STOKED: THE RISE AND
FALL OF GATOR

Year: 2002
USA & UK: Palm Pictures
Cast: Mark 'Gator' Rogowski, Tony Hawk, Jason Jessee, John Brinton Hogan, Steve Olson, Brandi McClain, Stacy Peralta, Lance Mountain, Steve Caballero, John Hogan, Kevin Staab
Director: Helen Stickler
Country: USA
USA: 82 mins
UK: 80 mins
USA Rated: R
UK Certificate: 15 contains strong language and sexual violence references
USA Release Date: 22 August 2003 (Limited Release - Los Angeles and New York)
UK Release Date: 25 June 2004


Synopsis

Six years in the making, STOKED: THE RISE AND FALL OF GATOR is Helen Stickler's brilliantly constructed documentary that charts the rise of skateboarding culture in the eighties using the life of the era's most celebrated skater Mark "Gator" Rogowski as a point-of-entry. His sexy good looks and bad boy attitude fueled his rise from local skate park hero to international superstar as big business moved in and turned skateboarding into a national passion with Gator as its pin-up boy.

As trends changed within the now bustling industry, Gator was discarded and his rage eventually led him to commit murder for which he is now serving 31 years to life in prison. Using a mix of jaw-dropping skateboarding footage, eighties nostalgia, music and interviews with all the key players including Tony Hawk, Lance Mountain and Steve Caballero, STOKED manages to recreate the era with great energy and feeling. It is also an intimate character study of fame gone sour for one charismatic but deeply troubled star.