"HEDWIG AND THE ANGRY INCH" DVD: Try And Tear Me Down, Fuckers! (reviewed by AX)

If you're like me, you heard about HEDWIG AND THE ANGRY INCH, but didn't get to see it because the asshole fucking multiplexes in your area didn't get it this past summer. Believe me, when you rent this disc, you will be very upset. Not because the movie sucks ass (quite the opposite, actually), but because it will become instantly apparent that this movie BEGS to be shown on the big screen. At midnight. At maximum volume. But I'm getting ahead of myself.

HEDWIG began as an off-off broadway musical in the late 1990s, masterminded by musician/lyricist Stephen Trask and actor extraordinaire John Caameron Mitchell. It featured a wild character, singing kick-ass songs and telling his life story, backed by a loud punk band. Its repuation grew quickly, and soon audiences flocked to see HEDWIG performed live onstage. In no time, it gained a huge cult following in New York City, and some were reported to have seen it upwards of around 400 times!!! Holy shit. Eventually, it got turned into a movie by New Line Cinema, directed by and starring Mitchell. All it takes is one viewing to know you're watching a cult masterpiece, something you could see yourself watching hundreds of times.

Now if this sounds similar to another cult phenomenon we know and love, that's because it is. I'd have to say, without hesitation, that HEDWIG AND THE ANGRY INCH could very well end up being the ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW of the 21st century. The only problem is, the film itself is actually good, not cheeseball or boring in any way. The songs are catchier than fuck and they ROCK, John Mitchell as Hedwig the spurned transsexual is awesome, and I was hooked immediately. In a way, this movie may be too GOOD to take the mantle from ROCKY HORROR. You don't want to make fun of it, you want to rock out to it.

Anyway, the DVD is also exceptional. Part of New Line's "Platinum Series", HEDWIG is full of brilliant extras. Not only do you get a director commentary by Mitchell, but there's a nifty "Skip To A Song" feature that allows you to just play the musical portions of the film. However, by far, the best feature on this disc is the 85-minute documentary on the HEDWIG phenomenon. It is full of interviews, clips of early HEDWIG performances, and basically gives you the entire evolution from start to finish, from stage to screen. I hereby award this DVD a score of 5 out of 5...the movie kicks ass and so does the DVD. A solid purchase, indeed. The verdict: HEDWIG fucking rocks like a mad bastard!

(12.4.01)