Film - Stoked: The Rise and Fall of Gator
The name Gator might not mean a lot to you. But for a skateboarder in the 80s, Mark 'Gator' Rogowski was one of a group of American skaters -also including Tony Hawk, Lance Mountain and Steve Caballero - who became icons of their generation. They were big-earning, party-hard globe trotters with huge sponsorship deals and an army of fans round the world. But as Hawk and others continue to enjoy lucrative skateboarding careers, Gator is in jail - serving 31 years to life for raping and murdering a girl and dumping her body in the desert. Stoked: The Rise and Fall of Gator follows the growth of the skate scene in the 80s and shows Gator's rise from skate grom to global star. He was a media darling with good looks, an endless supply of gorgeous girls and a key role in the founding and development of the Vision brand. The story of the 80s Californian skate scene is narrated by the skaters and industry moguls who made it happen - Stacey Peralta, Tony Hawk, Steve Olson, Steve Caballero to name but a few. Gator also tells parts of his own story himself through clips of him speaking on the telephone from jail. The film features a huge selection of clips, music and still images from the time - capturing every key event in SoCal skating's chequered history. The brilliant soundtrack features a timely range of artists including A Flock of Seagulls, The Cult, Dead Kennedys, Bad Religion, Agent Orange, Black Flag and Butthole Surfers help the film recapture the excitement of the era. But things changed in the late 80s - the vert riders lost their crowns as kings of the skate world as skate parks closed and street skating got a new lease of life. For Gator this was to be the beginning of the end of his career. This is most cruelly shown in a cringeworthy sequence featuring Gator trying to transfer his ramp skills to the street. It's torturous to watch and the anger Gator shows at his failure is chilling. The treatment of Gator's crime is frank and honest. Police officers, media coverage from the time and previously unseen crime scene photographs give the full and uncensored picture. Gator was a troubled young man with mental and addiction problems but the film neither demonises nor excuses him. Helen Stickler's achievement in getting people to talk on camera about his crime - including Gator's ex-fianc?©e (who knew the girl he killed) - should not be underrated. Many of the people featured in this film have not spoken openly about Gator and his crime before - let alone to a female film-maker who was not part of their circle. An extra on the DVD is a short FUEL documentary about the making of the film - which featured many of the people who were interviewed from the film. Their praise for Helen Stickler and the way she portrays Gator and the whole 80s skate scene really sums up the success of her efforts to tell the story of the era and the downfall of one of its biggest stars. Gator's story is a tragic lesson in the mental and physical effects of money and fame. And as many more athletes - including our very own snowboarders- are thrust into the media spotlight - it's a story worth listening to and a lesson worth learning. Stoked DVD Special Bonus features: - Five page interactive timeline - Rare vintage interview outtakes, skate sessions and demo - Extended scenes with arresting new material - Private unseen home movies - Criminal case documentation - New short films by director Helen Stickler - 'Stoked: Uncovered' FUEL television special - Theatrical trailer - Weblinks - Spanish subtitles - Surround sound
