SYNOPSICS
Dragonslayer (2011) is a English movie. Tristan Patterson has directed this movie. Sid Rocket,Josh 'Skreech' Sandoval are the starring of this movie. It was released in 2011. Dragonslayer (2011) is considered one of the best Documentary movie in India and around the world.
Directed by Tristan Patterson and executive produced by indie-maverick Christine Vachon, DRAGONSLAYER is the Grand Jury Prize winner for Best Documentary Feature at SXSW 2011, and is the second feature to be released theatrically by Drag City following Harmony Korine's Trash Humpers. DRAGONSLAYER documents the transgressions of a lost skate punk falling in love in the stagnant suburbs of Fullerton, California in the aftermath of America's economic collapse. Taking the viewer through a golden SoCal haze of broken homes, abandoned swimming pools and stray glimpses of unusual beauty, DRAGONSLAYER captures the life and times of Josh "Skreech" Sandoval, a local skate legend and new father, as his endless summer finally collides with the future. Set to the alternately roaring and dreamy soundtrack of bands from the indie labels Mexican Summer and Kemado Records-including Best Coast, Bipolar Bear, Children, Dungen, Eddy Current and the Suppression Ring, Golden Triangle, Jacuzzi Boys, Little ...
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Dragonslayer (2011) Reviews
An escape from the ordinary...
I think the last reviewer completely missed the point of this entire film. Dragonslayer is an unbiased escape from the norm of documentary film making. Not only in the way it was made, but also in it's choice of subjects. It's a world, that if you don't happen to be part of, you are allowed to enter and participate in. The characters are real, their love story is real, and all they are trying to do is figure it out like the rest of us. In the midst of all this life, the skate competitions are colorful and exciting and help capture the film's wild, don't give a dam, punk rock mentality. If you are looking for an escape into an unfamiliar and beautiful place, I highly recommend this film.
: A Failed Effort to Present the Life of Skateboarder
Dragonslayer, a slice-of-life documentary about the life of Josh "Screech" Sandoval, is a really uninteresting film. I believe that director Tristan Patterson invested a lot of time and effort, but what he produced was not very enlightening or particularly constructive as a documentary. There are so many more interesting people that he could have spent his time and energy profiling. That this film won the best documentary feature award from the Grand Jury here at Austin's SXSW is truly inexplicable. The film is simply the chronicle of the life of someone who isn't very interesting, inspiring or likable. The only mildly interesting part of the film is the skateboarding scenes which are somewhat enjoyable, but the character is not. He seems like a guy who hangs out all day, skateboards in people's pools, drinks, and smokes. He does nothing to contribute to society, mostly ignores his own kid, and has nothing very interesting to say. Frankly, Screech is kind of dull and rather unlikeable. Off of the skateboard, he seems to be mostly dysfunctional and kind of pathetic. Some seem to find this film artistic, but I found it like its subject to be pretty much a waste of time.
So! This is what nothing feels like....
This is one of those documentaries where one can feel the love that the creator/director has for his/her subject. It's, also, one of those films where the viewer is left out in the cold wondering why the director is so infatuated with the subject. There's just nothing of substance to examine. In this case, the skateboarder is mediocre at, well, skateboarding. Worse, he is a dim bulb and his circle of friends are all lifeless and tragically without original thoughts. Granted, he is not supposed to be some brainy whiz kid that founded his own software company at the age of 12. But Geez, this guy is so much of a zero that I had a hard time understanding how he even finds his way around his own apartment. I found myself nodding off every time that he began to speak. He has this hypnotic way in which he talks that lures one into a waking slumber. God, I am so happy that my 2 boys amounted to something.
Terrible, but not without a point
There seems to be two extremes among viewers of this movie: you either love it or you don't. I found myself torn between being incredibly bored and incredibly turned off by Sandoval and his aimless friends who seem to fill the day with bongs, booze, and absolute drivel. It's even more aggravating to learn that Sandoval is a dead beat dad who chooses all this over caring for his young son. If you hate these types of people in the real world, there's no chance they're going to win your respect here. And they shouldn't. The movie was almost over when the point of all this finally starts to become clear. About the time when Sandoval and his equally braindead girlfriend run out of money and pack up with the expectations that they'll just hit the road and do whatever, only to return to where they started. These kids are naive to the point of being pathetic. Though the tagline says that the future is dependent upon it's youth, I'm not sure this was the best example of the critical flaws. This is more like worst case scenario. Whether it was worthy of the accolades received at the SXSW screening, I think this probably won the hearts of pretentious hipsters that pack the festival.
a beautiful portrait of someone trying to figure it out
Dragonslayer's a tough film to define and that's what makes it so great. It's not the typical documentary you see today with a big social issue being explored or your expected 'inspirational' character who comes out of the story with a clear cut resolution to their struggles. It exists in the gray areas of life, and explores the beauty and hardships of being young and trying to live your life in an unsure world...It's more old school verite (think the Maysles' Salesmen) with the production value/techniques of a Gus Van Sant or Larry Clark film. It puts the viewer smack in the middle of Screech's life without explanation and let's them experience his life first hand, not letting go until the end credits. From the cinematography, to the editing and awesome soundtrack, Dragonslayer elevates the documentary genre to something really special. I was so happy to see something on the big screen that was so different than the usual reality TV shows and Oprah-fied documentaries out there. THIS IS REAL LIFE SHOWN IN THE MOST CINEMATIC TERMS. But forget what I say- go see this film wherever you can and make your own decision about it.