Chelsea Girls (1966)

Directors:

Paul Morrissey
Andy Warhol

Writers:

Ronald Tavel (writer)
Andy Warhol (writer)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

Plot Keywords:

Bizarre | Dominatrix | Multi Screen | Independent Film

Cast

Brigid Berlin	...	Herself - The Duchess (as Brigid Polk)
Randy Borscheidt	...	Himself
Christian Aaron Boulogne	...	Himself (as Ari)
Angelina 'Pepper' Davis	...	Herself
Dorothy Dean	...	Herself
Eric Emerson	...	Himself
Patrick Flemming	...	Himself
Ed Hood	...	Himself
Arthur Loeb	...	Himself
Donald Lyons	...	Himself
Gerard Malanga	...	Son
Marie Menken	...	Mother
Mario Montez	...	Transvestite
Nico	...	Herself
Ondine	...	Himself - Pope

Runtime:

210 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White | Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Italy:VM18 (DVD rating) | Singapore:R21 (cut) | UK:R

Filming Locations:

Chelsea Hotel - 222 West 23rd Street, Chelsea, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Trivia:

Mary Woronov's mother, on seeing the film, sued Andy Warhol, as she had not signed a release allowing Warhol to use footage of her in the film. Warhol then paid the actors $1000 each for their releases.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Factory Days: Paul Morrissey Remembers the Sixties (2006) (V)

A treadmill test to be sure.

Andy Warhol's epic freak-out to end all freak-outs is somehow both snail-paced & fascinating at the same time.

The film consists of little more than straightforward head shots (on split screens---a classic late '60s touch) of a slew of Warhol's self-created "superstars" babbling, whining, cursing, & shrieking.

As a film director, Warhol didn't have much talent beyond that of the average wedding videographer, but CHELSEA GIRLS (arguably his masterwork) is an entertaining time capsule of '60s pop culture and a chance to see a lot of now semi-legends (Ondine, Nico) in their prime.