The Search for Animal Chin

The Search for Animal Chin is a 1987 skateboarding film featuring the Bones Brigade. It is one of the first skateboarding films to have a plot, rather than simply a collection of skateboarding stunts and music videos.

The Search for Animal Chin
Directed by	Stacy Peralta
Written by	Paul Gross and John Smythe
Produced by	Stacy Peralta
Starring	Tony Hawk Steve Caballero Mike McGill Lance Mountain Tommy Guerrero Rodney Mullen Mike Vallely
Music by	Dennis Dragon, William Santschi, Johnny Rad
Distributed by	Powell Peralta
Release date	1987 (1987)
Running time	65 minutes
Language	English

Plot summary

The Bones Brigade embark on a quest to find the first skateboarder, the mythological Won Ton "Animal" Chin who had gone missing. Their journey takes them to different locations including Hawaii, California, Nevada, and Mexico where they meet friends and skate different spots along the way. It culminates in the discovery of the secret Chin Ramp, a back-to-back double half pipe featuring a spine and a tunnel. They never find the actual Animal Chin, but come to realize that in their search they discover the true meaning of their journey, the pure fun of skateboarding.

Cast

Bones Brigade:

• Tony Hawk - Himself
• Steve Caballero - Himself
• Mike McGill - Himself
• Lance Mountain - Himself
• Tommy Guerrero - Himself
• C. R. Stecyk III - Emerson "Won Ton Animal" Chin - Himself (credited as Emerson Chin)

The film also includes:

• San Francisco Scene: Jim Thiebaud, Jesse Martinez, Bryce Kanights, Doug Smith
• Bakersfield Scene: Chris Borst, Bobby Reeves, Charlie Dubois, Ray Underhill, Adrian Demain, Donny Griffin, Kevin Lambert
• Rad Party Scene: Mike Vallely, Rodney Mullen, Per Welinder, Natas Kaupas, Arron Murray, Kevin Harris, Johnny Rad

Also, in non-skating roles are Skip Engblom as a bouncer and Gerrit Graham as Alan Winters, the head of Slash Skates.

Production

Tony Hawk recalled in an episode of the Hawk vs. Wolf Podcast that the Chin ramp was built in private property without permission. The Chin ramp scenes were shot first, followed by Hawaii and other locations.

Legacy

The iconic ramp featured in the movie was rebuilt at Woodward West Skatepark in Tehachapi, California, for the 30th anniversary of the film. The original Bones Brigade reunited and skated the ramp design that no one had skated in 30 years. The original had been torn down after filming.

See also

• Animal Chin - a late-'90s ska-punk band named after the movie
• Animal Chin - a song by experimental jazz band Jaga Jazzist

External links

• The Search for Animal Chin at IMDb
• The Search for Animal Chin at Powell Peralta's channel on YouTube