American Hot Wax

American Hot Wax

1959. New York City. The battleground was Rock and Roll. It was the beginning of an era. You shoulda been there.

PG 1978 · 91 min · ★ 5.7 · Drama, History, Music

This is the story loosely based on Cleveland disc jockey Alan Freed, who introduced rock'n'roll to teenage American radio audiences in the 1950s. Freed was a source of great controversy: criticized by conservatives for corrupting youth with the "devil's music"; hated by racists for promoting African American music for white consumption; persecuted by law enforcement officials and finally brought down by the "payola" scandals.

Directed by Floyd Mutrux · Written by John Kaye

Your Rating

Cast

Tim McIntire Alan Freed
Fran Drescher Sheryl
Jay Leno Mookie
Laraine Newman Teenage Louise
Carl Weaver Member of The Chesterfields
Al Chalk Member of The Chesterfields
Sam Harkness Member of The Chesterfields
Arnold McCuller Member of The Chesterfields
Jeff Altman Lennie Richfield
Moosie Drier Artie Moress
John Lehne D.A. Coleman
Stewart Steinberg Stone

Make it a double feature

4h 41m together

American Hot Wax

Bound by Honor

Both from Floyd Mutrux.

More from Floyd MutruxSee all →

Bound by Honor

Bound by Honor · 1993

MovieCrimeDrama

Based on the true life experiences of poet Jimmy Santiago Baca, the film focuses on two Indigenous Latino American half-brothers Paco and Cruz, and their bi-racial (half-Indigenous Latino American and half-European American) cousin Miklo. It opens in 1972, as the three are members of an East L.A. gang known as the "Vatos Locos", and the story focuses on how a violent crime and the influence of narcotics alter their lives. Miklo is incarcerated and sent to San Quentin, where he makes a "home" for himself. Cruz becomes an exceptional artist, but a heroin addiction overcomes him with tragic results. Paco becomes a cop and an enemy to his "carnal", Miklo.

American Me

American Me · 1992

MovieCrimeDrama

During his 18 years in Folsom Prison, street-gang leader Santana rules over all the drug-and-murder activities behind bars. Upon his release, Santana goes back to his old neighborhood, intending to lead a peaceful, crime-free life. But his old gang buddies force him back into his old habits.

Adam-12

Adam-12 · 1968

SeriesCrimeDrama

Adam-12 is a television police drama that followed two police officers of the Los Angeles Police Department, Pete Malloy and Jim Reed, as they patrolled the streets of Los Angeles in their patrol unit, 1-Adam-12.

Two-Lane Blacktop

Two-Lane Blacktop · 1971

Two-Lane Blacktop

A driver and mechanic drag racing for money cross paths with a female hitchhiker and a drifter who challenges them to a cross-country race.

Dusty and Sweets McGee

Dusty and Sweets McGee · 1971

Dusty and Sweets McGee

MovieDramaCrime

A "straight" couple dabbles in drugs and become heroin addicts.

The Second Hundred Years

The Second Hundred Years · 1967

The Second Hundred Years

There Goes My Baby

There Goes My Baby · 1994

There Goes My Baby

MovieDramaComedy

It's the summer of 1965, and the members of the graduating class of upscale Westwood High are eager to reinvent themselves. Valedictorian Mary Beth wants to attend a liberal university. Surfer bum Stick plans to enlist to fight in Vietnam. Calvin lives in the poor Watts section of Los Angeles, which is slowly erupting in violence. As the summer nights grow long, they'll all be forced to make decisions that will affect the rest of their lives.

Dick Tracy

Dick Tracy · 1990

MovieAdventureComedy

The comic strip detective finds his life vastly complicated when Breathless Mahoney makes advances towards him while he is trying to battle Big Boy Caprice's united mob.

Freebie and the Bean

Freebie and the Bean · 1974

Freebie and the Bean

MovieActionComedy

Two San Francisco detectives want to bring down a local hijacking boss. But they'll have to get to him before a hitman does.

Mulholland Falls

Mulholland Falls · 1996

Mulholland Falls

MovieDramaMystery

In 1950s Los Angeles, a special crime squad of the LAPD investigates the murder of a young woman.

Aloha Bobby and Rose

Aloha Bobby and Rose · 1975

Aloha Bobby and Rose

MovieDramaRomance

Bobby and Rose, two youngsters who are in love, have to run away from home when they are falsely accused to have committed a robbery and an assassination.

The Hollywood Knights

The Hollywood Knights · 1980

The Hollywood Knights

Led by their comedic and pranking leader, Newbomb Turk, the Hollywood Knights car gang raise hell throughout Beverly Hills on Halloween Night, 1965. Everything from drag racing to Vietnam to high school love.

The Christian Licorice Store

The Christian Licorice Store · 1971

The Christian Licorice Store

MovieComedyDrama

A tennis champ falls in with the Hollywood crowd, finds himself being corrupted by the life in the fast lane.

Cover Me Babe

Cover Me Babe · 1970

Student filmmaker lets nothing stand in the way of his getting a studio contract.

More Like This

Standing in the Shadows of Motown

Standing in the Shadows of Motown · 2002

Standing in the Shadows of Motown

MovieDocumentaryMusic

In 1959, Berry Gordy Jr. gathered the best musicians from Detroit's thriving jazz and blues scene to begin cutting songs for his new record company. Over a fourteen year period they were the heartbeat on every hit from Motown's Detroit era. By the end of their phenomenal run, this unheralded group of musicians had played on more number ones hits than the Beach Boys, the Rolling Stones, Elvis and the Beatles combined - which makes them the greatest hit machine in the history of popular music. They called themselves the Funk Brothers. Forty-one years after they played their first note on a Motown record and three decades since they were all together, the Funk Brothers reunited back in Detroit to play their music and tell their unforgettable story, with the help of archival footage, still photos, narration, interviews, re-creation scenes, 20 Motown master tracks, and twelve new live performances of Motown classics with the Brothers backing up contemporary performers.

Searching for Sugar Man

Searching for Sugar Man · 2012

Searching for Sugar Man

MovieMusicDocumentary

Two South Africans set out to discover what happened to their unlikely musical hero, the mysterious 1970s rock 'n' roller, Rodriguez.

Rate this film

Your ratings make Midnight smarter