The first major project designed by France's Philippe Starck, Dallas's notorious Starck club is the subject of this short doc from writer/director Joseph Alexandre. Opening in 1984 just prior to the 1984 national Republican Convention, the Starck Club not only put Starck on the map in the United States but also contributed to the massive growth of Dallas as a metropolitan, vibrant city worthy of a second glance.

Alexandre's doc nicely captures this pre-HIV era when ecstasy was still legal (until mid-1985) and free love was still, well, free. Unlike anything Dallas had ever seen, the Starck Club would become host to the 80's British invasion, new wave music and the likes of such musical voices as Dead or Alive, Depeche Mode, Grace Jones, Red Hot Chili Peppers and others. Through rather straight forward interviews with those involved in the scene, Alexandre captures the wonder and magic of Starck Club  and the lasting impact the club had on its designers, DJ's and all those who found themselves inside its doors.

Eventually a victim to the Savings & Loan crisis that ravaged the Southwestern part of the country, while it was in existence the Starck Club was a joyous symbol of an era that is long gone but not forgotten.

Alexandre's interview subjects are all still amazingly enthusiastic about the club's history over twenty years after the club closed, and this enthusiasm gives Warriors of the Discotheque an energy and vibrance that moves the otherwise straightforward doc along quite nicely. Alexandre weaves music throughout the film's transitions, and Taylor Wigton's camera work is strong throughout the production. Archival footage of the club is memorable, though it doesn't quite capture the all-encompassing club with quite the same impact as the actual interviews.

Likely to appeal to those who experienced this era in the history of Dallas and music buffs eager for a unique look at a key player in the American 80's music scene, Warriors of the Discotheque is available on DVD through Createspace at the link provided above.