SLAVES OF NEW YORK
US, 1989, 124 minutes, Colour.
Bernadette Peters, Chris Sarandon, Mary Beth Hurt, Madeleine Potter, Adam Coleman Howard, Jsu Garcia, John Harkins, Mercedes Ruehl, Bruce Peter Young, Michael Schoeffling, Steve Buscemi.
Directed by James Ivory.
Probably best appreciated by New Yorkers or those who are involved in the art work and society of New York, in the city galleries, life around the city, Greenwich Village. It is based on short stories by Tasma Janowitz.
The film as a series of episodes involving a group of eccentrics, their hopes, disappointments, attempted creativity. The film was directed by James ivory who had made a name for himself with adaptations of novels by Henry Joyce, by Heat and Dust and adaptations of E. M. Forster. It is unusual to seeing him work in a more contemporary setting and more modern style than in his period films.
It has its moments of humour, human interest, but it is not easy to enter this world of such an in-crowd, despite a very strong central performance Bernadette Peters.
1. The title, Eleanor and Stash, the relationship, people depending on one another?
2. The New York settings, the 1980s, the world of art, seeming more than a touch surreal, yet its reality – and also aspects of parody? Art, fashion, sexual relationships, gay style? The musical score?
3. The visual aspects, atmosphere, costumes and decor, hats? The apartments, studios, galleries?
4. Bernadette Peters as Eleanor, her age, experience, the normal aspects of her life and personality, her making of hats, the world of millinery, her work produce, Wilfredo and his intervention, exhibition? Her living with Stash, the relationship, his age, self-absorbed, unfaithful to Elealnor, their are ups and downs?
5. Stash, the encounter with Daria, her interest in art, her wealth, relationships?
6. The cameos for the range of New York characters, the actors and the creation of types?
7. Success and failure, ups and downs, reputations – in New York, beyond New York?
8. Social life, the final party, Eleanor and her comment on the normal noise of her life, Tasma Janowitz as the party character alone?
9. A slice of life, made in the 1980s – the 1980s as seen in retrospect?
