Detroit Rock City

USA 1999

Reviewed by Paul Elliott

Synopsis

Our synopses give away the plot in full, including surprise twists.

1978. Four Midwestern high-school students - Lex, Trip, Hawk and Jam - have tickets to see their favourite band Kiss in concert in Detroit. The boys' excitement turns to horror when Jam's mother burns the tickets in the belief that Kiss' music is inspiring delinquency in her son. Jam is sent to a church school, but his friends steal Lex's mother's car and effect Jam's escape by feeding a drug-laced pizza to the school's principal. Trip, meanwhile, wins four more tickets in a radio phone-in, but on arrival in Detroit discovers the tickets have been awarded to another caller because Trip hung up before leaving his name.

The quartet separate to try their luck at finding yet more tickets. Their ensuing adventures lead both Hawk and Jam to lose their virginity, the latter in a church confessional box, the former to an older woman whom Jam meets in a bar after trying to win a strip contest. After a fruitless quest, the four friends resort to beating one another up in order to trick concert stewards into believing they have been mugged and had their tickets stolen.

As they arrive at the venue, four hoodlums who have extorted money from Trip also turn up. Trip convinces the stewards that these are his attackers. The thugs are ejected and their tickets given to Trip and his buddies. At last, they see Kiss live on stage.

Review

Combining the 70s period detail of Paul Thomas Anderson's Boogie Nights with the timeless appeal of a teenage-gang adventure tale, Detroit Rock City is a rock-'n'-roll comedy high on energy, yet - strangely for a film centred on teenage friendship - low on warmth. Director Adam Rifkin (who wrote Mousehunt) likens his film to classic teen dramas American Graffiti (1973) and Rock 'N' Roll High School (1979), but at its most childish Detroit Rock City is more akin to the low farce of the notorious Porky's series, albeit with a vintage rock soundtrack.

Detroit Rock City benefits from a painstaking attention to detail. Rifkin himself was a Kiss fan growing up in 70s Midwestern America, and with Kiss bassist Gene Simmons acting as co-producer, the era's celebratory rock culture is expertly recreated, with lots of knowing in-jokes. Veteran Kiss fans will smile, for instance, when the boys assure a disco fan: "One thing Kiss will never do is make a bullshit disco record." In fact, they made just such a record in 1979, just a year after this film's date.

Rifkin also puts his rock soundtrack to good use. Alongside a slew of classic Kiss songs are period pieces from other rock giants of the late 70s. Many of the tracks are used to comedic effect, if a little literally: when Jam is busted out of reform school, Thin Lizzy's 'Jailbreak' accompanies the escape; later, Jam tells his pious mother to go to hell to the strains of Van Halen's 'Runnin' with the Devil'.

But Detroit Rock City comes apart when it comes to creating characters with anything more than the emotional depth of their 90s cartoon counterparts Beavis and Butt-head. There's also an unpleasantly cruel streak underlying much of the teenagers' behaviour in Detroit. Trip, the token pot enthusiast, might end the film as an accidental hero, having foiled a convenience-store heist, but earlier he threatens to beat up a pre-pubescent Kiss fan if the kid refuses to hand over his ticket. Later the four friends beat a lone aggressor with belts and chains in a vicious revenge attack before attempting to coerce their victim's date into performing sex acts in return for a ride into Detroit.

Kiss themselves appear towards the end of the film. They give a spirited, fittingly climactic performance in an otherwise predictable coming-of-age teen movie (during the course of their night in Detroit Hawk and Jam both lose their virginity, the latter to school sweetheart Beth - also the name of Kiss' biggest love song).

It's essentially a guest appearance by the veteran rockers - no amount of make-up or stage pyrotechnics can hide their ages - and a far cry from their more substantial film effort, Kiss Meets the Phantom of the Park (1978). That exercise in high kitsch, in which the group battled a mad scientist in a fairground to hugely comic effect, much of it unintentional, has now acquired a cult status among Kiss fans. Little more than another hard sell for the most astutely marketed rock band of the past 30 years, Detroit Rock City is neither good nor bad enough to make such a lasting impression.

Credits

Producers
Gene Simmons
Barry Levine
Kathleen Haase
Screenplay
Carl V. Dupré
Director of Photography
John R. Leonetti
Editor
Mark Goldblatt
Production Designer
Steve Hardie
Music/Music Conductor
J. Peter Robinson
©New Line Productions, Inc.
Production Companies
New Line Cinema presents a Takoma Entertainment/Base-12 Productions/Kissnation production
Executive Producers
Michael De Luca
Brian Witten
Co-producer
Art Schaefer
Associate Producer
Tim Sullivan
Executive in Charge of Production
Carla Fry
Production Executive
Michele McGuire
Production Supervisor
Detroit Unit:
Mary Petryshyn
Production Controller
Paul Prokop
Supervising Production Co-ordinator
Emily Glatter
Production Co-ordinator
Corinna Schmitt Porsia
Unit Production Manager
Brian Leslie Parker
Location Managers
Erik T. Snyder
Detroit Unit:
Cathy Thomas
Executive in Charge of Post-production
Jody Levin
Post-production Supervisor
Ric Keeley
2nd Unit Directors
Tony Markes
Peter Schink
Assistant Directors
Ian Foster Woolf
Grant Lucibello
Richard Black
Harley Cohen
2nd Unit:
Charles Braive
D. Joanne Malo
Script Supervisors
Kathryn Buck
Detroit Unit:
Kathy Asheton
Casting
Valerie McCaffrey
ADR Voice:
L.A. MadDogs
Associate:
Joe Adams
Detroit Unit:
The I-Group
2nd Unit Director of Photography
Harry Lake
Camera Operators
Angelo Colavecchia
Perry Hoffman
John Hobson
Steadicam Operator
Angelo Colavecchia
Digital Visual Effects
Perpetual Motion Pictures
Visual Effects Supervisor:
Richard Malzahn
Animator:
René Clark
Visual Effects Producer:
Kimberly Sylvester
Special Effects Co-ordinator
Michael Kavanagh
Key Special Effects
Danny White
Additional Editor
Roger Barton
Additional Concert Editors
Adam Cohen
Peter Schink
Art Director
Lucinda Zak
Set Decorator
Cal Loucks
Key Scenic Artist
John Bannister
Scenic Artist
Janet Cormack
Storyboard Artist
Paul Berta
Costume Designer
Rosanna Norton
Costume Supervisor
Jay Du Boisson
Wardrobe
Mistress:
Pat Hanley-Cummings
Detroit Unit:
Scarlett Jade
Make-up
Design/Supervisor:
Geralyn Wraith
Artist:
Marlene Schneider
Hair
Designer:
Judi Cooper-Sealy
Key Dresser:
Karola Dirnberger
Detroit Unit Hair/Make-up
Eileen Lindsley
Main Titles Design
The Picture Mill
Main Title Consultant
Tommy Thayer
Opticals
Howard Anderson Co
Additional Music
Brent Woods
Orchestrations
J. Peter Robinson
John Kull
Pete Anthony
Music Supervisors
Spring Aspers
Allan Kaufman
Music Executive
Paul Broucek
Music Editor
Lisé Richardson
Scoring Mixer
Robert Fernandez
Soundtrack
"Highway to Hell" by Malcolm Young, Angus Young, Bon Scott, performed by Marilyn Manson; "We've Only Just Begun" by Paul Williams, Roger Nichols; "I Stole Your Love", "Love Gun" by Paul Stanley, performed by Kiss; "Rock and Roll All Night" by Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley, vocals performed by Mystery [i.e. Giuseppe Andrews, James DeBello, Edward Furlong, Sam Huntington]; "Cat Scratch Fever" by/performed by Ted Nugent; "20th Century Boy" by Marc Bolan, performed by T-Rex; "Funk No. 49" by Jim Fox, Dale Peters, Joe Walsh, performed by The James Gang; "Conjunction Junction" by/performed by Bob Dorough; "Manfred Symphony" by Pyotr Tchaikovsky, performed by the Oslo Symphony Orchestra; "Ladies Room", "Christine Sixteen", "Calling Doctor Love" by Gene Simmons, performed by Kiss; "Good Old Days" by LeRoy Shields, performed by The Beau Hunks; "Lights Out" by Michael Schenker, Pete Way, Phil Moog, Andy Parker, performed by UFO; "Little Willy" by Mike Chapman, Nicky Chinn, performed by The Sweet; "School Days" by Kim Fowley, Joan Jett, performed by The Runaways; "Jailbreak" by Philip Parris Lynott, performed by Thin Lizzy; "1812 Overture" by Pyotr Tchaikovsky, performed by Vienna Philharmonic and Lorin Maazel; "Shout It Out Loud" by Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley, Bob Ezrin, performed by Kiss; "Frankenstein" by/performed by Edgar Winter; "Makin' It" by Dino Fekaris, Frederick Perren, performed by David Naughton; "The Boys Are Back in Town" by Philip Parris Lynott, performed by (1) Thin Lizzy, (2) Everclear; "Wild and Hot" by Punky Meadows, performed by Angel; "Radar Love" by Barry Hay, George Kooymans, performed by Golden Earring; "Iron Man" by Tony Frank Iommi, William Ward, Terence Butler, John Osbourne, performed by Black Sabbath; "Problem Child", "Highway to Hell", "Whole Lotta Rosie" by Malcolm Young, Angus Young, Bon Scott, performed by AC/DC; "Turn to Stone" by Jeff Lynne, performed by Electric Light Orchestra; "Surrender" by Rick Nielsen, performed by Cheap Trick (Live at Budokan); "Black Superman (Muhammad Ali)" by Johnny Wakelin, performed by Johnny Wakelin & the Kinshasa Band; "I Wanna Be Sedated" by Jeffrey Hyman, John Cummings, Douglas Colvin, performed by Ramones; "Escape (The Pina Colada Song)" by/performed by Rupert Holmes; "Monster Attacks, Part 1" from "Creature from the Black Lagoon" by Hans Salter; "Black Magic Woman" by Peter Green, performed by Santana; "Every 1's a Winner" by Errol Brown, performed by Hot Chocolate; "Rebel Rebel" by/performed by David Bowie; "Convoy" by Bill Fries, Chip Davis, performed by C.W. McCall; "Shock Me" by Ace Frehley, performed by Kiss; "Godzilla" by Donald Roeser, performed by Blue Oyster Cult; "Fox on the Run" by Andrew Scott, Stephen Priest, Brian Connolly, Michael Tucker, performed by The Sweet; "Boogie Shoes" by Harry W. Casey, Richard Finch, performed by K.C. & the Sunshine Band; "Strutter" by Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley, performed by Kiss; "Blitzkrieg Bop" by Jeffrey Hyman, John Cummings, Douglas Colvin, Thomas Erdelyi, performed by Ramones; "Popcorn" by Gershon Kingsley, performed by Hot Butter; "Beth" by Peter Criss, Stan Penridge, Bob Ezrin, performed by Kiss; "Fire" by Ralph Middlebrooks, James C. Williams, Marshall Jones, Leroy Bonner, Clarence Satchell, Willie Beck, Marvin Pierce, performed by Ohio Players; "Muskrat Love" by Willis Alan Ramsey, performed by Captain & Tennille; "Come Sail Away" by Dennis DeYoung, performed by Styx; "In the Hall of the Mountain King" by Edvard Grieg; "Rock Your Baby" by Harry W. Casey, Richard Finch, performed by George McCrae; "Love Hurts" by Boudleaux Bryant, performed by Nazareth; "Running with the Devil" by Edward Van Halen, Alex Van Halen, Michael Anthony, David Lee Roth, performed by Van Halen; "O' Fortuna" from "Carmina Burana" by Carl Orff; "Love to Love" by Michael Schenker, Phil Moog, performed by UFO; "Detroit Rock City" by Paul Stanley, Bob Ezrin, performed by Kiss; "Nothing Can Keep Me from You" by Diane Warren, performed by Kiss
Sound Mixer
Steve Aaron
Re-recording Mixers
John Ross
Mathew Waters
Dorian Cheah
Supervising Sound Editor
Frank Gaeta
Dialogue Editors
Michael Hertlein
David Grant
Robert C. Jackson
Sound Effects Editors
Lisle Engle
Javier Bennassar
Roland Thai
Michael Mullane
ADR
Mixer:
Alan Freedman
Supervising Editor:
Thomas Jones
Foley
Artists:
Ossama Khuluki
David Fein
S. Diane Marshall
Mixers:
Mary Erstad
C.W. Jones
Editors:
Craig Jurkiewicz
Lucy Sustar
Stunt Co-ordinator
Alison Reid
Cast
Edward Furlong
Hawk
Giuseppe Andrews
Lex
James DeBello
Trip
Sam Huntington
Jeremiah 'Jam' Bruce
Gene Simmons
Paul Stanley
Ace Frehley
Peter Criss
Kiss
Melanie Lynskey
Beth Bumsteen
Nick Scotti
Kenny
Shannon Tweed
Amanda Finch
Miles Dougal
Elvis, school security guard
Natasha Lyonne
Christine
Lin Shaye
Mrs Bruce
Emmanuelle Chriqui
Barbara
David Quane
Bobby
Rodger Barton
Stuart Bumsteen
Kathryn Haggis
Mrs Bumsteen
David Gardner
priest
Kristin Booth
cashier
Joe Flaherty
Father Phillip McNulty
Cody Jones
little kid
Matt Taylor
Chongo
Joan Heney
study hall teacher
Rob Smith
Simple Simon
Aaron Berg
bartender
Paul Brogren
roadie 1
Allan Clow
man with coat
Chris Benson
Mr Johansen
Colleen Williams
nun
Richard Hillman
scalper
Stephen Joffe
Ryan Letriard
six-year-olds
Joseph Haase
security guard
Ron Jeremy Hyatt
MC, male strip club
Kevin Corrigan
beefy jerk 1
Steve Schirripa
beefy jerk 2
Lindy Booth
girl 1
Christina Sicoli
foxy girl
Michael Barry
nerd
Vic Rigler
pizza boy
Eileen Flood
female parishioner
Pamela Bowen
Matmok lieutenant
Johnie Chase
cop 1
Julian Richings
ticket taker
Shane Daly
Noah Danby
Chongo's friends
Christopher Lee Clements
Jonathan Cuthill
Neno Vojic
Rich Coulson
Michael Kremko
Derek De Luis
strippers
Tara Elliot
Elissa Bradley
Cherry Flatley
Leilene Ondrade
Hazel K. Anderson
Jessica Kleiner
Nadia Dalchand
Kerri Michalica
Kerri Robinson
babes
Dino M. Sicoli
really lucky hot tub dude
Certificate
15
Distributor
Entertainment Film Distributors Ltd
8,516 feet
94 minutes 38 seconds
SDDS/Dolby digital/DTS
Colour/Prints by
DeLuxe
Super 35 [2.35:1]
Last Updated: 20 Dec 2011