Skaterdater (1966) User Reviews

Pretty well made,...but what if you hate skateboarding?

[planktonrules · 7/10 · 4 June 2008]

Wow. It's official--I am an old fart. When I started watching this short film from 1965, my first thought was "Hey...that kid isn't wearing any shoes!!! Put on some shoes you stupid kid!!" So, it is definitely true--I think like my parents and so I am officially old!

This skateboarding film was quite the rage when it debuted. It was even nominated for an Academy Award, though I can't quite understand that--maybe short films weren't all that good back then. I say this because I could care less about skateboarding and because the story seems a tad dull. Watching 12 year-olds skateboarding again and again and again just made me want to sleep--even if later you see this is also a coming of age tale about adolescence.

The bottom line is that if you can look back at skateboarding with nostalgia, then this film is for you. If, like me, you don't like it, then the film will probably be a bit of an endurance contest even if it is pretty well made.

What did you expect?

[whm1833 · 10/10 · 5 March 2007]

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-2 · 10/10 · 7 June 2000]

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-8 · 2 October 2007]

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.

I'm a Skaterdater rater

[rayzerramon · 10/10 · 7 January 2010]

I host a backyard 16mm film festival every September. For many years we were able to borrow films from a static collection owned by our county library system.While perusing their catalog several years ago, I happened to see that "Skaterdater" was available. I remembered viewing this on TV late one night when I was younger. It had stuck with me. At that time, I was swept up in the initial craze of "sidewalk surfing". We built our own skateboards from discarded roller skate wheels and scrap lumber. There weren't a lot of hills by my house, so sometimes we would get a pal to tow us on a bike. But I digress...

Skaterdater is just a sweet movie with a timeless message. Long story short, I now own the 16mm print and it is the featured presentation at my film festival. I highly recommend it.

Timeless

[Surfivors · 10/10 · 9 July 2004]

Though I only saw this movie once forty years ago, I, too, distinctly remember it.

It was a short before a feature, but the next day all I could talk about was 'Skaterdater'. I met someone else who had been equally effected by it. What I remember is the drama of a young California skate boarder rising to the challenge of plunging down a steep hill. Set to instrumental surf music, it made the hair on my neck stand up! The fact that the film won as many awards as it did assures me it wasn't just my imagination.

It's very cool to see it here on IMDb and learn who the director (Noel Black) and composer (Mike Curb) were and what they did. The children actors, who don't speak, never made another film. This is a timeless movie that should be available for all who seek

What a great short

[empty1138 · 30 September 2006]

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....................

[sbrownlee · 10/10 · 16 October 2005]

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.

Where can I find this?

[vinegar31 · 9/10 · 14 April 2006]

I haven't seen this since junior high, so it's been at least 25 years, but I remember a lot about it. First, the theme song is a great rocking surf music instrumental. The plot is that a group of 12 or 13 year-old boys are in a skateboarding gang, they ride around this town in what looks like Southern California on those skinny 1960's skateboards and act all bad-ass. Then one of the boys meets a girl and starts hanging out with her. The other boys in the gang don't like this and one of them challenges the "skater-dater" to a skating competition which I remember involving a slalom on a steep hill. The boy with the girlfriend loses and is tossed out of the gang. The movie ends with the remaining members of the gang skating off and passing a group of girls with the implication being that the remaining gang members are about to discover girls themselves.

Looking back I think I loved this movie partly because at the time I had been attending an all-boys school since 1st grade. The character who gets a girlfriend and ditches the boy's club really appealed to me.

So, does anyone know where to find this movie?

I remember this being great!

[abeeln · 10/10 · 12 July 2005]

I remember a lot about this movie considering how long ago I saw it (25 years, maybe?). First of all, it has an incredibly catchy theme song which is a surf music instrumental. The movie is about a group of skateboard riding boys and what happens when one of them becomes interested in girls and starts dating one. I remember thinking that the skateboarders came across as bad-asses (you have to remember that I was 11 or 12 when I saw this) because the people in their town see them as being a menace. I also remember that the boy with the girlfriend is challenged to a sort of skateboarding duel, which he loses. I would love to see this again.

These kids are grandparents now!

[jellyree · 9/10 · 6 September 2015]

I was in Southern California, at a Marine base when this came out.

Like most of the other reviewers I don't know what the feature film I saw this with was, but I never forgot "Skaterdater"!

Always knew Mike Curb was involved and it was, for me, the only redeeming moment in his career.

It was close to being a silent film, there is NO dialogue, only some laughter at one point. So pleased that one of the other reviewers knew the locations; Torrence and Rolling Hills. Thanks for that, I love location info.

Today was the day I left a message on IMDb about this little gem, and then had the thought to check YouTube.

There it was, it's been put up at least twice.

Would any skaters be able to tell us what the wheels were made of in 1965?

NOSTALGIA!!!

[dymchrch · 5 January 2003]

I saw this in my mid teens (mid 70's) at a time when I was already getting the feeling that the past was better. I'm smart enough now to know that the belief in the "good old days" is almost wholly an illusion, albeit, a POWERFUL illusion. When I saw this film all I wanted to do was get into a time machine, go back to the time when it was made and STAY there!

Delightful film.

[FrancisTorchio · 10/10 · 23 June 2017]

I first saw this wonderful film on TV when I was a freshman in college. It was part of a program called 'The American Boy: a Trilogy'. A real coming of age film that boys, girls and parents should watch. It shows the pain and delights of growing up. The mixed up feelings one has as a boy goes through adolescence and then adulthood.

Davie Allan & the Arrows soundtrack!

[ronkleim · 10/10 · 1 April 2006]

The rare and wonderful surf instrumental soundtrack by Davie Allan and the Arrows is enough to make this "comming of age" short an important piece of Southern California history. This is a must see for Sixties music video fans and collectors of obscure surf music.

The rare and wonderful surf instrumental soundtrack by Davie Allan and the Arrows is enough to make this "comming of age" short an important piece of Southern California history. This is a must see for Sixties music video fans and collectors of obscure surf music. The rare and wonderful surf instrumental soundtrack by Davie Allan and the Arrows is enough to make this "comming of age" short an important piece of Southern California history. This is a must see for Sixties music video fans and collectors of obscure surf music. The rare and wonderful surf instrumental soundtrack by Davie Allan and the Arrows is enough to make this "comming of age" short an important piece of Southern California history. This is a must see for Sixties music video fans and collectors of obscure surf music.

Oh my god....

[MikeK-7 · 9/10 · 12 June 2003]

I can barely remember seeing this on the old 16mm projectioner in the 5th grade to go along with our 'frank' discussions on sex education. I really don't remember anything about it except the title, but jeez I haven't even thought about it since then (A good 10 years later!).

A nifty and different short flick !

[ronnybee2112 · 9/10 · 19 September 2022]

My oh my,how the time does fly ! I saw this short film at the Brooklyn,Ohio library on Ridge road in 1974 or 1975. I don't remember very-much about this film,other than some amazing and seemingly impossible skating tricks and techniques. Naturally,I bought a skateboard after seeing this movie. 🤡

Dear reader,you are under no obligation to read any further. Apparently I am required to write 600 characters,which seems rather arbitrary and silly,in my opinion. I am done with my review,so please feel free to leave at any time. Hopefully,the 600-word requirement will be met soon and I can move on.

(I just checked,not yet.) If there were a 600 character LIMIT,I would run-out of room 1/3 of the way through a 'clever' review,and I'd be complaining about running out of room! BUT...give me enough room for a long review,and I am tongue-tied! Thanks for reading my review.🌞

SWEET CHILDHOOD MEMORIES...

[docesfren-imdb · 22 June 2004]

I saw this short in Barcelona (Spain) in 1967 in a Sunday matinee –when I was 8 years old, accompanied by my grandmother- together with the Cinerama/Cinemiracle "Windjammer" film, and I never forgot it . I remember perfectly the almost absence of dialogue, and the skate scenes in the streets with the kids. I also remember –but not very certainly because sometimes memory fakes- that Beach Boys "Good vibrations" was in the soundtrack . And, after the short, red curtains open and open and open. and widescreen Cinerama film starts… but this is another story. Sweet memories, sweet childhood!.

Takes you back some Great times and good memories

[oldballnchain · 31 July 2011]

I fell in love with this little gem of a short when I saw it as a "filler" between a double feature over 40 years ago. Seeing it on the big screen in the theater makes you feel like your 12 years old and back on a skateboard. You feel every bump, every jump and every pebble along with all the heartaches you hit as you roll down the road of puppy love. The film is about two rivaling fractions of a group preteen skate-borders when one of the boy while riding accidentally and quite literally runs into a girl on a bicycle. The choice of girl vs. skateboarders isn't very difficult, and as they say "the rest is history". This is a "must see" film for anyone who went through the trials and tribulations of first love. I can't remember the names of the films I saw that day,but I will always remember "skaterdater".