Stoked: The Rise and Fall of Gator

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Carli</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 WIDTH="575"><div> Not rated</div> </tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="1" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="580" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 WIDTH="269"><div> Mark "Gator" Rogowski</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="304"><div> Stacy Peralta</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 WIDTH="269"><div> Tony Hawk</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="304"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="19" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="304" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <div> <B>Bottom line:</B> </div> <div> "Stoked: the Rise and Fall of Gator" is an impressive and ambitious biographical documentary about a talented but unstable skateboarding champion. Gator achieved tremendous success in the skateboarding world, but his rapid fall in popularity led to a violent breakdown and a brutal murder.</div> <bR> <div> <B>Story Line:</B> </div> <div> When Mark Rogowski began skateboarding on vertical ramps as a teen, the sport was marginalized, and it had limited appeal to the masses. His nickname was "Gator" after a cartoon character and because he frequently wore a T-shirt with a booze drinking alligator on it.</div> <bR> <div> Gator had talent to spare but he also rose quickly because he was in the right place at the right time.  He peaked around the same time as the sport. Gator received corporate sponsorships from Vision Skateboards, and he became a fixture in their commercials. </div> <bR> <div> When he punched out a policeman before an event it made many newspapers, and it solidified his outlaw/carpe diem image, which reflected some of the ideals of the punk movement.  He stayed in the spotlight by acting out and frequently taking off his clothes in public.  By the age of 18, he was receiving an astonishing $100,000 a year.</div> <bR> <div> But the dream turned sour when he took bad advice from an agent.  He established a slick image and lost some of his street credibility. He had an embarrassing appearance on MTV, and his former fans turned against him in favor of a new generation of street skaters.  </div> <bR> <div> By the time he was 21, Gator was a directionless has-been. One of the few people who remained loyal to him was his girlfriend, Brandi, a former skater Betty (skateboarding groupie). He became a born again Christian and alienated his girlfriend who was still in a hedonistic phase. After she left him, he broke down and murdered her former best friend.  He is still in prison for her murder.  Many of the other skateboarders from the period also met with tragic ends. They were like the New York Dolls rock band because they achieved "Too Much, Too Soon."</div> <bR> <div> <B>Tell me more:</B> </div> <div> "Stoked" is recommended, even to viewers that care nothing about skateboarding.  It introduces the viewer to a vital, little explored subculture. The film definitely transcends the limitations of its subject matter admirably.</div> <bR> <div> Director Helen Stickler won acclaim for her earlier documentary shorts, "Queen Mercy" and "Andre the Giant has a Posse." She also directed the safe sex campaign, "Roll On," which was nominated for an Emmy.</div> <bR> <div> The screening of the film at the Chicago Underground Film Festival attracted an interesting blend of film buffs and skate boarding enthusiasts dressed in cutting edge skater gear. Both groups embraced the film whole-heartedly and responded enthusiastically.</div> <bR> <div> "Stoked" is more than just a usual sports celebrity bio flick. It's in the tradition of the classic novel, "The Rise and Fall of Silas Lapham" because it explores the costs of achieving the American dream, and the fleeting nature of success. </div> <bR> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="1" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="621" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 WIDTH="617"><div> Not Rated- for mature audiences</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 WIDTH="617"><div> Vittorio J. Carli © 2003</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 WIDTH="617"><div> <A HREF="mailto:info@reelmoviecritic.com" TARGET="_top" TITLE="mailto:info@reelmoviecritic.com"><U><U>vito@reelmoviecritic.com</U></U></A></div> </tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>