Skip to main content
Drama Cult Classic

Andy Warhol’s split-screen odyssey through the Chelsea Hotel’s 1966 denizens.

CHELSEA GIRLS

1966 · 3h 30m · NR · Drama · IMDB TMDB

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.

▶ Watch Now My List

Quick Answer

What is Chelsea Girls about?

Chelsea Girls is a 1966 American drama film directed by Andy Warhol and Paul Morrissey that presents various residents of the Chelsea Hotel in New York City, using a split-screen, dual projector format and lacking a formal narrative.

Programmer's Pick

This is not your average drama—unless your definition of drama includes split-screen experiments, real-life personalities, and a 210-minute running time. Warhol’s Chelsea Girls is a marathon of avant-garde voyeurism and downtown authenticity.

— SassyFlix Programmer

Overview

A landmark of avant-garde cinema, Chelsea Girls offers an immersive window into the lives of the Chelsea Hotel’s eccentric inhabitants during 1966. Eschewing conventional narrative, Andy Warhol and Paul Morrissey employ a split-screen presentation—projecting two reels simultaneously, but letting only one audio track play at a time. The film’s subjects, many appearing as themselves, drift through scenes of domesticity, performance, and provocation, all set against the distinctive backdrop of New York’s legendary hotel. The result is an experimental, multi-hour portrait of countercultural personalities and raw, unvarnished reality, capturing a unique slice of bohemian life in mid-60s Manhattan.

Details & Specs

Directors
Andy Warhol, Paul Morrissey
Writers
Andy Warhol, Ronald Tavel
Release
1966
Runtime
3h 30m
Country
United States of America
Language
English
Genres
Drama

Why This Matters

Chelsea Girls marked Andy Warhol's first commercial success and is recognized as a landmark of underground cinema for its experimental split-screen format, improvisational performances, and voyeuristic style. In 2024, it was selected for preservation in the National Film Registry for its cultural and aesthetic significance.
— SassyFlix Curator

Cast & Crew

View all →
Directors: Andy Warhol +1 more Writers: Andy Warhol +1 more
Brigid Berlin Brigid Berlin Self - The Duchess RB Randy Borscheidt Self Christian Aaron Boulogne Christian Aaron Boulogne Self A' Angelina 'Pepper' Davis Self Dorothy Dean Dorothy Dean Self Eric Emerson Eric Emerson Self PF Patrick Flemming Self EH Ed Hood Self AL Arthur Loeb Self DL Donald Lyons Self Gerard Malanga Gerard Malanga Son Marie Menken Marie Menken Mother MM Mario Montez Transvestite Nico Nico Self Ondine Ondine Self - Pope RP Rona Page Self AR Albert Rene Ricard Self R Ronna Self Edie Sedgwick Edie Sedgwick Self IS Ingrid Superstar Self Susan Bottomly Susan Bottomly Self Mary Woronov Mary Woronov Hanoi Hannah Paul Morrissey Paul Morrissey self Buffy Phelps Buffy Phelps self Billy Name Billy Name self Rene Ricard Rene Ricard self GM George Millaway self

Explore More

Why Cult

Split-Screen Experiment

Chelsea Girls is presented in a distinctive split-screen format with a single audio track, challenging traditional cinematic storytelling.

Warhol Superstars

The film features real-life Warhol Factory regulars and Chelsea Hotel residents, many playing themselves, for a raw, authentic vibe.

Avant-Garde Epic

At 210 minutes, this is an unapologetically long and ambitious experiment in 1960s independent cinema.

New York Counterculture

Shot in and around the Chelsea Hotel, the film captures the spirit of mid-60s Manhattan’s countercultural scene.

Scene Gallery

Questions from the Vault

Who directed Chelsea Girls? +

Chelsea Girls was directed by Andy Warhol and Paul Morrissey.

How long is Chelsea Girls? +

Chelsea Girls has a runtime of 210 minutes.

What genre is Chelsea Girls? +

Chelsea Girls is a drama film.

Where can I watch Chelsea Girls? +

You can watch Chelsea Girls on SassyFlix.

Trailers & Clips

You Might Also Like

See All →