Slaves of New York

Monday, January 4, 2016

Post-film discussion with BCALLA! 35mm print

“Tama Janowitz’ collection of stories – some of which she adapted for this film – focuses on the middlebrow, middle class thirty-somethings who colonised Manhattan’s East Village. Dizzy hat-designer Eleanor (perfectly played by Bernadette Peters) lives with a shit called Stash (Adam Coleman Howard) who paints cans of spinach. The decline of their doomed relationship is the pretext for a saunter through an airless world of galleries, parties and clubs, where everyone is on the make and no one except Eleanor has redeeming features. This doesn’t matter so much, given that New York itself is the leading character; it’s in the short scenes capturing the atmosphere of the city – skyscrapers at sunrise, sidewalks at sunset, rain reflected neon, a raccoon truffling through trash, gleaming limos parked beside burnt-out wrecks – that Ivory is at his best.” – Time Out (London)

  • Country USA
  • Rating R
  • Running Time 125 minutes
  • Director James Ivory

IFC Center does not generally provide advisories about subject matter or potentially triggering content in films, as sensitivities vary from person to person. In addition to the synopses, trailers and other links on our website, further information about content and age-appropriateness for specific films can be found on Common Sense Media, IMDb and DoesTheDogDie.com as well as through general internet searches.