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  • Roberto Bentivegna Checks In To Check Out

    Filmmaker Roberto Bentivegna recently stopped by the Chelsea to film a short murder mystery.  Rb Thanks for giving us another ghost to be on the look out for!  We hope he’s talking hypothetically when he says that he can’t think of a better place to kill oneself than the Chelsea Hotel.  Oh, and if anybody knows the story about Milos Forman and the dwarves we’d be interested in hearing it.

    How’d you get interested in film?
    It’s something I’ve always wanted to do, ever since I was 8 years old. I saw Terry Gilliam’s “The Adventures of Baron Munchausen” and was totally overwhelmed by its energy and creativity. I know that the film didn’t do so well when it was released, and a lot of people hated it, but it really sparked something in my brain. Music is the other big thing in my life, so I had to pick between the two things. I don’t think either one is particularly safe, financially, but safety is boring and overrated. I don’t really want to give myself any back-up plans. I’m 24, doing an MFA at Columbia University in Directing, so I am in that stage of life where I’m starting to fear hunger and homelessness a little bit. But I could always play guitar in the subway or make wedding videos, I guess.

    What’s the most rewarding aspect of creating a film? In terms of the craft itself, I think that the planning is the most exciting and satisfying part. During that period, I am incredibly naïve and actually believe that my shotlists and rehearsals will magically engrain themselves into the finished film, and that nothing will affect that. Of course, this is almost never the case. As far as I know, animation is probably the only “genre” in which every single shot is designed and executed as conceived. Hitchcock storyboarded all of his films extensively but he worked in a very specific style that didn’t allow for much freedom. It’s important to be flexible and open up to the possibilities of the location, or the actors, or even the weather. Nothing should be locked.

    Which filmmakers do you most admire? I adore Stanley Kubrick’s work for a variety of reasons. Firstly, he gained artistic independence very early on and never let go, which is rare for a director. Secondly, his framing and imagery is closer to painting and photography than it is to “cinema”, and yet he is probably the most cinematic of all filmmakers. Finally, I am a big fan of genre-blending, and don’t think I could only work in the confines of one genre. So it’s very refreshing to see Kubrick’s filmography and notice that virtually every film he made was different from the previous one. That, to me, is the sign of a true artist: constantly changing and re-inventing himself.
    I also appreciate Luchino Visconti, Federico Fellini, Martin Scorsese, Terry Gilliam, Michael Powell, Werner Herzog, Steven Spielberg, David Cronenberg, Jean Renoir and Brian De Palma. That’s just a tiny list. I adore all filmmakers because I know how difficult it is to make a good film, and how underrated- ironically, considering how popular it is- it is as an art form.

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  • Can You get a Room at the Chelsea Through Priceline or Expedia?

         I recently read this piece on BudgetTravelOnline called “Confessions Of… A Front Desk Clerk.”  I was going to say that I’m sure our desk clerks here at the Chelsea have much better confessions to 001k_small_13 relate, but actually, this piece is mis-titled.  These are just bitchings of a front desk clerk, or, at best, pet peeves.  So, for instance, this particular desk clerk, Anne Szeker, doesn’t like it when guests try to get out of paying for pay-cable movies they’ve ordered, or when they get drunk and try to pick her up.  (Hey, she should be flattered!)

                A true confession would be, for instance, something like: “I blew Richard Gere in the coatroom of the hotel bar.”  Or really, Anne, you don’t even have to incriminate yourself; just give us the dirt on the celebrities.  Barring that, you could give useful advice, like the hotel’s policy on recommending callgirl services to lonely businessmen.  Or, what’s the best place in town to score some smack?

                Also, the piece seems to have a hidden corporate agenda: to let people know that they’ll get shitty service if they book their rooms through Internet booking engines such as Priceline or Expedia.  So take note travelers: if you try to get a deal you’ll be treated like second class citizens.

                Hey, hotel people, your rooms are overpriced, OK?  If they weren’t then you could probably fill the place up without Expedia or Priceline.  But as it is, you need these services.  (And, you need the people who aren’t willing to pay full price.)  So why are you damning them?

                The sole piece of interesting information in the article is that they’ll write you up in their hotel log if you misbehave.  Bitch out a desk clerk and it goes on your permanent record!

                To get back to the Chelsea, our rooms are expensive here too.  (Though I must admit, I’ve 110137_1 been in a couple of transient rooms lately and they have been fixing them up.)  People are always writing in asking how they can get a cheap room, and the only answer I have is to negotiate with Stanley Bard—a daunting prospect indeed.  I don’t know if you can get a cheap room here through Expedia or Priceline, but I do know enough to know that they’re not going to tell me at the front desk.  So, if anyone knows the answer to this question, please let us know.  We would love to hear from someone who’s actually rented a room here this way.  (Or anybody else who’s ever stayed here, for that matter.  Write in and share your impressions, good or bad.) 

                So what do you think?  I’m sure to be written up for this article, aren’t I? –Ed Hamilton.

  • Elite Stars to Huddle in Basement Lair of Chelsea Hotel

    How original, another elitist club called Star Lounge is set to open in the Chelsea neighborhood and Heathergraham1 this time it’s in the basement of the hotel.  Coudn’t they come up with a better name.  Don’t they know the real stars live in the hotel.  We don’t expect to be invited to the opening.  Perhaps we should all overflow our tubs so the water will drain down upon the heads of the slumming stars.

    In the New York Post, Charles Ferri (Heather Graham’s boyfriend and the Star Lounge’s owner) is quoted as saying: "We’ll have a more sophisticated, elitist crowd than Serena."  We can hardly wait!

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  • Rene Ricard’s Greatness Finally Acknowledged

    In response to our earlier post about the exclusion of Rene Ricard’s photo from "Edie: Girl On Fire" Sarah Weiss writes to reassure us that Rene will be in the movie:

    It is true that the absence of photos of Rene Ricard in Edie: Girl On Fire is a glaring omission and one which the entire Girl On Fire teams deeply regrets.  Most of the photos in the book are photos of Edie with others and as hard as we tried, we found no photos of Edie & Rene together.  Rene was not only hot in the 60’s, but he is also one of the best interviews that was done for the book and that is why is voice is so clearly represented.   You can also be sure that he will be a huge presence in the upcoming film version of Girl on Fire. Here are 2 of our favorite photos of Rene from that era.

    Renegof1

    Renegof2 

    For Rene’s sake we hope that "Girl on Fire" the movie is better than "Edie: Factory Girl," which opened in LA at the end of December and was panned by everybody.

  • All Tomorrow’s Parties: January 8 – 14, 2007

    Monday, Jan. 8, 9:00 p.m.
    Libbyjohnson_2 Libby Johnson invites everyone to her gig tonight.  She’s going to be trying out a few new songs that she has written while living here at the Chelsea.  So, head downtown and check out her show. Also this week, on Thursday, Libby will be playing at Dr. Martin Luther King Day Concert/Benefit for Friends Shelter [Guest with Bob Rosen Big Band] Friends Meetinghouse, 15 Rutherford Place, NY, NY
    Rockwood Music Hall, 196 Allen St., between Stanton & East Houston, NY NY

    Tuesday, Jan. 9, 10:30 p.m.
    Roomservice_frontSusanne Bartsch & Kenny Kenny invite you to Room Service Tuesdays. This week, it’s a party for Michael Musto’s new book, "La Dolce Musto" and Cazwell’s Record Release. Hosting service: Amanda Lepore, Astro, Kim Aviance, Ladyfag.  Moondust, Theodora, Richie Rich and Furey. Music Service: Sammy Jo. Sounds in the Strip Tease Lounge: Michael Cavadias aka lily of the valley Show: Cazwell, Amanda Lepore and Avenue D.

    35 East 21st St., Between Park & Broadway

    Wednesday, Jan. 10, 11:00 – 7:30 p.m.
    Jimdinep Artist Jim Dine has devoted the last three years to a personal interpretation of a story that has engaged and intrigued him for much of his life, Carlo Collodi’s Pinocchio. In these 39 prints, now on display, Dine has made his own the tale of the temptations, trials, tribulations and ultimate triumph of this mischievous but endearing wooden boy. (FREE)

    New York Public Library, North Gallery on the third floor of the Humanities and Social Sciences Library, 5th Ave & 42nd St. NY NY

    If you have an event that you want listed on All Tomorrow’s Parties please e-mail chelblog@yahoo.com 

  • Jack’s Big Music: Season 2 Premiere

    Jack Jack’s Big Music Show kicks off Season 2 today on Noggin.  Season two will feature music videos produced by SnapFilms, which is co-owned by Luke Joerger.  So get in touch with your inner child and tune in to Noggin. 

  • Harry Smith Film Added To National Film Registry

    Twenty-five motion pictures were recently added to the National Film Registry to be preserved for all times.  One of the new additions was Harry Smith’s abstract animation, EARLY ABSTRACTIONS #1, 5, 7, 10 (1939-56). A total of 450 films have now been added to the registry.  YOu can get a bit of a flavor of Smith’s work from this compilation  "Early Abstractions" (1946-57), Pt. 1

  • Patti Smith: New Year’s Eve at the Bowery Ballroom

    For the first time ever Patti Smith performed "Dream of Life," the only record she ever made with her late husband Fred Smith.

  • Arthur Weinstein: Silk Screened Andy’s Mao, Survived the Stench of Charles James’ Apartment

    Arthur Weinstein is a photographer and artist who has recently been producing some impressive large silk screens of cultural icons such as Roy Cohn and George Gershwin.  If you ever visit the Chelsea, Weinmobile_1 you simply must see his large scale mobile on the tenth floor.  Night time is best when it’s lit up by spotlights.  In the year or so it’s been up, the mobile has already become one of the major attractions of the hotel; it’s becoming hard to imagine the skylight without it.  Arthur is an intense man with a full head of coal dark hair and a brilliant, deadpan sense of humor.  We didn’t get to ask him too many questions before he just started talking, discoursing knowledgeably and at length on several subjects at once (art, movies, artists, silkscreening techniques, night clubs, and the art business), as I scribbled furiously to get it all down. (Photo: Arthur’s mobile)

    D: How long have you been married to Colleen? Thirty years.  The love of my life.  We got married at City Hall.  My dad was the witness.  I used to be a fashion photographer.  Most fashion photographers either look like an orangutan, or they’re gay.  I’m not gay.

    D: How long have you lived at the Chelsea? I lived here twice.  The first time I moved in here I was a kid.  There was a constant stream of fashion models coming through here.  Agencies like Ford and Wilhelmina sent girls.  No matter how beautiful a girl is, they have to find out if she’s photogenic.  When we moved in [famous fashion designer] Charles James had the apartment across from us and it stunk to high heaven, like you wouldn’t believe.  He had a dog with a thing on it’s head.  We were in 611 then.  I used to blast music and Stanley Bard would come into my apartment and tell me to turn it down.  He never said anything to James.

    D: Tell us about your art. The most important thing for an artist is to have flair.  [Arthur leads us into the next room to show us an impressive large abstract by a painter named Chris Davis.]  This guy is a great artist and he couldn’t sell this painting for $1500. How do you make money in art?  People will give me a deposit on a painting, say $2000, but then they never pick up the painting, and never pay the rest.  If you’d pay $2000 you’d think you’d be serious, wouldn’t you?  Would you pay all that money and then not buy the painting?  Would you even pay $20?

    E: No, I might give you $5 to get rid of you, but $20 is really pushing it. Exactly.

    D: So did you give the guy his deposit back?
    Come on!  Look at me.  What are the chances of getting any money back from me?  The guy didn’t even bother to ask.

    D: How’d you get into silk screening? My father finally said get out of my house so I got my first apartment.  I got a job at Panographic and worked there while I was going through school.  I did all the silk screening for Pace Gallery.  [Arthur talks at length on his silk screening technique, showing us various examples of his work.]

    D: Did you know Andy Warhol? Andy used to love my wife, Coleen.  But he was a cheap bastard, Awandy and he never said two words to me.  Have you seen the big Mao in the Warhol show at the Gagosian annex on 21st Street?  I silk screened it. (Photo: Arthur’s myspace page)

    D: I used to be roommates with Victoria Ruskin, Micky Ruskin’s daughter.  Did you know Micky? I didn’t care for Micky Ruskin.  He was cantankerous, and he never would let me in his club.

    D: Who are some of your influences? [Arthur shows us a large photograph of Gordon Parks, hanging in his studio workshop.]  Morris Lane, the guy who took that photo, put me on the phone one time with Gordon Parks.  Now Gordon Parks is one of my idols, so I was really nervous.  He has a brilliant voice, but I could tell the only thing on his mind was, “Oh my God, what does this guy want?”  So I said, “Mr. Parks, I’m a big fan.  Could I take that picture and do a silk screen of it?”  And I could tell he was so relieved that that was all it was.  He said, “Oh, go ahead.  Sure thing.  No problem.”

    Finally, Arthur got sick of talking to us, so he called his friend Artie (proprietor of the Organized Crime Museum), who lives across the hall, and took us over to Artie’s apartment and left us in his care.  On the way across the hall Arthur explained that the reason he went into art was that: “There’s all these assholes out there trying to give you orders, and the only one I want to take orders from is me.”

    Arthurweinstein The artist Arthur Weinstein in his studio discussing a Lucas Samaras silkscreen.

    Awsuperstars_1  Visiting supermodels pose beside of Arthur’s silkscreen.

  • Dashiell Takes a Tour of the Chelsea

         A couple of weeks ago we took Dashiell, who writes the column “The New Guy” for Gawker, on a Dash tour of the hotel.  We showed him the Stairwell of Death and various interesting paintings, as he recounts in his column. 

                Apparently he wasn’t too impressed with the décor, remarking at one point that the place looked like a hospital.  “Yeah, a mental hospital,” Debbie and I both said, predictably enough.  He sat on our toilet and pretended to read Dee Dee’s Chelsea Horror Hotel.  I feel compelled to point out, it’s also the beat writer Herbert Huncke’s old bathroom—and we had a hell of a time keeping the junkies out of it, even after the old man had been dead for years.

                After that—or maybe before it, I don’t know–we decided to see if Dashiell would climb out on the fire escape and look in somebody’s room.  We told him it was Thomas Wolfe’s room or something ridiculous like that.  And sure enough he did!  There was a naked lady in there and she screamed and hid under the bed.  We’ll be sure to try this prank with other people we lead on the tour.

                At the climax of the tour we introduced Dashiell to a real live artist, Arthur Weinstein, who greeted him with a friendly, “How are ya kid?”   But once again Dashiell seemed strangely unimpressed, even after we told him that it was Arthur who had created the mobile on the tenth floor—Weinmobile which of course he thought was pretty cool.

                At the end of our tour we sat Dashiell down in the Vortex of Madness, otherwise known as the lobby, to see how long it would take him to lose his mind.  We figured he’d write a more interesting account of his tour that way.  Surprisingly, however, he seemed to keep his sanity.  Apparently he has an unusually resilient psyche.  Or maybe it was just because it was a Sunday and there weren’t too many certifiable nuts wandering around.

                (Oh, by the way, Dashiell, I was just kidding about the fire escape thing: that really was Thomas Wolfe’s room.  The naked lady could have been the ghost of his old mistress, Aline.  But most likely she was just a Midwestern tourist, albeit, hopefully, a live one.) — Ed Hamilton