A documentary exploring the rise and fall of 80s skateboard legend Mark "Gator" Rogowski.
STOKED tells the story of 80s skateboarding icon and convicted rapist and murderer Mark "Gator" Rogowski. Spanning a decade from the early 80s to early 90s, STOKED is the fascinating character study of a young man's development, couched within the social and historical framework of skateboarding's biggest era. STOKED takes a trip to the 'in-your-face' era of 80s youth pop culture, exploring the mechanism of fame and its darker consequences in one man. A thoughtful and energetic look back at the apex of punk rock, neon jams, and the early days of MTV, the archival documentary follows skateboarding from its grass roots in Southern California backyards to an international phenomenon. Featuring skateboarding legends such as Tony Hawk, Stacy Peralta, Lance Mountain, Steve Caballero, and testimony from Mark "Gator" Rogowski from behind bars, STOKED dramatically reveals for the first time the factors leading to a star's tragic fall from grace, and the unyielding spirit that allows skateboarding to reinvent itself.—Anonymous
The aggressive style of Mark Gator Rogowski (a.k.a. Gator Mark Anthony)--his unpredictable lines, erratic behaviour, and outrageous personal antics--made him a favorite on the 80's pro skateboarding circuit, and for years he rode a career wave of fame, wealth, and world travel. At the end of the decade Gator and unable to adapt to the changes in skateboarding, found himself with personal and career troubles, and tried to reinvent himself with a name change, new sponsor, born-again Christianity, and a split from his longtime girlfriend. No one knew how bad his mental state had slipped, until in the spring of 1991, when--at the age of 24--he confessed to the rape and brutal murder of a 20-year old girl known well by many in the skateboard scene. Gator is now serving 31 to life in prison for rape and murder, and had been denied parole on several occasions, the latest in 2021 after being noted by officials as a threat to society. This chronicle is the result of six years of persistence and investigation, the film is really about how the commercialization of a once authentic youth culture curdled the fortunes--and psyche--of its first golden boy.—Sujit R. Varma
