Party Monster

Known as the “Candy Man” for dealing drugs at his South Bend, Indiana high school, Michael Alig moved on to bigger, though not necessarily better, things in the Big Apple in the late '80s. As a dedicated “club kid,” i.e., an habitué of the city's nocturnal dives, Alig became infamous for his attention-getting antics--including outrageous dress and makeup, incessant drug taking, and even pranks on fellow partygoers--all in the name of promoting complicit nightclubs and himself. For his piece de resistance, however, the flamboyant Alig murdered his drug-dealer/roommate, cut up his body, and packed it up to drop in the Hudson River. Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato, who also recently released a feature-film version of this fitfully engaging 1998 documentary, interviewed Alig's mom, earlier boyfriend, and other hangers-on in a perversely intriguing but ultimately futile quest to shed some light on Alig. Besides staging some re-enactments, such as the murder scene, the filmmakers also check in with the subject, who's doing serious prison time but doesn't seem too remorseful. DVD extras include a commentary track by club-kids chronicler James St. James (Disco Bloodbath), plus a short doc about the East Village creative scene that spawned the likes of Warhol, Madonna, RuPaul, and others. A strong optional purchase. Aud: C, P. (T. Rich)