fbm72751 The two things I like about this film is the music and the 1950's re-creations, plus seeing a young Jay Leno who really grew up during the next 14 years before replacing Johnny Carson. But from there it's all downhill. The chronology is positively awful and those who lived in the 1950s as well as fans of such will spot it instantly. The movie begins around the late Buddy Holly's birthday (referenced twice) so that would make it September 7, 1959. That part would pass as Freed was still on the air until November. But then we hear supposedly new songs being rehearsed which wasn't so at all. Songs like Tweedlee Dee, Come Go With Me and I Wonder Why were from 1955,'57 & '58 respectively. Then later we hear "Stay" being played which of course didn't not come out until the fall of 1960 which by then, Freed was long gone. Frankie Ford is showed recording Sea Cruise which in reality hit the charts in February. To really mess things up, it shows that school being out for the summer, so are we going back to May or fast forwarding to 1960? The part of Jerry Lee Lewis performing at the festival in front of a cheering crowd could be authentic as Freed was the one DJ who still played his records but highly unlikely as most were not ready to forgive Jerry just yet. The advertisement in that this was the beginning of that era was in fact totally the opposite as by latter 1959, the 1950s rock & roll party was about over. Lewis was pretty much done in latter 1958. The deaths of Buddy Holly and two others was a blow that proved difficult to recover from. Chuck Berry went to jail towards the end of the year and with the payola scandal knocking Freed out of the picture, the party was indeed over and the music would mellow out for the next four years into the so-called "innocent years".

joedemetrius I saw "Wax" back in '78, bought the excellent soundtrack as soon as it was released, and have wished, ever since, to watch this movie again. It caught me from the opening minutes with its "you-are-there" sense, in both intimate and crowd scenes, of the excitement and energy flowing during the high-water of rock 'n roll. Like "American Graffiti", "American Hot Wax" is about what are labeled "the '50's". "Graffiti" was about the characters, with rock 'n roll as the backdrop; "Wax", however, is about rock 'n roll itself, and about its place in the lives of the characters -- promoters, musicians, and fans -- involved with it.

Lee Eisenberg "American Hot Wax" just might be the best movie ever made about rock 'n' roll. Portraying disc jockey Alan Freed (Tim McIntire) in 1959, the movie knows how to lay everything out perfectly. Watching it, I just wanted to get up and start singing with the groups portrayed. Of course, the best part is the concert at the end. Not only do several musicians from the era (playing themselves) perform at it, but when the authorities try to shut it down, Freed reminds them: "You can shut the concert down. You can shut me down. But rock 'n' roll will live forever!" Well, as we've seen, he was right - most people love rock 'n' roll, and the people who ranted against it are objects of mockery. And the movie affirms that. Among the other cast members are Jay Leno as chauffeur Mookie, and Laraine Newman as Teenage Louise (based on Carole King). All in all, this is one movie that will truly make you nostalgic for the era of poodle skirts, pompadours, and everything such. I really wish that I could have been there.

Raymond Dunn Looking over the VHS/DVD titles in the reduced price area of local department stores, I find it impossible to believe that some of these titles make the light of day and "American Hot Wax" is not available for purchase. I'm lucky enough to have taped it off of cable or I would be reduced to its limited showing on AMC. This failure to make this movie available reminds me of the 20 years it took for "Hollywood Knights" to make it's appearance. If you have a chance to see this movie, don't miss it. This movie is a classic. The performances of Jay Leno and Fran Dresher are very enjoyable. The job done by Tim McIntire defies description. Although I didn't know Alan Freed, I feel McIntire probably hit the mark in his portrayal.