All This Mayhem

Upon viewing the footage of and by Australian skateboarding brothers Tas and Ben Pappas, first time director Eddie Martin must have been aware that his documentary had a strong narrative, which is why this thoroughly engaging documentary about the rise and fall of two Australian skateboarding champions behaves like a movie. It’s at first a fun teen coming-of-age comedy before becoming a sombre cautionary tale.

Blessed that the young Pappas brothers were in possession of a camcorder in the late eighties and shot every little thing they did over the next decade, Eddie Martin’s directing job was more of an editing one. He wisely lets the terrific footage do most of the heavy lifting, deferring to a now mature Tas (interviewed in various places, including prison) to link together the scenes and undercut the crazy goings on with a rueful shake of the head (but also a glint in the eye).

Tas Pappas and his younger brother Ben were from the rough Prahran suburb of Melbourne and grew up in a house where mum and dad were content to knock each other about on a regular basis; the hot-headed, mouthy Tas took this aggression with him when he hit the local half-pipe but Ben was the more introspective one, quietly hanging back. They were kids being kids - jibing fellow boarders, ‘flirting’ with girls, joyriding, etc.

Showing promise, and securing some minor sponsorship, Tas made for Florida after finishing school and fell in with Danny Way with whom he formed a company. Two years later he’s joined by his kid brother and the two siblings, along with Tony Hawk, would vie for top spot over the next ten years. However, drugs, and eventually murder, would see the Pappas brothers fall from grace as Hawk moved on to great heights but further away from pure skateboarding to 'Mister ESPN'.

If Martin was blessed with the footage, he also lucks out with Tas Pappas, who is prepared to bare his soul on camera. He also makes for an excellent storyteller with a real sense of humour. More a story about two brothers and the perils of fame and less about skateboarding, All This Mayhem is essential viewing whether you’re a newbie, an aficionado or if you couldn’t care less about the sport.