Directors: Billy Corben
Starring: Peter Gatien, Michael Alig, Ed Koch, Howard Safir
MPAA Rating: R
Studio: Magnolia Home Entertainment
Run Time: 102 minutes
Film: 3 out of 5 stars
Extras: 3 out of 5 stars
I remember the night of my prom pulling up the cathedral doors of Limelight club. It was an experience unlike an other. The club was the known hotspot in the 90’s in NYC. Peter Gatien was the known as the king of the New York City club scene. He was not only the owner of Limelight though, he also owned legendary hotspots like Tunnel, Palladium, and Club USA. The film itself was interesting overall but felt like it could have worked better as a 60 minute special.
The film told the story of the eye-patch-wearing Ontario native, Peter Gatien, and how he ran his nightclubs in Manhattan starting in 1983. It showcases, the rise of the clubs during the years it was successful. It also focused years of legal battles and crackdown with drugs during the mid-90’s. Peter was definitely had his share of struggles during that time and seems to be given a bum-rep even being sent back to Canada only due to tax evasion charges. The film does have some interesting interviews from Gatien himself, as well has other his past employees and friends.
The special features on the DVD are decent overall. Though basically the only real feature is about 30 minutes of deleted scenes, they surely are worth watching if you enjoyed the film. Also included is a trailer for the film. If you are familiar with the NYC nightclub scene or not familiar and interested…you might want to consider checking this out.