Lonely Boy

"I'm just a lonely boy Lonely and blue I'm all alone With nothing to do..." A short, linear documentary about singer/songwriter Paul Anka (20 at the time) and his hysterical fans. The central question in the film is how a virtually unknown amateur like Paul Anka can grow into a mass-idol within five years. His aura and image have in any case undergone a great deal of doctoring; Anka underwent plastic surgery to modify his nose, he had to dye his hair and lose 35 pounds. But it was worth while. Thousands of enthusiastic fans make a normal life impossible for him. His impresario plainly states that Anka is "the person most inspired by God" over the last five centuries. A fan declares in a panting voice that she has as many as 525 pictures of Anka in her room. The film follows Anka during a concert in front of 60,000 people. The highlight of the night is the moment when Anka invites a girl from the audience on stage and sings 'Put your head on my shoulder'. After the show Anka and his associates drive away in a car. The manager tells about future plans, while Paul can hardly keep his eyes open as a result of sheer fatigue. The image of Anka that remains is that of an exploited and lonely boy, in spite of the thousands of fans.