Search - Party Monster - The Shockumentary on DVD

A Fascinating Train Wreck.

Kevinduran | Indianapolis, Indiana USA | 10/14/2003

(4 out of 5 stars)

"My best friend and I used to skip school whenever we knew Michael Alig and his Club Kids were going to be on Geraldo, Donahue, Sally Jessy Raphael, or any other talk show. Watching the Club Kids was so completely riveting and insane. They didn't make any sense, but it didn't matter. They all become stars, quite simply because they willed it to happen.And then it all went terribly wrong. Surely you know how the story goes: Michael, in an extremely drugged state of mind, killed fellow Club Kid Angel Melendez over drugs. Angel was bludgeoned and injected with Drano. His body was left in a bathtub for days, only to be chopped up and placed in a big TV box, stuck in the back of a cab, and then thrown in a river hopefully to sink and never be found. Before the body surfaced, Michael somewhat jokingly admitted to killing Angel. Wouldn't the best way to claim his innocence be to admit to doing something so horrific and terrible? Who'd believe that you really did it if you said you did it in such a joking manner? Someone believed him because Michael's in prison now. "Party Monster" tells the whole sordid story in detail. It's chock full of Michael Alig interview footage- plus interviews with his mother and lots of the other Club Kids like James St. James and Keoki (among others) . It's the story of extreme excess, and how it all went horribly wrong. If you've ever had any desire to experience life through a K-hole, watch this. You'll change your mind immediately! This is the documentary that ultimately spawned James St. James' "Disco Bloodbath" book, and the film that came out of that, also called "Party Monster." The book actually fills in the some of the holes that documentary leaves, or at least presents a slightly different viewpoint. Watch both the documentary AND read James St. James' book to get a fuller picture of what went on. Had the budget been bigger this probably could have been a great film, but directors Randy Barbato and Fenton Bailey do a great job with their obviously limited budget. It's still a very good documentary. It's all rather bittersweet. Michael ultimately got what he wanted: to be a legend. It's probably not the kind of legend that he wanted to be, but it's what he became nonetheless."

What a Waste

MortensOrchid | Cleveland, OH | 07/29/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I saw the ShockUMentary and also saw the movie Party Monster. As I went to college in Michael Alig's hometown of South Bend,IN, and being that I am always interested in how and why people become the way they are, I wanted to see how this seemingly average Hoosier evolved into the fabled Club Kid / toast of New York / killer. If I were 17 and back in those days I would probably think he was a god leading me and whoever else to the most fantastic way of life imaginable. But, life can't be a party 24 hours a day, and this is proof positive of it.

It is truly horrifying to see how low a human being can go, and it evokes such anger that they choose this for themselves. Each and every one of the main characters in this glamour world are self destructive, self centered, and desperately crying out for attention. And sure, we've all done something like this in the past whether it's using drugs, dressing wild, or misbehaving somehow, but unlike Michael Alig, we all grow up. And guess what? Being responsible, paying your bills on time, having a job, and DOING something with yourself rather than staying in a constant state of squalid ugliness is COOL!

Something that really bothered me at the end of this documentary was the fact that Alig showed no remorse for what he had done, and the others who were indirectly connected to it didn't express much concern either. Yes, Alig was the only one who committed the crime, but no one said "How terrible ...", "If only ...", "Such a tradgedy ...", etc. The only one who shed a tear for Angel was his brother. Everyone's moved on, but there is clearly a part of Alig that clings to the past and a spark of hope that he can reclaim it. And maybe he will once he gets out, but he'll be a middle aged man hanging around teenagers by then.

Maybe that's the real horror of the story."

Very interesting documentary!

C. Williams | 06/15/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Ever since I saw the motion picture "Party Monster" (with Seth Green, etc.) I have been totally fascinated with Michael Alig and the ClubKids. So I decided I would give this movie a try. I was so engaged and intreagued, but in a very different way than from the motion picture. It was so real and graphic, it really made the reality and truth of it to come to life. Also it was interesting to compare it to the motion picture to see how they adapted it to the 'bigger' screen. The quality isn't stellar, but from what I understand it was a very low-budget film. But the interviews are interesting, and you get a more detailed explanation of what actually happened, versus the movie that tries to compile it all into a more cinematic format. But overall I really enjoyed it and thought it was very interesting!"

A brilliant documentary on the life of Michael Alig

ehjay2way@aol.com | Nashville, Tennessee | 10/01/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Are you into the club scene? This film documents the life of Michael Alig, who began the Club Kid era. From his beginnings in the club scene to interviews with his friends, relatives, and the man himself, Party Monster details Michaels exploits with the Club Kids, including the murder of one of them. This film is not to be missed by club scene addicts. Michael Alig also starred in the movie Shampoo Horns before his arrest for the murder of Angel Melendez."