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Show 'New York Doll' tells story that lives beyond fiction BY ASHLEY KARRAS Staff Writer There are times when reality plays out in ways that fiction can't. That is exactly the way the story of Arthur "Killer" Kane goes; a man who went from being a rock star wearing skintight pants, platform shoes, smeared lipstick and big hair, to a conservative white shirt and slacks with a missionary name badge, working at the LDS Family History Center. New York Doll director Greg Whiteley met Arthur Kane when they were fellow ward members in Los Angeles. Arthur, after years of alcoholism and a failed marriage, became a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1989. Whiteley was Arthur's home teacher. Whiteley said Arthur "indoctrinated" him about the band he played the bass for a band called the New York Dolls. "Arthur pointed to a poster of a rock band hanging on the wall behind his couch," Whiteley said. "The bassist in the poster had enormous hair and was wearing a skintight leotard, a feather boa and a large pair of thigh-high platform boots. "That's me,' he said." ( "I'm convinced that Arthur woke up every single day aching to get his band back together," Whiteley said. "I think it was the number one thing on his 'to do' list every day." t That opportunity did come. Arthur Box OFFICE 1) "Harry Potter IV" Gross Sales: $19,878,136 2)"AeonFluxw Gross Sales: $12,661,112 3) "Walk the Line" Gross Sales: $9,532,166 4) "Yours, Mine and Ours" Gross Sales: $8,258,472 5) "Just Friends" Gross Sales: $5,601,132 6) "Rent" Gross Sales: $4,441,633 7) "Chicken Little" Gross Sales: $4,406,418 8) "Pride and Prejudice" Gross Sales: $4,390,178 9) "Derailed" Gross Sales: $2,300,550 10) "In the Mix" Gross Sales: $1,867,971 and the two other remaining Dolls were invited to play at the 2004 Meltdown Festival in London as a reunion show for the Dolls. This is when Whiteley said he made the last-minute decision to start filming. The idea came to me many years ago," Whiteley said in a telephone interview. "We started filming the day he asked me for a ride to the pawn shop — after he found out the band was going to be reunited." Whiteley and his cameras followed Arthur in his preparations for the reunion show. "Along the way, things fell into place, and in many ways, it paralleled Arthur's story," Whiteley said on the New York Doll movie Web site production notes. "We found investors, convinced friends to skip work and make our film, and headed off to New York and London to see if Arthur's dreams — and ours — would materialize." Whiteley graduated from BYU with a degree in film, then earned his MFA from the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena. He said that previous to filming "New York Doll," he had directed a few commercials and industrial films. Many of the interviews in the film are a who's who of famous rockers. Though the Dolls lasted only three years, they had a big influence on a generation of musicians and the beginnings of punk music. "Sex Pistols, the Clash, Blondie and the Smiths, are just a few. Getting these interviews wasn't difficult," Whiteley said. "We just told them who this film was going to be about," Whiteley said. "These famous people were just tripping over themselves to be in the film. They are great fans of the New York Dolls. They were fans of Arthur Kane." Whiteley said it has been amazing to see the response his film has received both from critics and audiences. To have critics he is familiar with review his movie "just seemed ridiculous, and the fact that they liked it so much is just heartwarming. " "I love sitting in audiences. I was just up in a theater called the Roxie in San Francisco. It was just full of ardent New York Dolls fans. We were sitting in a crowd of punk rockers, and they loved the film." The success of his movie has spread across the globe. This small film, which Whiteley said cost $12 to make, premiered in Los Angeles, Calif., and New York. It is now being shown in Germany, Japan, the UK and Toronto, Canada. Whiteley said they expect to release it on DVD early next year. "It was such a small endeavor, at least in the beginning," Whiteley said. "On the one hand, I just had no expectation for it. On the other hand, there was a feeling about it — just seemed like this could be something big. But I didn't know, and I didn't want to admit that to myself. I didn't want to say it out loud for fear of jinxing it or just sounding ridiculous." New York Doll was nominated for Best Film in the Sundance Film Festival. According to Michael Baird of Vineyard Distribution, the movie was then bought by One Potato Productions. It has now made its way to Utah, where Baird said it has made half its box office money. It is being shown in Salt Lake, Logan, Provo and recently opened in Idaho. People filled Logan Art Cinema to capacity Dec. 1, where it was shown for free. It opened officially on Vec. 2 and will play until Dec. 15. Matt Howard, a junior majoring in conservation and restoration ecology, went to see the film the day before it officially opened in Logan. "I'm LDS and I like classic punk, so this was a perfect combo," Howard said. "It was so interesting how the filmmaker found [Kane] at that point in his life. It was the best story of any recently released film." Arthur believed that the film would be seen by millions of people, Whitely said. "I just thought he was ridiculous." "Did I expect all of this?" Whiteley said. "No. But at the same time there was a feeling when we first started the project that something special was about to happen." -ashleykarras@cc.usu.edu 'Doll' rockumentary has heart, lacks cynicism The Sundance Film Festival Grand his strained relationship with bandmate Jury Prize winner last year, "New York David Johansen worsen? Will re-expoDoll/' has finally arrived in Logan at the sure to his old lifestyle cause temptaArt Cinema. tion? The film provides answers to these ques"Doll" is a docu^ _ ^ _ _^^^^_ tions and ends with surmentary about Arthur Chris Blokesley prising closure. "Killer" Kane, a stoic, gentle rock 'n roll star BYU alumni Greg who, due to alcohol and Whitely is the direcsubstance abuse, litertor and co-editor of the ally hits rock bottom. film. He simply made an Surprisingly, he then intriguing, concise film finds a new life — conthat's worth watching. verting to Mormon ism Scenes easily mix seriand even working in the ous issues (death, alcochurch's genealogical holism) with delightful library. The story really humor (Kane's banter gets interesting, however, when Arthur and fashion choices). Also interesting is invited to a concert in London where to watch is the film's animated elabothe (remaining) New York Dolls will be ration on Reebee Garofalo's famous reunited for one last concert. "Geneology of Pop/Rock Music" chart This is a fish out of water story times {see "reebee.net"). The filmmakers did two. Kane doesn't quite fit the tradition- their homework here, and the hard core al mold of either Mormon or rock star. rock fan, as well as us lay folks, will be As his life becomes the mesh of polar satisfied. opposite lifestyles, Kane handles himself "Doll" also feels fresh and original with endearing childlike charm. But just because of the subject matter. Many simias engaging is the story of his abilities. lar "Rockumentaries," as they have been Can he, after 30 years of no playing, coined, have generally been depressing hold his own at a gig in London? Will in the past. The Rolling Stones' "Gimme Reel eviews Shelter," and The Band's "The Last Waltz" both portray the rock and roll lifestyle as very sad in the end. "Waltz" band members talk repugnantly of life on the road, and their last performance feels weathered and tired. "Doll" shares the sentiment, but is set apart by focusing on a silver lining - a protagonist who made a principled lifestyle change. "People who've really been in the war, but then come out the other end as, for lack of a better word, spiritual beings - that's the greatest kind of person in the world," compliments band mate David Johansen. The funny thing is, this film seems unique in part because of popular "mockumentaries." While watching I couldn't help but expect Kane and nis rock 'n roll buddies to be treated with cutting parody. Christopher Guest's films ("This is Spinal Tap," "A Mighty Wind"), funny as they are, don't treat their subjects with much respect or direct affection. "Doll" does, and it felt good to take a break from the cynicism - if only for about an hour. Chris Blakesley is a film critic for the Utah Statesman. Comments can be sent to cblakes@cc.usu.edu. |