The recent release of Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1+2 remake has been a welcome trip down memory lane. From designing garish skateparks and completing sick tricks, to brash hairstyles and retrying after every fall as another favorite song fades away. Old habits die hard, despite the modernized world that the Pro Skater 1+2 has managed to mold from its pixelated past.
Each level has been polished, injecting new verve and vitality into locations all over the world. This is perhaps best demonstrated through the diverse cast of skaters available to play, an expansion upon the predominantly male line-up. These tweaks project an image of an evolving culture, despite being grounded in the foundations of the 1999 original. With the success of Pro Skater 1+2 and the recent release of Skater XL, players would be forgiven for believing video games have kickstarted a skateboarding resurgence. However, this neglects two of the best received examples of contemporary skateboarding culture: Skate Kitchen and Betty.
Crystal Moselle directed the 2018 film Skate Kitchen after discovering two of its stars, Nina Moran and Rachelle Vinberg, on a Brooklyn train. She was drawn in by two things, firstly the skateboards and secondly Moran recounting the tale of her first kiss with a friend affectionately known as "Glitter-Tits". Moselle offered the teenagers the opportunity to star in a short film, That One Day, before casting the amateur actors and several of their skateboarding friends in her first feature film, Skate Kitchen.
The movie is primarily told through the perspective of Camille (Vinberg) as she strikes up a friendship with a group of female skaters, known collectively as the titular Skate Kitchen. Like most teenagers, Camille’s identity is in a state of flux. She has a troubled relationship with her mother, a single parent, who disapproves of her skateboarding. However, as she grows closer to her fellow skaters, Camille becomes more self-assured. Moselle's roots in documentary film making are perfect to present the group authentically as they glide through the streets of New York City.
Despite the obvious cinematic quality of skateboarding, the most compelling viewing comes is found in the characters bonding. Skate Kitchen may be stripped of the polish that’s been applied to the Pro Skater 1+2 remake, but its cinematography captures the beauty of skateboarding in a natural style that emphasizes both the skill and satisfaction of the characters. New York is rarely seen from above here, providing a perspective of the city that is seldom seen and is more akin to the half-pipes and bowls hidden in the Pro Skater 1+2 New York City level.
Existing on the fringes of popular culture, skateboarding grants an aura of freedom to its devotees. However, the independence life on the peripheries provides can be a precarious balance to maintain. Skate Kitchen examines life in the margins for women in what can still be a predominantly male orientated world. As Camille becomes more embedded in the local skateboarding scene, she teeters closer to collapse.
After the critical success of the movie, Moselle began work adapting the film into a TV series for HBO. Betty debuted in 2020 and features the same group of skaters trying to stand out in the New York City skateboarding scene. The six episode teen-comedy series was renewed for a second season in June and holds a 96% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes - another example of HBO's continuing success.
While the TV series largely contains the same cast and character names, it isn't directly related to the movie. This allows Moselle to delve deeper into the characters and their surrounding environment. The show’s title is a satirical reference to a derogatory term male skaters often use to refer to women who skate on their territory. Pro Skater 1+2 shows little sign of this struggle, instead choosing to normalize a more inclusive environment.
It’s easy to forget about the struggles that once shaped the past. There are no do-overs, no retries. While Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1+2 Remaster has ditched the gory bail animations of the past in favor of a more polished approach, Skate Kitchen and Betty prefer to portray the realities of skateboarding. They don’t hide the bumps or the bruises born from both skating and growing up.
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1+2 is available now for PC, PS4, and Xbox One.
Skate Kitchen and Betty are available on streaming services and VOD.