I played it for the 4th or 5th time since "American Hot Wax" was released, Nothing was lost, it's a very tight production packed with all the songs you loved when you first heard them. So many kids writing and preforming their own songs, songs that send you toetaping, hip shaking and singing along. Alan Freed played by Tim McIntire grows on you, Fran Drescher, Lorraine Newman and yes Jay Leno were really excellent playing Mr Freed's Support staff, Newman, the songwriter were convincing keeping up the frantic pace. This was the birth of rock and roll pre-Beatles and the Stones, Jerry Lee Lewis and Chuck Berry play themselves

I saw this in the theaters when it came out, and had high hopes for a factual telling of the story of Alan Freed. Since my husband and I own an oldies record store, we have a good knowledge of the groups and the history. We were sorely disappointed. The problem is that the movie mixed fact and fiction. If it was a generic story about an "Alan Freed-like" disc jockey, and they gave all of the singers and actors phony names, it would have been fine. Unfortunately, by calling the disc jockey Alan Freed, they had an obligation to be somewhat truthful about the events in his life. I realize poetic license is to be expected in most movies about real life figures, but this was so fictional it was embarrassing.Here are some of the major goofs. Alan Freed never had a secretary or chauffeur like those played by Fran Drescher and Jay Leno. When the young boy was waiting in line, Alan asked him what he was going to do for summer vacation. Later on, he wanted to make a dedication to Buddy Holly on his birthday, but Buddy's birthday was Sept. 7, not in June. All of the groups were fictitious and based on real life groups which was not bad, but having them audition was crazy. The singer who was supposed to represent Lavern Baker would have already been an established singer. Same for the young girls, who represented Patience & Prudence. They were popular in 1956. Which brings me to the date they set the movie in. In 1959 Alan Freed was no longer producing oldies shows. The show that had the riot was in 1956. Teenager Louise was not a real life character, she was based on Carole King. However,Carole King didn't discover the Chesterfields(Frankie Lymon & The Teenagers), and she never wrote Since I Don't Have You. In 1959 Jerry Lee Lewis was blackballed because he married his cousin in 1958. He didn't have his comeback until years later. So he never would have appeared in an oldie show in that year.I know the producer of the film, and he has been in the music business for years, and still performs.I like him very much. He is a talented and accomplished singer and musician, but he missed the boat on this movie. That is another reason for my disappointment. I expected a lot more from him.For those who don't know the history of early Rock & Roll and Alan Freed, enjoy the movie. Those who do know the history, prepare to be disappointed.

Just like Elvis had the guts to sing like a black man, Allan Freed had the guts to actually play a black man's recording on the air. I love to hear that crazy Little Richard. He's still cool! Rock n Roll! There's nothing else like it. This movie takes you back to a time when the establishment actually thought that they could stop Rock n Roll just by stopping Mr Freed. He gave his life to Rock n Roll and through his efforts it did live on. He's a hero in the classic sense!Just hearing all those great tunes alone would make this movie great. Add to that the constant battle of freedom where each new age raises the barrier just a little. I remember when the song '60 Minuite Man' was banned. Before that the Strauss waltzes were banned. Then in my teenage years in the 60s, the Rolling Stones hit: Can't get no satisfaction was banned. That seems mild to today's music. If people didn't want it there wouldn't be a market for it. It's self expression. I went into a church down here in the south. The music and the preaching got loud. People started getting out of their seats and acting like chickens. I elbowed the woman next to me and said, "Well, I guess we're not in Kansas anymore." I got a mean stare. Express yourself!

you'll all be thrilled to know that "American Hot Wax" is available in DVD format from Whirlin' Disc.com........the quality is not outstanding but it's certainly watchable.....Centerpieces of this terrific little film remain the late Tim McIntire's fabulous performance as Alan Freed as well as the great late 50's rock soundtrack................Who can forget that sensational scene when Freed gets a disturbing call from his father in Ohio....Freed hangs up, cues up the Drifters and says in a voice husky and mysterious "it's raining in Akron Ohio, but it's a beautiful night in New York...here are the Drifters and "There Goes My Baby"....He turns up the swirling string intro as loud as he can and you can tell the music soothes something deep inside him just as it did for the rest of us...Maybe someday Paramount will get hip and commercially release "WAX" for the home video market.