Customer Reviews

Chelsea Walls [VHS]

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

Like most positive reviews, I'm a bit surprised at the bile being spent on this film when I think it's one of the finest films I've seen all year. When I was in NYC I had to go see the Hotel and someday I plan to spend some time there myself.

The movie is a bit of an experiement - some project group was giving 100K I think for a budget to shoot films on digital video - and so of course, it has some issues, but they work well for this movie - They give the environment some additional character - These people who bitch about lighting are the same ones who bitch about the lighting in Russian Ark and totally miss what is in many ways, a breakthrough in indepenedent Cinema. No longer are filmmakers required to budget for film (which is a major expense) - it can all be saved and edited digitally.

And that's not even going into the story - I fell in love with Rosario Dawson's Character, and totally understood Robert Sean Leonard's character as well (being a part time guitar player from MN myself who feels he's spinning his wheels) - And of course, this is an adaptation of a play, so you're not gonna have the grand sweeping car chases or explosions -

It's a terrible film for those who need their drama served up in portions of sex and violence, but as a study of the artistic condition, it blows me away.

And the music and poetry in the film rock too -

RB

An assortment of highly talented actors paint the canvas of this very creative collage of artistic, tormented and lonely lives, set in NYC's Chelsea Hotel. Don't expect a plot of any narrative coherence but rather a series of vignettes rich in emotions depicting love, loneliness and the simplicity of daily human living.

The dialogue and simple emotional exchange between Kris Kristofferson and Tuesday Weld in one scene is superbly rich. There is also some excellent acting by Vince D'Onofrio and Uma Thurman.

The music by Jeff Tweedy of Wilco really sets the emotional mood for this 'moment to moment' film and some guitar playing and folky music by Robert Sean Leonard is a pleasant surprise. Other noteworthy surprises include a performance by jazz veteran, Little Jimmy Scott (which adds immensely to the collage of diverse personalities and also to the mood of the soundtrack) and a cameo from Issac Hayes in an elevator scene.

Director, Ethan Hawke does a fine job of painting from a diverse palette of actors whose emotions richly color these Chelsea Walls.

I think if Charles Bukowski, Dylan Thomas, and Fellini collaborated on a piece of writing, it's possible they would have come up with this screenplay. This movie is exciting because it's soooo different from anything I've ever seen. Deliciously non-linear. The substance abuse aspect is a little overdone but that's the destiny of "artist movies". I loved hearing the dialog, and Kristofferson's acting is the best I've ever seen by him. Anything so daring and so unconventional will naturally upset some people (like other reviewers here), but if you ask me that only validates the work. If ever I go to New York City, the Hotel Chelsea will be at the top of my list of places to visit. My favorite lines were by the crazy guy in the elevator, who after claiming to have had a conversation with Dylan Thomas said that ghosts naturally reside in places like the Chelsea because people will listen to them there. The DVD extras contain a couple of quirky interviews, one with director Ethan Hawke and the other with Robert Sean Leonard who plays a deeply troubled folksinger in the film.

I'm not going to disagree with people who feel this film is pretentious. If it's not your kind of thing, I can see why you'd feel that way. But I think I can understand and appreciate what Ethan Hawke was trying to do here. The Chelsea hotel in NYC is unique--so many famous writers have lived and worked there that the place should be a literary landmark and tourist attraction. I guess to a certain extent it is, but it's also a squalid pit whose residents are a mixture of disenfranchised people and artists/writers trying to follow in the footsteps of previous Chelsea denizens. It's this contradictory atmosphere that Hawke is trying to capture, and I think he did a good job. True, there's not much of a plot. It's mainly just a glimpse at several people as they struggle with life and whether their creative impulses are fulfilling enough to sustain them in such a marginalized existence. I thought Robert Sean Leonard, Kris Kristofferson, and Rosario Dawson gave particularly moving performances. And there is a plot, in a way--watch the policemen at the beginning of the film; they'll be important at the end. There's no question that the screenplay (written by Nicole Burdette, not Hawke) is somewhat flat and inert, but the acting and directing rise above it. Months after I watched it, I keep thinking about this movie. I'm going to have to rent it again or maybe even buy it. If you don't like unconventional films, I think you can probably already tell that you're not going to like this one. If you like to see different, experimental movies, however, give this one a try and make up your own mind. At the very least, you'll be supporting independent film in this country, which needs all the help it can get.

I have no idea why the other reviews have railed upon this film so harshly. I found all aspects of this film up to par with other good indie films of this time. The acting was gritty and true to character (ie, Kris Kristofferson played a writer who could incessantly write about love but couldn't love anyone; a person who could blankly stare back at someone who loved him with cold eyes). The filming was all on digital cam so there's that grainy quality to it; plus lighting filters were used to distinguish the plot threads: pink for Sean Leonard and Zahn's characters, blue for Rosario Dawson's scenes, and a yellowish tint for Kristofferson's parts. The plot may seem scattered but so are the lives of these artists, the budget of this film may seem low but so are the artists it portrays, the acting seems less like acting and more like reality because for many artists these images are snapshots of their life. You feel tension between certain characters, deep love between others, and growing resentment in all for the cage their locked in for life: being an artist. If you don't subscribe to the starving, self-deprecating, helpless, lost artist cliche then maybe you aren't one so you just wouldn't understand. I applaud Ethan Hawke for what he tried to accomplish and ultimately did accomplish with this work. The best quote that sums up this movie is on the back of the box, "Like an extraordinary jazz solo the film transcends reality and becomes something special. It approaches art."

Ethan Hawke's Chelsea Walls is an interesting, multi-faceted portrait of life at the infamous Chelsea Hotel in New York city. The film is loosely-defined, shadowy, yet ultimately an engaging work of art unto itself.

The film follows several storylines as it meanders along.. unfolding dramas between several 'major' characters in a sort of real-time exploration of their lives. There is the tortured writer whose alcohol fuels him and whose love interests try to soothe him, whether or not they ultimately succeed. A touching storyline (Kris Kristofferson and Tuesday Weld share an especially beautiful scene). The young couple who try to stay together and who share some beautiful, simple times, and have soft remnants of security in a very uncertain time (and place) (Rosario Dawson, wonderful as ever). The singer-songwriter and his friend, who though near each other physically are very much alone in spirit (the hugely talented, under-used Robert Sean Leonard (where is the Robert Sean Leonard romantic comedy?! I want one! Great to see him and Ethan Hawke are still working together after their wonderful, classic work in Dead Poet's Society, one of my favourite films) and Steve Zahn). There is Uma Thurman's struggling single woman, somewhat adrift on less-than-stellar relationships, but trying slowly and somewhat unsteadily to gain a sense of self, among several would-be suitors. There is the elder jazz singer, who waits for his moments to shine as he sings at a nearby club in the evenings (a nice touch is that Uma Thurman's character quietly goes about her business as a waitress in the same club.)

All of these characters come together in a sort of montage.. the film has a real-life grittiness and fluid time which set it apart from most others.. one gets the feeling that this approach really is a good way to portray the Chelsea and its would-be denizens. Focus too much and you lose the sense of place, the fact that all these people and their stories are intertwined, as in real life. Tie them together any tighter and they would become too "fictional" and lose their freedom, their ability to change and reflect and be three-dimensional, real-seeming characters. Pull back from their stories any more, on the other hand, and it would become any other place, and the walls holding the story together would disappear, the essence of the film/place along with it.

As this film went on and gathered momentum, I was drawn in more and more... as it came into the last 3/4, I was mesmerized, it became pure poetry, pure art, dancing on the scenes, the emotions, like undulating water in a lake at sunset... glimmering, gorgeous. If you are an artist, or simply love art, if you want to see visions of the would-be history of a very real-life historic place, see this movie. Hawke should be proud, it's a great work.

so many films today hold no meaning, express no artistic vision, or do not simply "be." chelsea walls is the perfect film for those who prefer intriguing character studies, dim settings (and situations), and simple plots. before sunrise? tape? these are brilliant films. they should be the standards by which all films are judged. chelsea walls is a quiet, understated film that pays attention to character development. tweedy did for the soundtrack what elliot smith did for good will hunting, mellow and beautiful. these other reviewers seem to have no appreciation for what hawke (who deserves kudos) did, have no love for the glory of the independant film, and do not understand the concept of artistic poignancy. they must have polluted their minds with unoriginal, overblown hollywood epics. try it, go simple... just let it engage you .......and long live the independant film

Read Alex Grayson's articulate and thoughtful review (Jan. 3, 2007) which nails it.
Apparently Chelsea Walls is not for everyone, but if you watch this movie with an open heart and mind, I promise it will provide a compelling and realistic portrait of actions, interactions and reactions so common among my fellow artists it breaks my heart. The one element I find lacking is the artist (writer) who is truly grounded --- that absence detracts only a little though from an otherwise truthful portrayal of the life of many artists, at all stages of life, love and the pursuit of creativity.
Despite the tawdry details of life among the creative, with its erratic narrated background of Dylan Thomas' masterful Under Milkwood, an edgy musical score and the realism of the indie lighting style to set the tone, the visual and actual poetry of Ethan Hawkes directorial debut sing with beauty, truth and love.

I'm often shocked at how far afield I seem to have drifted from my fellow man (or woman), but the reviews on Netflix and here that tear this remarkable piece of work to shreds are just baffling. But when I think about it all in the context of my own love and appreciation for this film and how much it reminds me of listening to really raw, emotional improvisational jazz (for which even I have to be in the right mood) it occurs to me that this is just an acquired taste, like any expression of creativity. All art is subjective, and I found this to be the kind of visual interpretation of a series of fascinating moments and stories that had me completely spellbound. I rented this (which I ordered the next day so I can watch it over and over again) and popped it in late one night before bed, intending only to watch a few minutes but I could not bring myself to stop an watched the entire thing. All I could say afterwards was "wow". This is NOT conventional storytelling with standard story arcs or any discernable traditional flow, and that's exactly why I love it! To see something really unique, spontaneous, rich, unpredictable and almost voyeuristic is so refreshing. I honestly didn't know that Ethan Hawke directed this until the credits were rolling, and judging from the reviews I've seen of this film and his books, he evokes either great loyalty and recognition in people or pushes buttons that result in scathing comments. Interesting. And I think it's a good thing. We have enough cute and fuzzy filmmakers out there. I love how the constraints of the situation forced everyone to be more creative and present because that comes through loud and clear. The scenes between Kristofferson and Weld are stunning. Absolutely stunning. All of the actors are fantastic. The film is random, beautiful, confusing, interesting and poetic without being preachy. I'd love to see more films like this, but for now I'll be happy with my DVD and sharing it with kindred spirits. Beautiful work from everyone involved. Thank you.

Great subtle, raw poetic movie. Good for the starving artist in all of us.