Justin's Rating: JFMAK
Justin's Review: To think about it, there was nothing much for me to like about Detroit Rock City. KISS, eh. Disco (even in a negative light), eh eh. The Seventies, triple-eh. Still, it was the recommendation of a friend AND a New Line movie (and we all know how messed-up those wackos can be) I took the plunge. The result of seeing DRC cleared up those growths on my back, helped me to win the state lottery the very next day, and caused me to be so irresistable to members of the opposite sex that I've hired Hugh Hefner as my personal secretary. It's scary what a simple movie can do.

Four teens living in 1978 desire, more than anything in the world (even a Red Ryder BB Gun), to see the legend known as KISS. KISS, aka "Rebellion Against The Cheeseball Factor That The Late 70s Had Become". But during school their tickets are burnt up, and the kids go on a quest to Detroit to score some tickets in any way possible while doing some coming-of-age stuff. Hawk shows how desperate he is to buy a scalper's ticket that he joins a Full Monty dance competition. Lex tries to dodge security and sneak in. The stoned Trip has an excellent idea: beat the crap outta some little kid for his ticket. Jam has to contend with his own mother who believes KISS is the devil in the flesh. Geez, that has to be the worst plot summary I've ever done for a film. Let me try again.

Detroit Rock City is all about (1) slo-mo camera shots and (2) sped up camera shots. There's a lot going on with the theme of rebellion, and how it's not really so bad after all, and also how much disco sucks. The first part of the film has the kids at school, avoiding the clutches of the nefarious Elvis (an overweight security guard who has sideburns longer than his face) and generally getting themselves worked up for the concert. It's also the funnier section of DRC, a lot like Dazed and Confused in spirit and genre. You know the type: a gang of indestructable hellions getting away with all sorts of crazy stunts while making adults seem like buffoons. The second half of the film follows the gang to Detroit and their various quests to obtain tickets. It's nothing much more than that, although if you look deeper, the meaning of life can be found.

Essentially, tho, DRC is both a funny and entertaining movie. Nothing, exactly, so hilarious that I passed out cold on the keyboard from laughing so hard, but still pretty solid. Very nice to see Edward "Have you seen this boy?" Furlong back in the acting circuit, and the entire cast does justice to immature teenagers trying to be rebellious. The movie best sums itself up in the scene where the teens' car encounters a car full of Stellas (that's disco freaks to you and me). In one corner you have devil music, reefer madness, and general disrespect; in the other corner you have music so bad that even 'N Sync is Beethoven by comparison, lots of makeup, and hair so immense it has to be seen to be believed. Which camp would you fall into? Myself, I'd belong to the group of two-year-olds just trying to survive the seventies so we could be ushered into the glorious 80s.

Didja Notice?
The opening credits montage tribute to the 70s
Basset hounds are the KING!
The poster for DRC is hand-drawn; most film posters were done this way through the 80s, but you hardly see this technique any more
After the credits are over, two kids from a previous scene come on screen and say, "We don't have any KISS tickets." "Yeah, KISS sucks!"

The Movie Store!
Detroit Rock City: Movie [VHS]
Detroit Rock City: Movie [DVD]
Detroit Rock City: Soundtrack [CD]

Intermission!
Kiss re-enacted a 1970's-era concert with eight thousand fans for the filming of the movie.

Groovy Quotes

Jam: What's up?
Mrs. Bruce: The Devil's body count, that's what!

Mrs. Bruce: You want to reach out and touch pure evil! And in Detroit, no less!

Lex: That last remark fell about thirty yards away from making any sense whatsoever.

Trip: Drop it, or I'll blow your head off!
Gunman: You and what army?
Trip: The Kiss army!

Jam: I just lost my virginity in a confessional booth! LORD HAVE MERCY!

If you liked this movie, try these:
Dazed and Confused
PCU
Go

Soundtrack Review
Nice sampling of 70s tunes, both rock and pop.