Awards best editing, emmy award grand jury prize, outfest 1998 best nonfiction film award, 1999 usa film festival. The shockumentary is a 1998 documentary film detailing the rise of the club kid phenomenon. Do not combine the film party monster with the documentary party monster. August 1, 1966 is a television personality, author.
The shockumentary, was used for certain elements of the film. Its chock full of michael alig interview footage plus interviews with his mother and lots of the other club kids like james st. Michael quickly rose to become the biggest party promoter in new york and king of the socalled club kids. It tells the sordid tale of a sociopathic pretty boy named michael alig.
Jamess perspective, who was at the center of it all. Party monster, the original documentary, tells the story of the rise and fall of michael alig, a kid from middle america who aspired to take the place of andy warhol. James is awesome with words and has a gift of interpreting them. James watching party monster the shockumentary together. The shockumentary is a 1998 documentary film detailing the rise. He was notorious for a lifestyle of excess that included heavy drug use, partying, and bizarre costumes. Michael alig james st james, friends or foes youtube. James one of the infamous club kids recounts the murder of angel melendez whilst also spoiling us with many tales of the late 80searly 90s new york club scene. James, the film opens with michael alig as a smalltown outcast who lived with his mom before moving to new york. Angel melendez and is the subject of the book party monster by james st. Party monster the shockumentary by fenton bailey, randy.
Originally from indiana, alig moved to new york, and came to be an. Michael alig, the movies subject, looks innocent with his baby face and cute little outfits, but he is a creature of birdbrained vanity. James which details his friendship with alig, that later fell apart as aligs drug addiction worsened, and ended after he murdered angel melendez and went to prison. Disco bloodbath, aka party monster is the true and highly opinionated story of the late80s nyc club kid movement and its leader, michael alig. In party monster originally published as disco bloodbath, james st. In 1996, new york city drug dealer and club kid angel melendez was bludgeoned, injected with drano, dismembered, and tossed into the river. James wrote the book that served as the basis for party monster and now works for world of wonder, the production company behind the. Oct 17, 2003 directed by fenton bailey, randy barbato. Documentary film exploring the rise of club kid legend michael alig and his fall in 1996 when he murdered his drug dealerroommate angel melendez. 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. Some of it was sad but most was glitter sprinkled lunacy. James, party monster tells the lurid tale of michael alig macauley culkin, a selfmade party promoter who made a big splash in new york city nightclubs in the 1980s and. Jamess debut book, disco bloodbath 1999, is a memoir that describes his.
Party monster the shockumentary documentary heaven. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Party monster is based on a book named disco bloodbath, and theres a tugofwar in both titles between fun and horror. I went into reading the book hoping to have the story more fleshed out, and although you will find some tidbits about some of the.
Nominated for the edgar award for best truecrime book of the year, it also marked the debut of an audaciously talented writer, james st. New york gritty s1 e5 party monster michael alig details grisly crime in exclusive. His life was the subject of the 1998 documentary party monster. James authored the book freak show in 2007 and has also appeared on several tv series including the jerry springer show, geraldo, the joan rivers show, americas next top model, and rupauls drag race. Alig was convicted of the murder of angel melendez and is the subject of the book party monster by james st. It was the first thing james ever stolea book, taken from the library, that. James about the club kids and michael aligs murder of angel melendez which was rereleased under the title party monster. James called disco bloodbath in 1999, and the hollywood movie, party monster, in 2003, starring macauley culkin and seth green. A fabulous but true tale of murder in clubland reprint by st james, james isbn. Michael alig and ernie glam discusses some of the many inaccuracies, real and imagined, in james st.
This book is officially classified as true crime, but calling it a its a story that everybody knows. I didnt watch this, obviously, but party monster is one of my favorite movies and disco bloodbath is a favorite book. James curates art shows at the world of wonder gallery for the production company world of wonder, makers of both party monster. I enjoyed both the shockumentary and the film party monster. Party monster is a darkly comic 2003 film about the rise and fall of infamous club promoter michael alig. A 1998 documentary on the murder, also called party monster.
Even tracked down the documentary which is very telling. A terrifying truelife tale of good times gone bad, fenton bailey and randy barbatos harrowing documentary finds its way to dvd courtesy of wolfe video. James biography, age, dating, music, books and net. With party monster, directors fenton bailey and randy barbato the eyes of tammy faye rework their 1999 shockumentary into a feature film. The shockumentary is a 1998 documentary film detailing the rise of the club kid phenomenon in new york city, the life of club kid and party promoter michael alig, and aligs murder with the help of robert d. From the very first sentence of freak show, i knew the book was going to be overthetop fabulous. As i went to college in michael aligs 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. Likewise, do not combine either with the book party monster. Colors appear sharp, audio clear, and skin tones accurate.
Alig was portrayed by actor macauley culkin in the film of the same name. James was born on august 1, 1966 in sagamore, michigan, usa as james clark. Disco bloodbath is also published under the title party monster. He was also featured in the documentary party monster. Even before michael alig was released from prison on may 5, after serving 17 years for firstdegree manslaughter, speculation had turned to what. James wrote the book that served as the basis for party monster and now works for world of wonder, the production company behind the the shockumentary as well as popular tv shows like. Clips is our exclusive daily peek into the extensive library of wow shows, interviews, and pop culture ephemera weve collected over the last three decades. After the drugs take over he becomes not merely dangerous but deadly, and we are reminded of george carlins answer when. The notoriety of party monster and its story of fabulously debauched downtown nightclubbing also raised the profiles of the filmmakers world of wonder productions rupauls drag race, million dollar listing and celebutante james st. The book and the film also served as the basis for the 2003 feature film, party. May 09, 2014 even before michael alig was released from prison on may 5, after serving 17 years for firstdegree manslaughter, speculation had turned to what the most notorious club kid of the 1990s would do. Oct 05, 2016 his story sparked a documentary in 1998 called party monster.
James book disco bloodbath, itself based on a true story, party monster is one weird movie. A fabulous but true tale of murder in clubland by james st. A fabulous but true tale of murder in clubland reprint by james st james isbn. James and directors fenton baileyand randy barbato. He is known for his work on party monster 2003, freak show 2017 and uncut. Set in the new york club scene of the late 1980s thru the 1990s, a tale which is based on the rise and fall of clubkid 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. James in the movie party monster was the irresistible ethos of the club kids, a group of young partygoers and partythrowers who ruled. With macaulay culkin, wilson cruz, seth green, diana scarwid.
Heres our take on the experience of producing and directing party monster the documentary and the feature from our book the world according to wonder. The shockumentary film having read the book and viewed the other version of the film i was still wanting more and the shockumentary delivers but listen to the commentary while watching it,it is so much better that way and get the truth from james st. I saw the shockumentary and also saw the movie party monster. Party monster tells the whole sordid story in detail.
His story sparked a documentary in 1998 called party monster. I bought this book years ago after watching a documentary on c4 about the club kids murder. He was a club kids member of the new york city club scene back in the late 1980s and early 1990s and is a frequent collaborator with mathu andersen. James, who wrote the book on which the film was based. Its the story of extreme excess, and how it all went horribly wrong. Club kid killer michael alig seeks postprison job billboard. James, the film opens with michael alig as a smalltown outcast who lived with his mom before moving to new. Party monster the shockumentary, club kids killing for fame. After seventeen years behind bars, michael will make his way back into the world he once knew. The shockumentary, a brutally honest book written by james st. The film covers his partnership with fabulous and attentionseeking socialite james st.
The film is based on disco bloodbath, the memoir of james st. James friends, or is there beef between them over james book and the party monster film. One night before christmas, in 1996, we sat in the hollywood canteen waiting for james st james to arrive for dinner. Like everything good and bad his gleeful reign ended far too soon. James, his success in the outrageous 90s club scene, and the ensuing downward spiral of outrageous behavior culminating in the murder and dismemberment of roommate and drug dealer angel melendez. James, james and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. It was directed by fenton bailey and randy barbato. So, were all ok with michael alig being a celebrity again. Freeze riggs of fellow club kid and drug dealer andre angel melendez. When party monster was first published, it created a storm of controversy for its startlingly vivid, strikingly fresh, and outrageous depiction of the hedonistic world of the 90s new york city club kids, for whom nothing was too outreincluding murder. James published a second book, freak show in 2007, a comedyromance about a teenage drag queen who attends a new school and forges a relationship with the football teams quarterback. James born james clark, is a former club kid of the manhattan club scene in the late 1980searly 1990s and the author of disco bloodbath now published under the title party monster. Back in the 90s, the club kids ruled nycs nightlife and alig ruled the club kids.
May 21, 2014 that as articulated by seth greens james st. The shockumentary 1998 and party monster 2003, and blogs regularly on world of wonders website, the wow report. Nominated for the edgar award for best truecrime book of the year, it also marked. I had previously read disco bloodbath and watched party monster both the movie, and the shockumentary.
The shockumentary is a 1998 documentary film detailing the rise of the club kid phenomenon in new york city, the life of club kid and party promoter michael alig and aligs murder with robert freeze riggs of fellow club kid and drug dealer angel melendez. Diary of a mad teenager the birthday of michael alig. James storytelling is great and its honestly amazing this hasnt happened more often. Party monster which screened at the 1998 sundance film festival tells the story of the rise and fall of michael alig, a kid from middle america who aspired to take the place of andy warhol.
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