#140RVW
Ill conceived vanity project for KISS (like they have any other kind). Unambitious “wild night out” movie unfunny with unlikable characters.
What’s more:
Rock ‘n’ roll movies are seldom ever any good. Especially the ones that feature a real-life band. Only movies with fictitious bands are interesting or funny. If the film is based on a real band (and it isn’t a documentary, which can be great) the band has to have a sense of humor about themselves, which they never do.
What about The Beatles, you say? Well, The Beatles are the exception to most rules, anyway, but even then I’d argue that the reason A Hard Day’s Night and Help! work is because they have such a great sense of humor.
Treading the path forged by the equally lousy Rock ‘n’ Roll High School, Detroit Rock City follows four of the least likable burnouts in what are meant to be hilarious misadventures as they try to go see KISS at Cobo Hall in Detroit in 1978. Since KISS was involved, you can be sure that this will be humorless and brazenly self-serving , and it is.
This could maybe have been something, even if the concept is so blatantly unoriginal that executives should have balked early in the pitch process. If there was a sense of humor about the time or the band or the characters, this could have been a lighthearted coming of age romp. Not something we need another of, surely, but at least that would have been enjoyable to someone. As it is, I have no idea who this movie is made for. Since it isn’t a send-up, it seems aimed solely at those who were fans in 1978. Nostalgia only gets you so far.
Modern audiences may and do go see KISS when they come around for lots of reasons; some want to see what all the fuss is about, some think it’s funny, some love the timeless quality, some just like the music or the show. The band famously doesn’t care; all checks cash the same. But that doesn’t work for a movie; you aren’t seeing the spectacle, you aren’t experiencing the concert – just these four potheads going to see the concert. So it lives or dies by the actual story, and that’s not going to work – because it stinks.
The screenplay was written by Carl V. Dupré, who writes straight-to-video sequels to bad horror movies like Hellraiser and The Prophecy. He is way out of his depth if he’s going to try to make the characters interesting; perhaps he didn’t even try. The effect would be the same. What’s more curious is that it is directed by Adam Rifkin, who seems to be far more successful as a writer – you’d think he’d realize there was nothing here to work with.
KISS has always wanted us to believe that they were shocking and that people were morally outraged by their shtick. Even when they came back in the 90’s they would insist that bible-thumping conservatives were banging the drums about the band being devil music. I never understood this and frankly never believed it for a second. They were on lunchboxes for crying out loud. These guys are the most blatant self-promoters in the history of ever and everyone can see that they were corporation first, band second. I simply refuse to believe that they were ever considered threatening by people who were not actively encouraged by raise an outcry by the band’s representatives. I’m sure some nutjobs went along for the ride – they always do. But the film tries to sing this old song again, and it’s silly.
As for the performances:
- Three of the four main actors, including Edward Furlong, lack charisma of any kind and are a chore to watch.
- The fourth, Sam Huntington nearly makes up for the rest of them on his own. Huntington, who was only 17 here, absolutely steals the film, such as it is. Everything seems like background to him. Interestingly, ten years later he’d do the same thing in Fanboys, which is more or less the same movie but about Star Wars instead of KISS.
- Melanie Lynskey is completely wasted as Beth, the girl next door type. (See what they did there? Because Beth is a famous KISS song. That’s how clever the writing is…)
- Natasha Lyonne is similarly punching the clock as Christine (Sixteen? Seriously, too funny, guys…) the disco queen.
- And then there’s KISS themselves. Twenty years have passed but we’re wearing makeup so no one can tell, right? WRONG…
Poster:
Trailer:
Bechdel Test:
Fail
The Representation Test Score: D (3 pts)
(http://therepresentationproject.org/grading-hollywood-the-representation-test/)
| Main Cast | Edward Furlong Hawk, Giuseppe Andrews Lex, James DeBello (as James De Bello) Trip, Sam Huntington Jam |
| Rating | R |
| Release Date | Fri 13 Aug 1999 UTC |
| Director | Adam Rifkin |
| Genres | Comedy, Music |
| Plot | A comedy about four teenagers in 1978 who try to scam their way into a KISS concert. |
| Poster |  |
| Runtime | 95 |
| Tagline | You gotta lose your mind at Detroit Rock City! |
| Writers | Carl V. Dupré (written by) |
| Year | 1999 |
