Long before the Z Boys founded Dogtown or the cube had been gleamed by Christian Slater, Montréal already had it’s own rebellious skateboard film.



The Devil's Toy was an early film directed by respected Québec director Claude Jutra. Jutra eventually went on to make critically acclaimed features such as Mon Oncle Antoine and Kamouraska. He also worked with Norman McClaren and directed many other excellent documentaries for the National Film Board of Canada.



The Devil's Toy was made 1966, a time when skateboarding was considered by the general public to be a corrupting influence on it's youth. The film obviously feels otherwise. It's detached narrative tone is quickly undermined by silhouetted figures gliding across the frame and kinetic, hand-held shots of packs of skaters winding down the slopes of Westmount.



The film is available as part of the archives at the CineRobotheque. Located in the NFB distribution and consultation centre at the corner of Saint-Denis and Maisonneuve, where for three bucks you have a hour’s access to the archives, in your own hybrid viewing cockpit, served up for you by Ernest, the robot-projectionist.

The Devil`s Toy - video clip
(All screenshots lifted from National Film Board of Canada)