New Jersey gets a bad reputation from New Yorkers. But while most of the complaints about the industrial smells and sights are the result of New York City’s own power grid and supply needs, skateboarding has always been a mending tool for the social gap that spans the East River. Whether it’s the likes of Fred Gall, Quim Cardona, Brian Wenning skaters from Dirty Jerz have always found a concrete home in the 5 Boroughs. As for Jersey itself, an entire skate scene devoid of bright lights and big city has been thriving for decades, exemplified by the Garden State’s latest full length skate video, “The Meadowlands”.
Conceived by Steve Mastorelli, the 45-minute skate opus captures East Coast shredding at its absolute finest. Not only does the film artistically paying homage to the golden era videos of yesteryear, but by adding in the flavor of modern nuance and songs like Kodak Black’s “Shit On Me,” Mastorelli is able to keep balance on and off the board. Filmed entirely on VX1000, 16mm and Super 8mm film, “The Meadowlands” is a romantic blast from the past with a flare for modern street skateboarding. The cast of riders is top-notch, with each significant part featuring all quality and no filler. Some of the more outstanding parts include Matt Genovese’s hard opener, Danny Landers’ incredible-pop-for-a-big-guy part, and Jersey Dave’s timeless style. All of those sprinkled atop a supporting cast of homies and additional parts make a worthy watch for anybody seeking some solid four-wheel action.
It’s great to see New Jersey and the East Coast honor itself, especially during these days of fly-by-night content and easily hyped straight-to-internet solo parts. Tangible flicks like this one really give a nod to the essence of what skateboard videos are all about and why a good one always withstands the test of time, no matter how many handrails your favorite pro can fit in a 90 second clip. Pay attention, kiddos, this one’s for the books. Be sure to support Mastorelli and the Jersey boys by purchasing your very own copy here. Maybe one day your grandkids will need a history lesson about skateboarding’s cinematic past.