A new documentary film will tell the story of the Chelsea Hotel and the people who still live there. Magnolia Pictures & Magnet Releasing has released a new trailer for the upcoming documentary.
The trailer begins with shots of the hotel, and voice-overs from people talking about how the Chelsea Hotel is also a fantasy land and a place where people can feel free. It then shows older footage of some of the famous people who have stayed at the hotel, with one person claiming that “all the immortals of the 20th century” at one time stayed there. This includes people such as Patti Smith, Janis Joplin, and Andy Warhol.
The two-minute trailer then shifts to show footage of the people who still live in the hotel, which a voice-over describes as “remnants of another time in New York.” One resident shows the filmmakers the inside of the building, which is under construction. He then tells the film crew that the hotel has been trying to get all of the residents to move to the first floor. This is because the hotel is trying to reopen as a “fancy and expensive” place to stay. It then shows a resident knocking on her window as the construction crew goes up an elevator, telling them to “stop.” The trailer then talks about how there is still a presence felt of the celebrities who stayed there, with one construction worker describing them as “ghosts.” The trailer concludes by describing the Chelsea Hotel as a tree, even though it has been cut down, there is still some life, and roots are deep.
The film was directed by Amélie van Elmbt and Maya Duverdier. Martin Scorsese also serves as an executive producer for the film. Scorsese’s previous work in the documentary genre includes 2014’s The 50 Year Argument, 2011’s George Harrison: Living in the Material World, and 2010’s Public Speaking. Lori Cheatle is also an executive producer for the film.
The Chelsea Hotel has been the setting for many films over the years. One of the films was 1966’s Chelsea Girls, directed by Warhol and Paul Morrissey. 2001’s Chelsea Walls, based on the 1990 play, told the stories of artists who live in the hotel. The film was directed by Ethan Hawke and starred Kris Kristofferson, Uma Thurman, and Robert Sean Leonard. The 2009 Japanese horror film Hotel Chelsea followed a newlywed couple who goes to the famous hotel for their honeymoon. It was directed by Jorge Valdés-Iga and starred Nao Nagasawa and Justin Morck.
Dreaming Walls: Inside the Chelsea Hotel is scheduled to be released on July 8. In the meantime, check out the film’s new trailer below: