Party Monster (2003)

Based on the true story of Michael Alig, a Club Kid party organizer whose life was sent spiraling down when he bragged on television about killing his drug dealer and roommate.

Directors:

Fenton Bailey, Randy Barbato

Writers:

Fenton Bailey, Randy Barbato

Stars:

Macaulay Culkin, Wilson Cruz, Seth Green

4 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Seth Green	...	James
Macaulay Culkin	...	Michael
Diana Scarwid	...	Elke
Dillon Woolley	...	Young James
Marilyn Manson	...	Christina
Dylan McDermott	...	Peter Gatien
Mia Kirshner	...	Natasha
Wilmer Valderrama	...	Keoki
Elliot Kriss	...	Cabbie
Janis Dardaris	...	TV Reporter
Wilson Cruz	...	Angel
Manny Perez	...	Johnny
Justin Hagan	...	Freez
Brendan O'Malley	...	Young Michael
Phillip Knasiak	...	Young Wrestler

Storyline

Set in the New York club scene of the late 1980's thru the 1990's, a tale which is based on the rise and fall of club-kid promoter Michael Alig, a party organizer, whose extravagant life was sent spiralling downward when he boasted on television that he had killed his friend, roommate, and drug dealer, Angel Melendez. Originally from Indiana, Alig moved to New York, and came to be an underground legend, known for his excessive drug use and outrageous behavior in the club world. At his peak, he had his own record label, and magazine, and hosted Disco 2000, one of the biggest club nights in New York in the '90s. He was doing a lot of drugs, and as his addiction got worse, his party themes became darker and more twisted. Alig's saga reached its tragic crescendo when he viciously murdered his drug dealer, Angel, by injecting him with Drano and throwing him in the East River. The power he wielded on the club scene made him feel untouchable, so he didn't hesitate to boast of the murder. The...

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Plot Keywords:

gay | homosexual | true crime | drugs | party | 

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Taglines:

'Til death do they party...

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Genres:

Biography | Crime | Drama | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for pervasive drug use, language and some violence

Details

Country:

USA Netherlands

Language:

English

Release Date:

17 October 2003 (UK)

Also Known As:

Party szörnyek

Filming Locations:

Chateau Marmont, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$5,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$161,190, 7 September 2003, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$728,253, 28 December 2003

Company Credits

Production Co:

World of Wonder, Killer Films, ContentFilm

Technical Specs

Runtime:

98 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

RuPaul was originally scripted to have a supporting role in this film, but scheduling conflicts with the recording of his then-upcoming album 'Red Hot' forced him to back out.

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Goofs

When Michael Alig 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.

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Quotes

Michael Alig: Peter still loves me more than he loves you.
[Natasha says nothing]
Michael Alig: I'm still fabulous.
Natasha: When I look in your eyes, do you want to know what I see? I see a poor, pathetic, frightened little boy too scared to face reality.
[mockingly]
Natasha: You're fabulous.

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Connections

Referenced in Smiley (2012)

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Soundtracks

Go
Written by Daniel Ash, Glenn Derek Campling and Kevin Michael Dompe
Performed by Tones on Tail
License courtesy of Beggars Banquet Records Limited

User Reviews

So bad, it's good - a guilty pleasure, if not quite as hedonistic as the lives of the club kids themselves

Party Monster is based on the true story of 80s club kid and promoter, Michael Alig, infamous for his bizarre New York parties and, later, for the brutal murder of a drug dealer.

It's adapted from Alig's friend James St James' book Disco Bloodbath by filmmakers Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato, whose earlier documentary about Alig actually inspired St James to write the book. After a nine-year absence, Macauley Culkin returns to film as cherubic bisexual Alig, who persuades James St James (a camp Seth Green) to teach him the art of infamy.

Famous for doing nothing long before reality TV, Alig becomes a manufacturer of celebrity and a promoter, serving up some wild parties, including a Halloween bloodbath, truck rave and kinky hospital party. The costumes, by Richie Rich and Michael Wilkinson, are spectacular and capture the excesses of the era. These kids affix fake spiders and cobwebs to their faces, wrap themselves in blood-soaked bandages,wear full body costumes and never look less than fabulous.

Considering the low budget and appalling production values, the high profile supporting cast is a surprise. Dylan McDermot plays Galien, club owner and Alig's mentor, with Mia Kirshner as his wife, Chloe Sevigny as Alig's girlfriend, plus Natasha Lyonne, Marilyn Manson and John Stamos. Wilson Cruz is enigmatic as wannabe and drug dealer Angel, and Wilmer Valderra is suitably objectified as Alig's beloved beefcake, DJ Keoki.

Party Monster suffers from uneven performances and poor direction but despite this, it's fascinating. It captures the disposability of party drug culture convincingly and will most likely become a cult classic. ***/***** stars.