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Limelight

Play trailer Poster for Limelight Released Sep 23, 2011 1h 32m Documentary Play Trailer Watchlist
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67% Tomatometer 21 Reviews 63% Popcornmeter 250+ Ratings
Nightclub owner Peter Gatien was the undisputed king of the 1980s New York club scene with a Manhattan empire that counted tens of thousands of patrons per night in its peak years.
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Limelight

Critics Reviews

View All (21) Critics Reviews
J. R. Jones Chicago Reader The movie was produced by Jen Gatien, its subject's daughter, so its agenda should be fairly obvious. But it's an engrossing story nonetheless. Oct 13, 2011 Full Review John Anderson Variety Watching Limelight, about the rise and politically engineered fall of onetime Manhattan nightclub kingpin Peter Gatien, is like looking through a family album: If you're in the family, you might be interested. Sep 24, 2011 Full Review Stephen Cole Globe and Mail Gatien's story is worth telling. Which makes it all the more unfortunate that director Billy Corben presents it in such a methodical fashion. Rated: 2/4 Sep 23, 2011 Full Review Robert Roten Laramie Movie Scope This documentary film about the rise and fall of big nightclubs is a cautionary tale about the abuses of police power as well as a tale of two completely conflicting conservative political policies relating to the regulation of businesses. Rated: B Feb 2, 2012 Full Review Dennis Schwartz Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews Couldn't be more sympathetic to the much maligned Gatien. Rated: B- Dec 1, 2011 Full Review Clay Cane BET.com An engaging story which includes corruption, murder, drugs, violence and the right to party. Rated: B Dec 1, 2011 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View All (26) audience reviews
Nickolas S God, I wish I was old enough to be apart of all of this crazy shit. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 06/07/21 Full Review Audience Member I really like documentaries especially if they are about music due to the fact that i am an aficionado of almost any genre out there. It shows the gritty underworld of the club community. Exposing how no matter what club or venue, drugs will always be rampant and little to nothing can be done because of the pop culture that is inspired. An immigrant from Canada capitalizes on this club market and is in many ways sanctioned from continuing to thrive in an empire and network that he created. I like how government officials, DEA agents, prosecutors, informant/snitches, and the justice system is exposed as corrupted. If you are a fan of house music and the many forms of electronic music that house created, you should watch this film. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/23/23 Full Review Audience Member one-sided, thin, interesting. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 01/30/23 Full Review Audience Member A very interesting documentary centered around the mid 90's club scene in New York. It hits the rise of the rave culture and the take over of Rudy Giuiliani and the clean up of New York. It also covers ground covered by the movie "party monster" where a club kid commits a bizarre murder. Then exposes how being a target of government is unfair battle. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 01/30/23 Full Review Audience Member Great documentary about rise and fall of Canadian Peter Gatien who used to own all best nightclubs in New York City in 80's and 90's. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 01/24/23 Full Review Audience Member This movie was well done. I really enjoyed it. As someone who went to these clubs with a group of gal pals when we were teens (with parents permission & the clubs had under 21 nights) I really loved this movie. We went to all these clubs, tunnel, underground, limelight, palladium etc. I vaguely remember seeing people at the clubs dressed in strange outfits but at the time never gave it a thought. My friends and I never did drugs at these clubs nor were we aware that went on at them. I was shocked when I saw this movie at what really went down at the clubs. I would love to thank Peter Gatien for the good times I had with friends back then and the memories I have now of those times at his clubs. I think him not being allowed in the USA is a bit harsh not to mention silly. After seeing this movie I couldn't understand why Michael Alig was in jail for so long when it was self defense but then I saw Party Monster and now I am conflicted even though it was self defense, Michael chopping him up is insane, but then again he was heavy into drugs but then again Michael was destructive in a downward spiral and always mean to Angel going back to when they first met. Party Monster also made me see a side of Peter that is not portrayed in this movie is this because there is more to Peter's story & Peter's daughter made this movie & is bias. Either way, this movie, 54 and party monster blew my mind in so many way but mainly because I had no idea nor did my friends at the time that any of this went on while we were young and fancy free. I wonder what Michael will do when he gets out of jail, will he stay clean and what would Peter do if if was eventually allowed back into the USA. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 02/02/23 Full Review Read all reviews
Limelight

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Cast & Crew

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Movie Info

Synopsis Nightclub owner Peter Gatien was the undisputed king of the 1980s New York club scene with a Manhattan empire that counted tens of thousands of patrons per night in its peak years.
Director
Billy Corben
Producer
Billy Corben, Jen Gatien, Alfred Spellman
Distributor
Magnolia Pictures
Production Co
Rakontur, Deerjen Films
Genre
Documentary
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Sep 23, 2011, Limited
Release Date (Streaming)
Jan 25, 2013
Box Office (Gross USA)
$59.7K
Runtime
1h 32m
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