STOKED: THE RISE AND FALL OF GATOR — *** — Documentary on former professional skater Mark Rogowski, with Tony Hawk, Steve Caballero, Lance Mountain, Stacy Peralta; rated R (vulgarity, nudity, profanity, violence); see "Showing at local theaters"for theater listings.
"Dogtown and Z-Boys" might have seemed like it was the be-all, end-all of skateboarding documentaries, but there are still plenty of other stories to tell about the recreational sport, especially in the non-fiction format.
One of the more fascinating of these is told in "Stoked: The Rise and Fall of Gator," a cautionary tale about success that comes all too quickly to Mark "Gator" Rogowski, a former skateboarding star currently serving a life sentence in California for rape and murder.
Director Helen Stickler's hands were tied a bit, because she was unable to interview Rogowski in person (California law prohibits on-camera interviews with prison inmates), so she did so by phone. However, she does make effective use of archival footage, and she interviews former friends and competitors, such as Tony Hawk and Steve Caballero, who help fill in some of the blanks.
Rogowski (a k a Mark Anthony) was pretty much the poster boy for skateboarding during the mid-to-late '80s (he even appeared on MTV with VJ "Downtown" Julie Brown).
The charismatic Rogowski even influenced skateboarding style and fashion — both with Vision Street Wear and his signature skateboard "decks." He also toured the world with other professional skateboarders, though that success was was seen by many as selling out.
By the time the '90s rolled around, the sport had evolved so much that it proved to be too much for Rogowski's skills. That, coupled with his break-up with long-time fiance Brandi McClain, apparently pushed him over the edge.
Stickler has to be resourceful to tell this tale, and her storytelling methods are competent. And the look of disappointment in the eyes of those influenced by Rogowski — especially Jason Jesse — says more than Rogowski himself probably could under the circumstances.
"Stoked: The Rise and Fall of Gator" is rated R for vulgarity (crude sexual talk and use of vulgar sexual slang terms), full male nudity, occasional use of strong sexual profanity and scenes of sports-related violence (as well as descriptions of some violent acts). Running time: 80 minutes.
E-mail: jeff@desnews.com