New York Doll (2005)

There is a misconception about documentaries. So many think that they must be boring, lacking a narrative, and only intended for a specific demographic. I must admit, I have shared this opinion as well and have not exposed myself to that many documentaries. But after watching “New York Doll” I can say that though they may be narrowly tailored and less focused on story – they are no less capable of reaching our heart than any fiction story.

Simply put, “New York Doll” is a delight. I mainly attribute its success to the emotionally driven depiction of our main character Arthur “Killer” Kane. Director Greg Whiteley effectively implements the talking head technique to let the audience get to know Arthur. The documentary starts with the camera following Arthur dressed in a white shirt and tie on his way to the Mormon temple. He mentions how his lifestyle has changed from the “instant sex wham bam thank you ma’am kind of stuff” of his rock star glory days to the devoted church-going days of today. The documentary includes a lot of screen time from Arthur and we get a chance to hear his story directly from him. As he describes his life it is endearing to watch him talk about his life changes. It is apparent how much his newfound purpose in religion means to him after his attempted suicide.

This being juxtaposed with footage of the history of the New York Dolls also supports our desire for Arthur to succeed. Many different band members from different rock groups of the same era were interviewed and provide the voice over narration describing the Dolls’ struggle with drugs, alcoholism, and the death of several members. Those interviews help deliver the voice of authority to convince us that Arthur was in need of a life change. One even mentions that the Dolls’ image was “disturbing to a lot of people.” To add to this, despite the good run that the Dolls went on as a band, it is clear in the footage that Arthur was a man hardened by drugs and a demanding lifestyle.

The bulk of the documentary, however, focuses on Arthur’s subsequent conversion to Mormonism and the reunion tour in London. Arthur is a man we want to root for and it is really neat to watch him stand up to his former band-mates and discuss his standards. The documentary depicts him as a man who has found new strength and a new purpose. I think this is an example of exalting the everyday –not because we have been in a rock band, but because we have had struggles to overcome. We root for Arthur because we want him to be happy and we know what it’s like to hit rock bottom – even if our rock bottom is different.

“New York Doll” is a documentary after our hearts. It’s the lovely depiction of a man we can connect with and helps us to chase after our own needed life changes. 8/10