Indie Film Journal

CRIPS AND BLOODS: MADE IN AMERICA – director: Stacy Peralta

As a documentary filmmaker, Stacy Peralta came into his own with Dogtown and Z-Boys and Riding Giants. Both films examined subcultures within the United States—skateboarding and surfing, respectively—offering rich historical perspectives on subject matter that could just as easily have been dismissed. Peralta was able to find a comfortable balance in those two documentaries that made both films informative and entertaining. But while both films had moments of human drama, and perhaps even a bit of tragedy, there’s no denying that by and large, Peralta’s work was lighthearted in tone. The same can’t be said for his most recent documentary, Crips and Bloods: Made in America. (more…)