Now Playing: Leon Humphries' Chapel Perilous
Given the amount of footage we’ve been exposed to in the final days of 2024, it would be easy to overlook what may well be his best part, ever.
As scientists worldwide lament the universal decrease in our attention span, one can only marvel at Leon Humphries’ unwavering dedication to the long-form video part. Clocking in at just under 8 minutes, Chapel Perilous, his latest section, was recently released through THEM Skates. Given Leon’s standards, this is almost short compared to Undertone’s 10 minutes or Devotion’s 18 (eighteen!) minutes running time. Yet it only makes the result more powerful, and the impression it leaves, more striking too.
“Cess slides, wallrides, grinds, and wizard moves all serve a greater purpose than mere technical demonstration. Beyond the tricks themselves, this is a display of the many ways one can move around the City.”
This is due in great part to Tom Sharman’s outstanding camera work and refined editing skills. His use of the long lens creates a sense of space and induces a meditative trip, only heightened by the spacy, atmospheric soundtrack, while his fisheye shots help showcase the intricacies of Leon’s skating and details of the rugged-out spots. He strikes a great balance between the two, enhancing it all with visual effects created by Rob Comer, at a pace that carries you effortlessly through the whole piece.
Then, of course, there’s the skating itself. Leon probably knows every piece of slanted concrete in London, and it shows in his great spot selection, which serves as a canvas for his exhaustive repertoire of tricks. Simultaneously classic and innovative, Leon showcases a truly futuristic approach, where cess slides, wallrides, grinds, and wizard moves all serve a greater purpose than mere technical demonstration. Beyond the tricks themselves, this is a display of the many ways one can move around the City.
London is home to 9 million inhabitants, and yet, here we are presented with an almost deserted landscape. Besides a few shots with the lads in the background and an occasional shout when Leon lands a trick, Chapel Perilous successfully induces the eerily sensation of witnessing Leon all alone, interacting with his immediate surroundings in an intimate dance. After two decades of filming in the Kingdom's capital, this may very well be his most personal section to date. It sure feels that way.
For someone who could have milked his Skower-like ankles and OG status to stay relevant in a rapidly evolving scene, Leon was never afraid to take risks and experiment with his skating. The result, today, is of the very best kind: the rare combination of not only physical ability and technical prowess but also intellectual curiosity and mental agility. Chapel Perilous is a masterful display of the current state of his art. An experience… Dare I say spiritual?
PHOTOGRAPHY: TOM SHARMAN
