Chelsea Walls

D: Ethan Hawke; with Rosario Dawson, Vincent D’Onofrio, Kris Kristofferson, Tuesday Weld.

Narrative Feature Special Screenings, Regional Premiere

Adapted from the play by Nicole Burdette, Chelsea Walls is a breathtaker, a magnificent, stunning, remarkably human piece of filmmaking (actually shot on miniDV) that succeeds in creating the stifling, groping ambience of love and death between the walls of New York City’s legendary Chelsea Hotel. Less a straight narrative feature than a sinuous, stealthy tone poem to faded glory and the unstoppable power of Romance, Chelsea Walls is evidence that Hawke the director is, if anything, better than Hawke the actor. More than 15 major characters make up what there is of the storyline, all of them instantly memorable and fully drawn, but it’s the gorgeous, saturated look of the film that really knocks you out. For a work shot on DV, Chelsea Walls has none of the hyperreal, clinical look usually associated with that format; at points it’s so beautiful it makes you cry. (3/15, Arbor, 10pm)

This article appears in March 15 • 2002.

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