Co-directed by Ben Hethcoat and Keita Ideno, Coroner to the Stars has its world premiere at this week's Slamdance LA, the esteemed indie fest's inaugural fest in Los Angeles. 

Coroner to the Stars is an inside glimpse at the untold story of now 98-year-old Dr. Thomas Noguchi, the former Los Angeles County chief medical examiner who held the office from 1967-1982 before riling up the wrong folks and politics led to his removal from office. 

Noguchi's impact on the field of forensics is undeniable to this day with many acknowledging he served as the inspiration for a certain television medical examiner named Quincy. While that examiner was outgoing, Noguchi was long noted for being a quieter, more disciplined corner whose work included such high-profile cases as Marilyn Monroe, Robert F. Kennedy, Sharon Tate, William, Holden, Natalie Wood, and John Belushi. 

While some argued that Noguchi was far too attention-seeking, the truth seems to be that his kind of matter-of-fact candor simply rubbed people the wrong way in a city where secrets were meant to kept secrets and where Hollywood's celebrities were notoriously protective of one another. Dr. Noguchi was a man who believed that each death taught us about life and he carried a firm commitment to simply speak the facts. 

While many appreciated his candors, others did not and it may very well have been his announcements that William Holden and Natalie Wood were intoxicated at the time of their deaths that led to his downfall as Hollywood bristled and Frank Sinatra, in particular, began what would be an effective campaign to have him removed from office. 

Later in his career, Noguchi would tackle everything from a cooking show to being appointed professor by both the University of Southern California and UCLA. He received many honors throughout his career including the Japan's Order of the Sacred Treasure. He retired in 1999, a strangely quiet retirement for a man who had contributed so much to the world of forensics. 

Co-directors Hethcoat and Ideno powerfully capture Noguchi's story including the institutionalized racism that followed him everywhere he went and his efforts to stay apolitical in a medical field that could often be quite political. 

In many ways, Coroner to the Stars is very much like the man whom it spotlights - intelligent, transformative, and quietly remarkable. The film is just beginning its festival run and is definitely one to watch for at a festival near you.  Coroner to the Stars weaves together archival footage, interviews (including Noguchi himself), and history known and unknown to tell the story of a man whose work brought the field of forensic science into the light and reshaped it for future generations. 

Written by Richard Propes
The Independent Critic