From the moment he swept into the restaurant, it was clear that he had something on his mind. One night before Christmas, in 1996, we sat in the Hollywood Canteen waiting for James St James to arrive for dinner. HereвЂ™s our take on the experience of producing and directing Party Monster the documentary and the feature from our book The World According To Wonder.

How does James now relate to Michael? How does Michael relate to James and the strange new world around him? Only time will tell but we hope that Michael, who has been given a second chance, can build a purposeful life and use his talents to help others. So we asked James to help document the reunion of two people caught up in a horrible event that set them on different paths. Because life is not a Facebook page, and morality is more complex than a tweet. Our friends and loved ones can do cruel and unkind things. It was extreme, but also completely relateable. In both the documentary and the feature film JamesвЂ™ complicated relationship with Michael was at the core. Yes, it is violent and horrific as so many of the stories are (both scripted and unscripted) that confront us as news or entertainment on a daily basis. It is a story that fascinates others too, or his release would have passed without comment.

But there is a justice system and we are storytellers, and this is a story that has fascinated us for many years. Others think it was wrong of us to be filming in the first place. Many people think Michael Alig shouldnвЂ™t ever be let out of jail. Cue a starburst of indignation and instant judgement on social media. His longtime friend and WOW Report writer James St James went to document their re-union.

This past week Michael Alig was released from prison. JamesВ and directors Fenton Baileyand Randy Barbato.В Tickets are selling fast, be sure to get yours here! Get your tickets now for a special screening of original documentary Party MonsterВ at ArcLight Cinemas Hollywood! The show starts at 7:30pm on Monday, November 3rdВ followed by aВ Q&A with featured subject James St.

Party monster