| Party Monster | |
|---|---|
 Film poster |
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| Directed by | Fenton Bailey Randy Barbato |
| Produced by | Jon Marcus Bradford Wilson Christine Vachon |
| Written by | Fenton Bailey Randy Barbato |
| Starring | Seth Green Macaulay Culkin Diana Scarwid Chloë Sevigny Marilyn Manson |
| Music by | James Harry |
| Cinematography | Teodoro Maniaci |
| Editing by | Jeremy Simmons |
| Distributed by | Strand Releasing |
| Release date(s) | September 5, 2003 |
| Running time | 98 min. |
| Country |  |
| Language | English |
| IMDb profile | |
Party Monster (2003) is a drama/dark comedy that details the rise and fall of infamous homosexual[1][2]New York party promoter Michael Alig. The movie stars former child star Macaulay Culkin as the drug addled "King of the Club Kids". Also in the film are Seth Green as the flamboyant and slightly smarter James St. James, Dylan McDermott as Alig's boss/father figure Peter Gatien, Chloë Sevigny as Alig's girlfriend/fag hag Gitsie, Wilmer Valderrama as his onetime boyfriend DJ Keoki, Wilson Cruz as drug dealer/Club Kid wannabe Angel Melendez, and Marilyn Manson as Christina, a transsexual member of Alig's entourage. A number of real life club kids appeared as extras, including fashion designer Richie Rich and David LaChapelle's transsexual muse Amanda Lepore. The film is based on St. James' novel Disco Bloodbath, and details his friendship with Alig, which fell apart as Alig's drug addiction worsened, and ended after he murdered Melendez and went to prison. A 1998 documentary on the murder, also called Party Monster, was used for certain elements of the film. Party Monster made its world premiere at the 2003 Sundance Film Festival on January 15, 2003. Months later, it was put on limited release to different art-house theaters in major US cities.
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Plot
Party Monster begins with Michael Alig (Macaulay Culkin) as a small-town outcast who before moving to New York lived with his mom, brother and stepfather, learns the New York party scene from St. James (Seth Green) and Gatien (Dylan McDermott), and soon becomes the hottest party promoter in New York. However, after Michael descends into the world of drug abuse, his life starts to spiral out of control, eventually culminating in his involvement in the murder of Angel Melendez.
Cast
- Seth Green as James St. James
- Macaulay Culkin as Michael Alig
- Diana Scarwid as Elke
- Chloë Sevigny as Gitsie
- Marilyn Manson as Christina
- Dylan McDermott as Peter Gatien
- Mia Kirshner as Natasha
- Wilmer Valderrama as Keoki
- Daniel Franzese as The Rat / Dallas MC
- Natasha Lyonne as Brooke
Reaction
The film was greeted to decent, if at times mixed, reviews. Culkin's performance in the film received mixed reviews, while Seth Green's received much praise. Due to its limited release, Party Monster wasn't a major hit. However, the film has gained a massive cult following, and many clubs in major American cities have hosted Party Monster theme parties. The film has also become a favorite among the rave culture.
Trivia
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- The exterior views of Michael Alig's apartment building were actual shots of where the real Michael Alig formerly lived.
- Around 1,000 costumes were used - a major achievement for a film with such a small budget. Many costumes were originals culled from the Club Kids themselves, which contribute to the authentic feel of the overall design and look of the film.
- Marilyn Manson showed up for filming with his own prosthetic breasts, buttocks and blonde wig.
- This is the first non-documentary feature film for production company Killer Films that was shot entirely on a digital video format.
- According to the Featurette and Actor Interviews on the DVD, Macaulay Culkin bought Marilyn Manson his first cigarette for his role as Christina.
- Some of the real club kids, like Amanda Lepore and Richie Rich were in the talk show and emergency room party scenes.
- Macaulay Culkin visited the real Michael Alig in prison to prepare for his role.
- Much of the drug use in the movie was toned down from Michael Alig and James St. James' actual habits for fear it would seem unbelievable.
Goofs
- When Michael puts the money in the newspaper box to get a copy of the "Andy Warhol Is Dead" issue, he opens the box before the money drops in the coin slot.
- During the scene in Texas ("Money, Success, Fame, Glamour"), Freeze is wearing black, leather, zippered underpants in some shots but not in others.
References
- ^ "Michael Alig -41- NY", Myspace, 2007-11-17. Retrieved on 2007-11-17.
- ^ "Dragging Down the House", Popmatters, 2003-09-13. Retrieved on 2007-11-17.
External links
