From Austen to Disco

I've been on a bit of a Jane Austen binge lately. I re-read my three favorites, Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility, and Emma, and now I've moved on to the never-before-read Northanger Abbey. I probably should have re-read Persuasion or picked up a new Jane Austen mystery instead; either would have been a bit less dull. Northanger Abbey is short, however, and probably easily finished. And today I've been watching the movie versions of Emma and Pride and Prejudice (and I'm considering renting Sense and Sensibility) while I pack to cheer me.

The book I most want to read next is a huge departure from the world of Jane Austen: Disco Bloodbath, by James St. James. After searching book stores in vain and being told that it was out of print, I learned today that it's been re-published under the title Party Monster, to coincide with the release of the film of the same name (which itself is based on Disco Bloodbath). Whew! I knew that the media conglomerates wouldn't let such a golden co-marketing opportunity escape them, which is why it was so puzzling that Disco Bloodbath could be out of print.

So why do I want to read this book? Because I saw the movie last week with my friend Kristin, and I want to know more about the people involved. We saw the film at the fabulous Castro theater in San Francisco; knowing very little about the movie ahead of time—only that it was about NY club kids in the late 80s, and that it was Macaulay Culkin's first film in years—Kristin and I were amused to find that we seemed to be out on Date Night in the Castro. About 10 minutes in, we realized that we couldn't have seen the movie in a more perfect setting, with a more perfect crowd: It was as much about drag queens, gender-bending, and elaborate costumes as it was about parties and drugs.

Macaulay Culkin's performance, as Kristin put it, "was so 10th-grade play", but Seth Green, as the aforementioned St. James, was hysterical and wonderful. He's so often cast as a wise-cracking geek (Enemy of the State, The Italian Job, the Austen Powers series) that you don't really get to appreciate his range—but believe me, he's got one, and it's on display here. According to the New York Times the movie will get wider release in October, but I imagine it'll still only be in small theaters. See it surrounded by drag queens, if you can.

Posted by Lori in books at 2:06 PM on September 16, 2003