Party Monster (2003)

Party Monster is a 2003 American biographical comedy-drama film that details the rise and fall of infamous New York party promoter Michael Alig. The movie stars Macaulay Culkin as the drug-addled "King of the Club Kids." The film is based on Disco Bloodbath, the memoir of James St. James which details his friendship with Alig, that later fell apart as Alig's drug addiction worsened, and ended after he murdered Angel Melendez and went to prison. A 1998 documentary on the murder, also called Party Monster: The Shockumentary, was used for certain elements of the film. Party Monster made its world premiere at the 2003 Sundance Film Festival on January 18, 2003, and later played at the Cannes Film Festival in May of that year. On September 5, 2003, the film was put on limited release to different art house theaters in major US cities.

Based on the book Disco Bloodbath, by James St. James, the film opens with Michael Alig (Culkin) as a small-town outcast who lived with his mom before moving to New York. Michael learns the New York party scene from James St. James (Green), who teaches him the "rules of fabulousness", which mostly revolve around attracting as much attention to oneself as possible. Despite James' warning, Alig hosts a party at Limelight, a local club which is owned by Peter Gatien (McDermott), and soon becomes the hottest club in New York, with Alig at the head. Alig is named "King of the Club Kids" and goes on a cross country in search of more club kids. Alig and James pick up Angel Melendez (Cruz), Gitsie (Sevigny), and Brooke (Natasha Lyonne). Soon after meeting, Gitsie becomes Alig's new girlfriend. However, after Michael descends further into drug abuse, his life starts to spiral out of control, eventually culminating in his involvement in the murder of Angel. Gitsie and Michael decide to go to rehab and treat it as a "Second Honeymoon", leaving James behind. James then begins to write his "Great American Novel" published as Disco Bloodbath and later as Party Monster.