just an extracurricular activity; it's a necessity; like the human need for food and water. If there's an empty pool in a backyard, it doesn't matter if the home is occupied or not, these guys will ride it. If only for one minute, these guys will ride it.

But these men aren't inconsiderate punks who will do nothing but violate one's private property. They are older, mature, and will always prefer permission to trespassing any day of the week. Because for most, it's not just the exhilaration of possibly getting caught, it's the freedom and expression of carving a pool that repeatedly brings them back for more. They'll clean the area. They'll drain out the rancid cesspool remains at the bottom. They'll leave no graffiti. In fact, they'll leave the area cleaner than it was when they came. They just want to skate. No harm, no foul.

Chlorine shines as one of the greatest skating documentaries ever made for several reasons. For starters, the editing and film work is top notch. Not only is the footage clever and intense, but also the editing transitions and audio dubbing are some of the very best I've ever experienced. And unlike the last pool skating video I reviewed, Fruit of the Vine, the pacing never slows down, and the narrative never gets boring. Quite the opposite really, as you end up wishing it was several minutes longer. The whole movie is in color, so it's easy on the eyes, and we actually get to see footage of riders trespassing to access pools, which is so ingrained into what pool riding has now become.

But it's the skaters themselves that elevate this movie to cult icon stardom. Steve Alba and Dave Ruel - whom we follow for most of the film - are two of the most likeable and interesting people you're ever likely to meet. Their dialogue suggests they fully never grew up, and with thousands of backyard pools as their Never-Never Land it's not hard to see why. Then there's Steve Olson and Dave Hackett. These legends of pool skating are two of the most comical and down-to-earth individuals ever caught on camera. They're passionate about pool skating, and they're not afraid to say what's on their minds. If these guys can't bring a smile to your face, you need to get out more. Then comes the infamous Lance Mountain. He's a pool skater at heart, but refuses to commit the guerrilla tactics that many of his piers feel compelled to do. He's soft-spoken, mature, and can shred a pool with the best of them. But even he admits, "I've never been busted, so I'm not a real pool skater."

Chlorine is such an excellent movie, that talking about it simply can't do it justice. The skating footage is fantastic, the editing is first rate, the music is kickin', the skaters are hilariously raw, and the action never stops. Whether you're into skateboarding or not, this movie will surely entertain.


The DVD

Video:
Chlorine is presented in 1.85:1 widescreen, but is not anamorphic. So if you have a widescreen TV, the movie will not display properly, thus making 4:3 viewing a necessity. For a skating video, the video quality was surprisingly good. And it was nice to watch a skate movie in color for a change. As a result my eyeballs are eternally grateful.

The picture is fairly clear and bug free. There is however some pixelation present, and what looks to be a very small amount of edge enhancement. But as far as skate videos go, this is as good as I've ever seen. Colors looks wonderful, and black levels are on par as well. The movie has incorporated a lot of footage from the early 80's, and it looks surprisingly sharp considering its age. Overall this is a fine looking skateboarding documentary

Audio:
Here we get a Dolby Digital 2.0 surround audio track. Contrary to past skating videos, the surround speakers actually get some use this time. And although they're reserved exclusively for the musical accompaniment, it's still nice to hear something come from all five speakers during a skate video. Dialogue is crystal clear, and the music is fantastic and eerily appropriate. We even get to hear a little Devo when the early 80's footage hits the screen. Gotta love that!

This is a low budget documentary, so I wasn't expecting much. But the film actually exceeded my expectations in the sound department. For what it is, it's perfect.

Extras:
There are some nice extra features offered on this disc. Let's get started.

Audio commentary: I was shocked to see that there was an audio commentary track given on this disc. This is definitely not the norm, and I was fascinated to find out what it would be like. Thankfully, Steve Alba and Dave Ruel do a fantastic job running us through the footage once again. Although instead of talking about the movie scene for scene, they end up rambling on about personal experiences and certain pools they love to skate. The talking never stops, often to the point where they're continually talking over each other, as if neither wanted to give way to the others story. Their stories are hilarious and captivating, and aside from the distracting cell phone call right in the middle of taping, this was one of the most interesting commentaries I've ever listened to. It made watching the movie again a real treat.

Lance Mountain Super 8's: Here we find some old footage of Lance and his buddies when he was a child. It's short and sweet, and worth a look.

Short Film by Toby Burger: Here's a short film by Toby that takes us to two of his favorite secret pools. He goes there alone and places his camera off to the side to get his footage. We get to watch the first pool ride until the angry owner kicks him out. The second pool is more risky, and he leaves his car running just in case he needs a fast getaway. This was a great underground look at what many of these skaters will go through to ride a pool. Awesome stuff.

Photos: Here is a photo gallery set as a slideshow to music. The photos are wonderful, and made me wish there were more.

Trailers: Here are the three movie trailers that were made for Chlorine.

Final Thoughts:
Chlorine is flat out fantastic. It's real, it's palpable, and it's enjoyable. The 40 plus minutes will fly by, and you'll be left yearning for more. Thankfully you can listen to the audio commentary to get your fill of more pool skating experiences. If you're only partially interested in skating, you can't go wrong with this DVD. It's destined to become a legend among skateboarding videos. Highly Recommended