New York Doll - Galaxy Cinema - Cary NC

Welcome to the "Private World" of Arthur Kane. If there still beats within you a human heart, you need to see this. "New York Doll" is a Greg Whiteley directed documentary about Arthur "Killer" Kane's dream of reuniting with his buddies from the New York Dolls, specifically rekindling his friendship with David Johansen. If you don't watch yourself, you could pop a tear.

The New York Dolls' story has been told in far more depth than I can tackle here. Just let it be said that bassist Arthur "Killer" Kane, guitarists Johnny Thunders and Sylvain Sylvain, vocalist David Johansen and drummers Billy Murcia and Jerry Nolan created such a rift in the rock 'n' roll status quo of 1972 that five years later it had completely swallowed them up. Oh, but, that glorious racket they made had already changed the world forever.

Arthur "Killer" Kane had fallen from the top of his Frankenstein rock 'n' roll platform boots to the depths of hell, on the rails of the demon drink, broken marriage, attempted suicide and near fatal accidents, his life was tumultuous following the 'Dolls implosion.

Of the seven or so 'Dolls fraternity brothers, Arthur Kane saw the least continued success. He tried to get bands together without success, leaving behind one seven-inch vinyl 45, "Mr. Cool". He tried to get work in the movies.

He was the one who missed the 'Dolls the most. He had the most to gain by a reunion. After being fired for generally being too drunk to play, back in the waning days of the lipstick killing Dollettes', Arthur headed to the deep end and was ready to swan dive past obscurity.

Thunders and Nolan had helped usher in "punk rock" with the Heartbreakers, before their deaths, Sylvain had his Criminals and solo work and David Johansen had Buster Poindexter. Arthur seethed at the success of the cartoonish Buster buffoon and finally lost it after seeing Johansen driving the cab in Bill Murray's "Scrooged".

In 1989 Sisters Kimberly Morris and Erika Finlayson were finally, after several failed attempts, able to deliver the requested Book of Mormon to Mr. Kane's door.

Whiteley's even handed taste and credibility are preserved by the fact that this is the story of Arthur Kane the man, not the rock star converted to Mormonism. Whiteley had a wide open exploitation opportunity and to his credit, left that ground completely untilled. More importantly this portrait humanizes his friend Arthur Kane and his cohorts alike.

Kane was the original lead guitarist with Actress, the band that evolved into the New York Dolls, a job he gave to Johnny. He invited David Johansen to join. "Killer Kane", who got his nick from a Buck Rogers character, is shown to be a gentle, simple, unassuming man. He is not the outrageous screen filling rock star stage presence he once was with the jagged explosion of hair and those enormous platform boots. Instead we have a sweet, humble man living his dream with grace and gratitude. Arthur is still a giant presence.

There is a completely unplanned complexity and depth revealed here, the camera is simply capturing the unfolding drama of human feeling and interaction. Recording without taking a position, the arrogance, the vulnerability, the wisdom, the awe, the warmth and joy that oozes out of the screen in the scene when Johansen shows up for practice the first time. This documentary reveals Johansen's gruff exterior and it reveals much more.

It is generally believed that it was David Johansen that stood in the way of New York Doll's reunions for years, even when Johnny Thunders and Jerry Nolan were still alive, so, there is a whooshing deflation of anxiety when he finally strides through the door. Past tensions quickly melt as the boys embrace and tease and expose their genuine love for each other.

Arthur found some sense of peace with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints that allowed him to cast off the demons of alcohol. His friends from the church collected the money needed to get his bass out of hock. Arthur had a dream that his band, that ragamuffin gang of misfits known as the New York Dolls, would give him the stage he needed to regain the joy of life.

I saw this a few weeks back and have been thinking about it off and on since. There are many ways to approach any subject, of course, and when the subject is former New York Doll, Arthur "Killer" Kane, there are really two stories, there is Arthur the man and "Killer" Kane the "miracle of God's creation" back on stage, Thunderbird bass in hand, where he belongs. It is a story about a life saved, a dream realized and then tragically, a life lost. Arthur died from leukemia on July 13, 2004, just weeks after the Morrissey organized 'Dolls reunion show at London's Royal Festival Hall 2004. He was 55.

"New York Doll" should be out on DVD by the time you read this or shortly after. Release date, April 4, 2006. At the theatre or on DVD, don't miss it.