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 | bare chested male | male nudity | 

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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 Monster

Filming Locations:

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

Box Office

Budget:

$5,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$15,163, 31 August 2003

Gross USA:

$742,898

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$782,606

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

In the movie is the version of "Santa Baby" sung by Cynthia Basinet, often credited to Marilyn Monroe.

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Goofs

Michael Alig was arrested while in the company of his male lover, not his female lover. Gitsie was a secretary, not a girlfriend. Alig has never been romantically interested in any woman.

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Quotes

Michael Alig: Let's see... what else, oh once when I was 10 my Sunday school teacher took me back to his house. He taught me how to french kiss among other things...
Elke: He really took my boy under his wind. Very nice man.
Michael Alig: His mother caught us in the basement. She screamed, "I told you not to bring them here." He said, "Don't you'll frighten them away!"

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Connections

Referenced in Johnny Test: Johnny Test: Party Monster/Johnny Test: Extreme Crime Stopper (2005)

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Soundtracks

Money, Success, Fame, Glamour
Written by Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato
Performed by Felix Da Housecat Vs. Pop Tarts feat. Macaulay Culkin, Seth Green and Chloë Sevigny

User Reviews

Breathtaking - Green steals the film

Living in the UK means you very rarely get to see some amazing films. Having read the book I heard about the film and as you do, immediately ordered it to be shipped over, not expecting to find it anywhere near as good as the book. Boy, was I wrong.

Macaulay Culkin as Alig is annoying and my one pet peeve of the film. He just didn't make Michael real to me. His entire performance seemed to scream "I was a child star, now I'm playing a gay addict! Look at me!". The role was also written for him and I got the impression that because of this he felt he didn't have to act too hard to be brilliant. He never, despite his attempts, gave Alig another level. The accent didn't add anything to the character and by the end I was left wondering why everybody had loved Michael Alig.

Seth Green on the other hand stole the film from right under Culkin's nose. His performance as James St James was one of the best I have ever seen in my life. He transformed himself until you didn't even realise it was the guy from Buffy you were watching. His mannerisms were spot on and really did St James justice. His voice was not as whiny or non descript as Culkin's, it was simply a prop used by him. His character managed to appear human throughout the entire film and his habit of touching his hair at least once a scene was fabulous. Green deserves an award for such an amazingly real, yet flamboyant performance.

The supporting cast were also fantastic and each and every person added to the story. The removal of Mavis from the film did annoy me slightly but after a while you forget she was ever there. The costumes, and behaviour of every single Club Kid in this film were fantastic. You really felt as though you were actually watching this happening. Marilyn Manson as Alig's first Superstar Christina was perfect, adding to a character not mentioned a lot in the book.

All in all an absolutely fabulous film that deserves far far more credit than was given to it. Seth Green really held the film together, showing rare glimpses of humanity amongst all the glitter. Green was perfectly cast and deserves at least some recognition for a fantastic performance. The only downside was Macaulay Culkin, who simply did not shine. He stood back and let the supporting cast, and especially Green turn this into their movie, not his.