In 1978, a Kiss concert was an epoch-making event. For the three teen fans in Detroit Rock City getting tickets to the sold-out show becomes the focal point of their existence. They’ll do anything for tickets — compete in a strip club’s amateur-night contest, take on religious protesters, even rob a convenience store!

Credits: TheMovieDb.

Film Cast:

• Lex: Giuseppe Andrews
• Trip Hurudie: James DeBello
• Hawk: Edward Furlong
• Jeremiah ‘Jam’ Bruce: Sam Huntington
• Mrs. Bruce: Lin Shaye
• Beth Bumsteen: Melanie Lynskey
• Christine: Natasha Lyonne
• Amanda Finch: Shannon Tweed
• Barbara: Emmanuelle Chriqui
• Cashier: Kristin Booth
• Father Phillip McNulty: Joe Flaherty
• Chongo: Matthew G. Taylor
• Elvis: Miles Dougal
• Kenny: Nick Scotti
• Bobby: David Quane
• Mr. Stewart Bumsteen: Rodger Barton
• Mrs. Stewart Bumsteen: Kathryn Haggis
• Detroit Priest: David Gardner
• Little Kid: Cody Jones
• Study Hall Teacher: Joan Heney
• MC: Ron Jeremy
• Kiss: Gene Simmons
• Kiss: Paul Stanley
• Kiss: Ace Frehley
• Kiss: Peter Criss
• Scalper: Richard Hillman
• Guy in Red Track Suit (uncredited): Jason Biggs
• Beefy Guy #1: Kevin Corrigan
• Six Year Old #2: Ryan Letriard
• Beefy Guy #2: Steve Schirripa
• Ticket Taker: Julian Richings

Film Crew:

• Casting: Valerie McCaffrey
• Editor: Mark Goldblatt
• Costume Design: Rosanna Norton
• Executive Producer: Michael De Luca
• Director of Photography: John R. Leonetti
• Original Music Composer: J. Peter Robinson
• Director: Adam Rifkin
• Production Design: Steve Hardie
• Writer: Carl V. Dupré
• Producer: Gene Simmons
• Executive Producer: Brian Witten
• Producer: Kathleen Haase
• Producer: Barry Levine
• Editor: Peter Schink
• Set Decoration: Carolyn A. Loucks
• Art Direction: Lucinda Zak
• Associate Producer: Tim Sullivan
• Stunt Coordinator: Alison Reid
• Co-Producer: Art Schaefer

Movie Reviews:

• Wuchak: _**Great 70’s songs, sometimes amusing, but basically an insult to KISS fans**_
• In 1978, four teenagers from Cleveland plan to go to a KISS concert in Detroit and have many misadventures reaching their goal. The four are played by Edward Furlong, Giuseppe Andrews, James DeBello and Sam Huntington.
• “Detroit Rock City” (1999) features great rock/metal from the 70s by KISS, AC/DC, Blue Oyster Cult, Van Halen, Sweet, Thin Lizzy, Nazareth, Styx, David Bowie, Cheap Trick, Black Sabbath, Ted Nugent, the Ramones, etc. There are some fun moments, but the tone is too over-the-top for its own good and the story isn’t very compelling. Couple this with some odious bathroom non-humor, a lack of attractive women beyond Natasha Lyonne and the negative one-dimensional depiction of the protagonists and you have a curiously disappointing teen flick.
• The focus on pot-obsessed dudes is disingenuous since Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons were never into the drug culture; their idea of a party was working hard creating music, performing, touring, making money and celebrating gorgeous women. Unsurprisingly, mind-blowingly beautiful females were always attracted to KISS and frequented their concerts; so were dynamic, talented males. I’m not saying pot-worshipping, denim-clad waifs weren’t an element of their fan base, but KISS devotees always involved WAY more than this.
• No wonder Paul Stanley lamented: “To call it a KISS movie does it a disservice, because it does a disservice to the KISS fans, which is what it’s really about.”
• The film runs 1 hour, 35 minutes, and was shot entirely in the Toronto area.
• GRADE: C-