New York Doll

I caught this film at the Sundance Film Festival. It was one of the most popular films of the series. I'm not a big rock fan nor am I a documentary junkie, but I really liked this film. The back story was that the director began filming the story of a fallen rocker just as amazing things began to happen in his life. Catch it if you have a chance.

Here is the Sundance write up. New York Doll relates the meteoric rise, resounding fall, and recent all-too-brief resurrection of the seminal New York glam-rock-punk band, the New York Dolls, but it is foremost a story about the band's amazing bassist and leader, Arthur "Killer" Kane. With empathy, respect, and humor, director and friend Greg Whiteley follows Kane and interviews key musicians, friends, and colleagues to uncover the legacy of the Dolls and their significant impact on the London music scene in the dizzying heyday of the early 1970s.

After Kane and his band bottom-out on drugs and alcohol, he disappears from music, embracing a surprisingly different path when he becomes a born-again Mormon. When rocker Morrissey organizes a London reunion of the New York Dolls, Kane buys his guitar back from a pawnshop, takes leave of his Family Center library job, and heads back to New York City to prepare for an unlikely comeback.

How will the reconstituted band pull off its first performance in 30 years? Can these musicians possibly recapture the energy and élan that made them legends in their own brief time? What awaits Kane after his short reprise in the spotlight? The answers make New York Doll an entertaining, exhilarating, warmly human, and ultimately bittersweet paean to an era and the man lovingly described by friend and band member David Johansen as "the miracle of God's creation."— Diane Weyermann

I went to see "New York Doll" expecting to see a Rock documentary. Instead I found the movie to be a touching and heartfelt look at a former rock stars religious conversation.

Arthur "Killer" Kane hit rock bottom with alcohol, but he turned to the Bible and to his church. Its an amazing story about how having faith can really help you change your life and fulfill your dream.

I liked that the movie was not preachy against rock music. It showed his Ministers and how they spiritually supported his decision to play again with the band. And I think Arthur portrayed such a fine example of his Morman faith when he got back together with his band mates and dealt with the bad feelings of the past.

The film interviews both Rock Stars, and Mormon Church Members, all talking about Arthur and the New York Dolls. In doing this, it shows both sides of Arthur Kane - the RockStar, and the Devout Mormon. This is a very touching tribute to this member of the New York Dolls.

I was lucky enough to catch this movie as part of the Talk Cinema series at The Bridge Cinema De Lux in Los Angeles. I am certain I never would have gone to see this movie if it weren't part of the program and I was even cynical for the first 15 minutes or so. But once you see Arthur Kane and hear him speak you quickly become drawn to him. He is such a quiet, mild-mannered guy of few words but what he does say is usually profound. You are rooting for him from the start even though it seems that the best of his years ended over 2 decades ago. It is interesting to see Arthur's relationship with the Mormon church as result of what appears to be a very sad, drug-addicted life. He finds new purpose in the church and a new job helps suppress some old demons. The director, Greg Whitely, is smart not to make this a Mormon propaganda piece but adding that aspect of Arthur's life makes him come across as a normal guy who just happened to come into fame as a young man and come into a spiritual awakening as an older man. There was a Q&A with the director and producer after the movie and their passion for their subject is obvious and it comes across in the film. Arthur is such a tremendously likable man and even though you may not like rock music, or care about the 70's punk scene (Many of those in attendance admitted they thought that they would not like this movie)you come to care about him and the chance of him possibly tasting fame just one more time. This is an excellent documentary and unlike a lot of Michael Moore films and Moore knock-offs, you never feel a heavy hand pushing the film to make you feel one way or another. The story unravels and it is genuinely compelling. This will likely be in extremely limited release in NY and LA with hopes of making a run for Best Doc Oscar and DVD sales...but do yourself a favor and seek out this film.

Even if you know nothing about The New York Dolls you will likely enjoy this touching documentary. The subject Arthur "Killer" Kane is exceedingly likable and the filmmaker tells his story with an affectionate earnestness and irony that is uncommon.

The film succeeds as a documentary, but also as a movie, in as much as it has all of the elements of a good story; a beginning a middle and an end; a protagonist, an antagonist, redemption, humor and humanity.

The music, although not the focus of this film, is fine as well.

I understand that Blender Magazine recently named New York Doll as the 25th (out of 100) best rock movies of all time. For good reason.

I watched "New York Doll" with intense fascination and moment by moment trepidation, wondering at what point the staunch beliefs of the Mormon church would clash with the life of former rock star Arthur "Killer" Kane. To my utter surprise, as reflected by the "A Poor Wayfaring Man of Grief" performance by David Johansen (which is one of the most brilliant juxtapositions ever in music), the empathetic sensitivities of Kane's rocker friends to his conversion to the church and the church's non-judgmental support of his life and dream of reuniting with "his friends" revealed a natural symbiosis I never thought I would see. It has literally renewed my faith in people!