Party Monster
Short description
Party Monster is a crime drama set in the New York club scene of the late 1980s and early 1990s. Michael Alig arrives in the city from the Midwest with little to his name, but he talks and charms his way into the circle of James St. James, a veteran of the club-kid subculture. James takes Michael under his wing and introduces him to a nightlife world of elaborate costumes, parties and drugs. Michael proves a natural at staging events from almost nothing, and his rise soon outstrips that of his mentor, bringing him attention, followers and enemies. The film follows the friendship at the centre of that ascent and the crime that ends it.
Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato directed from their own screenplay, adapting James St. James's memoir Disco Bloodbath. It was the first feature either had directed, and both went on to make Inside Deep Throat two years later. Macaulay Culkin plays Michael Alig, with Seth Green as James St. James, and Chloë Sevigny, Natasha Lyonne, Wilmer Valderrama and Wilson Cruz among the supporting cast. The production, made for about 5 million dollars, was a modest affair.
Responses were mixed. On IMDb the film holds a 6.2 rating from around 18,000 votes, while on TMDB it has a 5.8 from a much smaller number of votes. A critics' rating of 4.7 from 77 reviews places professional opinion below the audience scores.
What's left behind the scenes
- Michael Alig was a real person who genuinely managed to transform from a simple waiter into a living legend of New York's club scene in a very short time. In the late nineties, he was imprisoned for murder.
- The term 'Club Kids' was used to describe a movement of young people that emerged in the 1980s (in their circles, 25 was already considered 'old age') who frequented nightclubs in provocative outfits and were characterized by equally provocative behavior. 'Club Kids' received support, including financial, from nightclub owners, who paid them simply for appearing.
- Michael Alig is homosexual; the heterosexual love line in the film is fictional: in reality, Gitsy was simply his acquaintance. Alig's best friend was 'the queen' of the club kids, Genitalia.
- The exterior shots of the building where Michael Alig's apartment was located were indeed filmed at the place where he lived.
- The film is based on the novel "The Bloody Red Bath" by James St. James.
- The talk show scene featured some former participants in the movement, including Amanda Lepore, Richie Rich, and others.
- Macaulay Culkin visited the prison and spoke with Michael Alig as preparation for his role.
- The film used around 1,000 costumes – a lot for a film with such a modest budget. Many of the costumes were originals, donated by former members of the movement.
Auditions in India
Casting calls in USA
Castingi w Polsce
Кастинги в Україні
