Genre: Documentary
Tagline: one man. two journeys.
Plot: A recovering alcoholic and recently converted Mormon, we first meet mild-mannered Arthur Kane on the LA bus he takes most days to his job at the Family History Center library. No one would connect the shy 55-year-old in the suit and tie to Arthur "Killer" Kane, statuesque bassist for the legendary '70s rock band, The New York Dolls.Arthur became the bass player for the Dolls in 1971 and helped form, in rocker Morrissey's words, "one of the most raucous, notorious bands in musical history." Decked out in platform heels, skin-tight pants, smeared lipstick and hair a mile high, the Dolls' gender-bending stage antics belied a ferocious sound that presaged punk and influenced a generation of musicians. But drug abuse and inner-band bickering led to a split in 1975, with Arthur himself bottoming out. After leaving New York City for Los Angeles, Arthur lived in virtual obscurity for almost 30 years. He battled alcoholism, embarked on a troubled marriage and tried repeatedly to resurrect his musical career. And he spent much of his time obsessing about his short-lived fame with the Dolls and longing for a return to the spotlight. In 1989, Arthur converted to Mormonism and became the congregation's humble resident rocker. He played inspirational harmonica messages for his new friends
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 Discussion forum for this movie
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 Say what you want about the Mormon Church, say what you want about Jesus, say what you want about God... this movie is a testament to the idea of having something bigger than yourself to believe in.  --Evan Jacobs (MovieWeb)
When a documentary shows an amazing character with an amazing story, but the filmmaker misses the point, it sets up an uneasy dynamic between audience and subject. In making a film that has been widely described as 'the best advertisement for Mormonism in years', Whitely misses the chance to make a film that would be better described as 'a biting expose on how fame is vastly underrated, and community is underappreciated.' That, to me, would have been a five star film. New York Doll is not.  --Chris Parry (eFilmCritic.com)
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| Cast |
Iggy Pop
Dead Man, Coffee and Cigarettes, Tank Girl |
 | | | Clem Burke
Mayor of the Sunset Strip, New York Beat Movie, Live from New York: The First 5 Years of Saturday Night Live | | | Bob Geldof
Pink Floyd: The Wall, Spice World, Live 8 | |
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| Music By |
Brett Boyett
The Great New Wonderful, The Guerrero Project, The Treasure Hunters |
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| The result is a straightforward rockumentary that is as heartwarming as it is rockin'. Whiteley's warmth for his subject comes through without reducing his objectivity. He knows he doesn't have to stack the deck to make us love Arthur "Killer" Kane. All he has to do is show him to us. A- --Eric D. Snider (EricDSnider.com)
The moral to this story, of course, is that, whether you’re a fan of the New York Dolls or not, you should still give this documentary about the life of Arthur “Killer” Kane a chance. It’s the kind of film that the phrase “I laughed, I cried, it became apart of me” was created to describe. --Will Harris
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