Dumb: The Story of Big Brother Magazine

Dumb: The Story of Big Brother Magazine is a documentary film released in 2017 that explores the chaotic and ridiculously amusing history and influence of Big Brother, an infamous skateboarding magazine. Shaped from humble beginnings in the early '90s to its ultimate demise at the turn of the new millennium, the film draws together personal accounts from the magazine's founders, employees, and key contributors, including skateboarding legends Jeff Grosso, Tony Hawk, and Marc Johnson.

Reflecting the raw, outrageous essence the publication was renowned for, Dumb doesn't just chronicle Big Brother's eventful journey but eloquently elucidates its impact on modern pop culture and the world of skateboarding. It remained remarkable in projecting a mirror onto the wild, untamed energy of youth skateboarding culture. The film gives a profound exploration of how the publication came about, its rise to notoriety, and its eventual decline.

The film begins by capturing the inception of Big Brother. A project meant to satiate a love for skateboarding and freedom of expression, this low-budget, DIY punk style magazine came to life in the hands of Steve Rocco, the eccentric millionaire owner of World Industries, and editor Chris Pontius. The film provides candid interviews from the magazine's founders to brilliantly illustrate the early years of Big Brother.

One of the most prominent features of Dumb is the way it reflects the magazine's anarchic spirit and youth energy. Just like the publication itself, the film doesn't shy away from showing the humor, absurdity, and at instances, controversial content that made Big Brother as infamous as it was popular.

The documentary does a commendable job of drawing the audience into Big Brother's world. Lively interviews, vintage footage, and hilarious anecdotes combine to provide a visceral experience for viewers. While amateurish pranks, raw street culture, and unabashed skater antics give a taste of the magazine’s audacious flavour, insightful details bring to light the struggles, trials, and tribulations faced by the team behind this controversial publication.

Dumb truly shines when it presents stories from the perspective of professional skateboarders like Tony Hawk, Jeff Grosso, and Marc Johnson. Each of these legends who were involved with the magazine give their personal accounts, explaining how Big Brother changed the game for skateboarding forever. The movie beautifully encapsulates the revolutionary magazine’s essence, and the unapologetic and audacious spirit that was Big Brother’s trademark.

As it ventures through the years, from the magazine's birth to its closure, the documentary lays bare the raw and uncensored culture that Big Brother spawned. From its unprecedented skateboarding stunts to its fearless approach towards showcasing the unrestricted skateboarding lifestyle, the film explores Big Brother's unorthodox philosophy of pushing boundaries.

The movie offers a deep-dive into one of the most significant symbols of skateboarding’s counterculture history. It successfully portrays its adversaries' arguments, that saw the magazine as a bad influence, and its advocates, who treated the publication as a symbol of freedom and anarchy. This balanced view helps provide an unbiased perspective on this influential piece of modern skateboard culture.

Resonating strongly with the off-the-wall shock value of the publication it immortalizes, Dumb: The Story of Big Brother Magazine is essentially a tribute to the reckless abandon of youth and the indestructible spirit of rebellion against normative rules and standards. This documentary stands as an essential viewing for skateboarding enthusiasts or anyone interested in the overarching influence of underground culture on popular media. It offers humor, shock, sentiment, and an enlightening portrayal of a cutting edge sub-culture's pivotal era, amidst the broader paradigm of youth culture.

Ultimately, Dumb: The Story of Big Brother Magazine serves as a fitting homage to the magazine that gave a powerful voice to a generation of skaters and became a significant cultural faucet that cascaded onto the landscape of mainstream media. This unpredictable roller coaster ride of a documentary takes us on a thrilling and nostalgic journey back to a time when the spirit of rebellion and fun reigned supreme in the world of skateboarding. It delivers an impactful exploration of Big Brother's legacy and its enduring impact on the evolution of extreme sports and youth culture at large.