Lacking a formal narrative, Warhol's mammoth film follows various residents of the Chelsea Hotel in 1966 New York City. The film was intended to be screened via dual projector set-up.
The results are often spellbinding; the juxtaposition of two film images at once gives the spectator an unusual amount of freedom in what to concentrate on and what to make of these variously whacked-out performers.
– Jonathan Rosenbaum,
Chicago Reader,
3 Apr 2004
fresh:
Watching and waiting brought some amazing performances before Warhol's camera: Emerson's stoned monologue, Ondine's violent, sourly comic rant on being pope.
– Kenneth Baker,
San Francisco Chronicle,
3 Apr 2004
rotten:
Warhol has nothing to say and no technique to say it with.
– Roger Ebert,
Chicago Sun-Times,
23 Oct 2004
rotten:
View'n doze.
– Raymond Durgnat,
Time Out,
24 Jun 2006
rotten:
A pointless, excruciatingly dull three-and-a-half hours spent in the company of Andy Warhol's friends.