Friday, June 28, 2024

From the EVG archives: Q-&-A with Susan Seidelman, director of 'Smithereens' and 'Desperately Seeking Susan'

Filmmaker Susan Seidelman has just released her first book, "Desperately Seeking Something: A Memoir About Movies, Mothers, and Material Girls." Seidelman and the book have received a lot of press (The New Yorker... Vogue... Variety... among others). 

I talked with Seidelman in 2016 when her first feature, "Smithereens," played a weeklong revival at Metrograph on Ludlow Street. On the occasion of her book release, we're revisiting this post...

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Seidelman started filming "Smithereens" in late 1979 and continued on and off for the next 18 months. (Production shut down when Berman broke a leg during rehearsal.) "Smithereens," made for $40,000, was the first American indie invited to compete for the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival.

She went on to make several female-focused comedies, including 1985's "Desperately Seeking Susan" with Rosanna Arquette and Madonna and 1989's "She-Devil" with Roseanne Barr and Meryl Streep, among others. (She also directed the pilot for "Sex and the City.")

I spoke with Seidelman about "Smithereens" and her follow-up, "Desperately Seeking Susan," also partly filmed in the East Village, during a phone call. Here's part of that conversation, edited for length and clarity.
On why she wanted to tell this story in "Smithereens":

I was living in the East Village and I was also at NYU. And at the time, NYU Film School, the graduate film school, was on Second Avenue — part of it was where the old Fillmore East used to be. So, for three years, that area around Seventh Street and Second Avenue was my stomping grounds.

I started NYU in 1974, and I was there until 1977. So it was interesting to watch the transition from the older hippie generation and hippie-style shops and people as it started transitioning into the punk and new wave kind of subculture. I was a music person, so I frequented CBGB and Max’s Kansas City at that time. And so, that world was interesting to me, and telling a story set in that world about a young woman who’s not from that world, but wants to be part of it in some way, was both semi-personal and just of interest.

On production shutting down:

There were challenges throughout the shoot because I never had all the money. The budget ended up being about $40,000, but I probably only had about $20,000 at any given moment. I was borrowing and racking up bills. I wasn’t really thinking about how I was going to pay for it. I figured I’d get to that when I needed to pay it.

Aside from those challenges, when Susan Berman fell off a fire escape and broke her leg during rehearsal, there was no getting around that. We had to quit filming. I kind of thought, oh, you know, fuck it — I’m not going to let this stop me. It made me actually more determined. I had the time to look at what was working and what wasn’t working, and I learned a lot of stuff. I started editing the footage. I could rewrite stuff and change the story a bit.

On casting Richard Hell [a longtime East Village resident]:

That was when we redefined the character of Eric, who was originally not played by Richard Hell. It was played by somebody else who was not a rock-and-roller — he was more of a downtown painter/artsy type, not a musician — and was also played by a European actor.

By recasting and redefining that role with Richard Hell in mind, it shaped the tone of the movie and changed it, I think, in a good direction. I’m not going to give names, but the other actor — the other person is a working actor, as opposed to Richard Hell, who was acting in the movie, but was more of a presence and an iconic figure even at that time. So, trying to make the character of Eric blend in with the real Richard Hell added a level of authenticity to the film.

On filming in the East Village:

In the scene when Wren is waiting out on the sidewalk, and the landlady throws her clothing out the window and then splashes her with water, all the people and all the reactions in the background were from the people living on that block who had come out to watch.

At the time, New York was coming out the bankruptcy crisis. There weren’t a lot of police on the street, there wasn’t a lot of red tape and paperwork. These days, to film on the street, you have to get a mayor’s permit — so many levels of bureaucracy. Back then, it didn’t exist … but also I was naïve to what probably needed to be done.

We just showed up with cameras and we filmed. We had some people working on the crew who were friends and they told crowds lining in the street — just don’t look in the camera. Sometimes they did, sometimes they didn’t, but it was all very spontaneous.

That’s the advantage of doing a super low-budget movie — you can just go with the flow. For example, there’s a scene with a kid who’s doing a three-card Monte thing on the sidewalk. He was a kid we saw in Tompkins Square Park with his mother. We didn’t have to worry about SAG or unions or anything. I thought he was interesting and [we asked his mother] if they would come to this address and be in our movie.

On the lead characters:

My intention wasn’t to make likable characters. I intended to make interesting characters with some element of ambiguity. There are things that I like about Wren; on the other hand, I think she’s obviously somebody who uses people and is incredibly narcissistic. I’m aware of that. But she’s also somebody who is determined to recreate herself and to live the kind of life that she wants to live, and redefine herself from her background, which you get a little hint at, this boring suburban New Jersey life she must have run away from.

On the independent film scene at the time:

The definition of an independent filmmaker has changed so radically. Nowadays, being an independent filmmaker could mean you’re making a $5 million movie that’s really financed by the Weinstein Company, or it could mean you're doing a cellphone movie like “Tangerine.”

But back then, there weren’t that many independent filmmakers. I know there were some people working out of Los Angeles who were doing stuff and a small pocket of people in New York City. So either you knew them or you were friends with them or you just knew what they were doing and had mutual friends. It was truly a small community. And within that community, there were also a definite relationship between people who were musicians, filmmakers or graffiti artists.

So everyone was borrowing people, trading information or sharing resources. Also, the world wasn’t as competitive as it is today. People were eager and willing to help somebody who was a filmmaker would act in somebody else’s film or tell them about a location or a musician. It was pretty simple, like — hey, let’s make a movie, without a lot of calculation.

On her follow-up film, "Desperately Seeking Susan:"

I didn’t have anything lined up after "Smithereens." I didn’t know what I wanted to do next. I just finished the movie when it was accepted into the Cannes Film Festival.

But I did know that there were very few female film directors. And the one or two I had heard about who had made an interesting independent film ... I knew that your follow-up movie, especially if it was going to be financed by a studio, you needed to be smart about the choice. You had to make a movie that you could still be creatively in charge of, or else you could get lost in the shuffle.

For about a year and a half, I was reading scripts. And they were, for the most part, terrible. I just figured these couldn’t be my next movie. I have nothing to say about this kind of material.

So then I got this script. It was a little different than the way it ended up being, but it was called "Desperately Seeking Susan." I liked that the character, Susan, felt like she could be kind of related to Wren in "Smithereens." I thought I could bring something unique to that kind of a role. So I didn't feel like I was out of my element there.

Also, part of the film was set in the East Village, a neighborhood that I loved and knew. The other good thing was that I was so familiar with the characters that I was able to add my own spin using many people from the independent film community in small parts, like Rockets Redglare, John Lurie, and Arto Lindsay. Richard Hell has a cameo.
On working with Madonna:

At the time, Madonna was not famous when we started out. We were just filming on the streets like she was a regular semi-unknown actress. So there wasn’t a lot of hoopla around the film.

And then, you know, so much of life is about being there with the right thing and the right timing. It just so happened that the movie came out at the moment that her "Like A Virgin" album was released, and they coincided and she became a phenomenon. But since that wasn’t during the actual filming, there wasn’t the kind of pressure that one would normally feel if you were working with a big star or a super-famous person.

On the legacy of "Smithereens":

I think I was trying to document what it felt like to live in that neighborhood in that part of the city at that time. I never really considered whether the film would pass the test of time or be a time capsule.

But the fact that it ended up being pretty authentic to the environment, to the neighborhood, is maybe what enabled it to pass the test of time.

Details about the the 3rd annual Lower East Side Pride Bookstore Crawl

The third annual Lower East Side Pride Bookstore Crawl takes place tomorrow (Saturday) from noon to 7 p.m.

Here's more info via the EVG inbox:
Celebrate the diversity and resilience of the neighborhood's indie bookshops by spending a day shopping discounts, special giveaways and curated selections of queer books. 

This year's crawl features seven unique indie bookstores: 

Book Club Bar (197 E. 3rd Street & Avenue B) 
Pillow-Cat Books (328 E. 9th S.) 
Village Works (12 St Mark's Place) 
Bonnie Slotnick Cookbooks (28 E. 2nd St.) 
Bluestockings Cooperative (116 Suffolk St.) 
Yu & Me Books (44 Mulberry St.) 
Sweet Pickle Books (47 Orchard St.) 

Each bookstore will offer discounts and perks (such as free merchandise or snacks) throughout the day. No reservations are required...

The annual Drag March is tonight, stepping off from Tompkins Square Park

Photo from 2023 by Stacie Joy 

The annual Drag March departs from Tompkins Square Park at Ninth Street this evening for the trip over to the Stonewall Inn

Participants start gathering at 7 p.m. before departing around 8. 

This last weekend of June includes the Dyke March tomorrow night and the NYC Pride March and the Queer Liberation March on Pride Sunday. Gay City News has a preview here.

About the St Mark's Community Rummage Sale on Saturday

St. Mark's Church in-the-Bowery is hounsing a community rummage sale tomorrow (Saturday). 

From 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., you'll find clothing, jewelry, antiques, household goods, etc., with all proceeds supporting the church's Welcome Center, "a place respite for our neighbors." 

The Welcome Center is open on Wednesdays from 4 to 7 p.m. and recently expanded its offerings to include haircuts. 

Tomorrow's event is at the church on Second Avenue and 10th Street.

Thursday, June 27, 2024

Thursday's parting shot

Photo by Edmund John Dunn

The NYPD floodlight tower in action on the SW corner of 14th Street at Avenue A... one of two towers to arrive on the block after the fatal stabbing late Sunday afternoon. 

More background here.

NYPD light tower arrives on a cleaned-up SE corner of 14th Street and 1st Avenue

Top photo via Pinch 

An NYPD floodlight tower now sits outside the Immaculate Conception Church on 14th Street at First Avenue... a long-troubled stretch of the East Village. [Updated: There's a second tower outside the L stop closer to Avenue A.]

This arrival comes after a triple stabbing that left a 38-year-old man dead this past Sunday just before 6 p.m. Witnesses said the stabbing took place in the street and sidewalk in the area between Trader Joe's and the Wingstop. (Fox 5 has images of the deadly fight here.) The fight started on 13th Street just east of First Avenue before escalating a block over, witnesses have said.

Police arrested a suspect, 30-year-old Alejandro Piedra, who was later charged with murder with depraved indifference and attempted murder with depraved indifference, according to the NYPD and media accounts. Police said Piedra allegedly killed 38-year-old Clemson Cockfield and injured his wife, 52-year-old Jennifer Cockfield, as well as another man, 32-year-old Jonathan Lopez. 

During a police briefing on Tuesday, NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny said all three victims sell second-hand items along 14th Street. 

Per the Daily News
Lopez left his wife and items to go to the bathroom and when he returned, Piedra was trying to pocket some of the goods, the chief said. When confronted, Piedra pulled a knife and stabbed Lopez in the head and chest. Other vendors, including Cockfield and his wife, spotted the stabbing and came to Lopez's aid. 

As the brawl intensified, a vendor came up behind Piedra and broke a lamp over his head before running off. Cockfield picked up the remnants of the lamp and started to swing at Piedra, screaming, “You stabbed my friend! You stabbed my friend!” according to Kenny. Jennifer Cockfield then got involved, throwing both punches and her shoes at Piedra.

The fight died down and Piedra walked away before allegedly coming back a short time later with a knife in hand. 
Piedra, who's due back in court tomorrow, was reportedly charged in 2018 with assaulting two women with umbrellas. The case was sent to mental health court, which Piedra completed in 2021, per the News

Meanwhile, residents have noted that this block has been cleaner this week than it has been in several years. These photos are from yesterday morning.
City Councilmember Keith Powers, whose district starts across 14th Street at Stuy Town, sent an email to his constituents noting. Multiple EVG readers shared the email, which included: 
Thank you for writing to me about 14th Street and the awful attacks that took place on Sunday. I have attached a copy of my statement from Sunday evening, which once again calls for immediate intervention from the NYPD and other agencies on 14th Street. We have been working on this since Sunday, so I wanted to give you an update. 

One of the challenges in dealing with the situation on 14th Street has been that despite our efforts to make progress, all it takes are a few bad actors to return to the location to undo that progress. That is why I am again calling for consistent and sustained resources on the ground until the conditions on 14th Street are back to normal.

I wanted to share a few updates on the situation since Sunday:

● Earlier this week, the NYPD announced that they are stationing a foot patrol on the block to address the issues. As you will see in my statement, this was my top request. As I have stated repeatedly, the need for more resources here is apparent for any of us living in the neighborhood. 

● I am making an updated request of the Archdiocese and Immaculate Church to end the flea market. Myself and other elected officials have made this request in the past but they have not been responsive or cooperative. While I support the church, it’s indisputable that the flea market has created huge problems in the neighborhood. 

● On Monday, I personally walked the block with small business owners on 14th Street to provide them with my personal information to allow them to contact us on any issue from cleanliness to illicit behavior. 

● The Sanitation Department confirmed to me directly today that they will begin new joint operations with the NYPD and the Department of Homeless Services. My office will stay in close contact to ensure that the efforts here are maintained and properly targeted. 

● I am also coordinating with my colleagues in the city and state who represent this area to set up a walkthrough of the site with all relevant agencies. 

We hope this will help demonstrate and reinforce the need for immediate and sustained action here. On the larger scale, there are a number of proposals in the City Council that would exacerbate the situation on 14th Street by restricting the ability of city agencies to conduct enforcement against illegal vendors. I am not supportive of these measures and I have discussed the way that they would negatively impact our neighborhood with my colleagues. 

As the City Council finalizes this year's budget, I am advocating for more resources for the 13th Precinct — which covers the Stuyvesant Town portion of the block (the area of 14th Street that’s in my district). I have always been proud of my good working relationship with the 13th Precinct and hope to continue coordinating with them to make our neighborhood safer.

City pools open today

Photo Sunday from outside Dry Dock Pool on 10th Street

Dozens of outdoor city pools reopen for the season TODAY ... locally, this means the Hamilton Fish Pool on Pitt and East Houston and the Dry Dock Pool on 10th Street and Avenue D. 

The Tompkins Square Park mini pool — yes, Tompkins has a mini pool — is closed for the second season due to the renovations to the field house. (As far as we know, the pool is NOT getting a makeover — just the filed house.)

Outdoor hours are from 11 a.m. through 7 p.m. daily, with a break for pool cleaning between 3 p.m. and 4 p.m. Find more info about city pools at this link

The City published a solid pool primer here, including a section on swim lessons.

A permanent closure for Dhom on 12th Street

Dhom has announced its permanent closure as of Monday at 505 E. 12th St. between Avenue A and Avenue B. 

A sign outside for patrons thanks them for their support (thanks to all the readers who noted this)...
Dhom opened in July 2022, serving up Laotian cuisine from owners whose credits included Tribeca's Khe-Yo. That 11-year-old restaurant also just closed. 

Co-owner Nick Bradley told Eater
He says he feels "slightly betrayed" by the hospitality industry, "that you put your life’s work into," and “all those who make 3 to 5 percent off our work is what's causing us to close." 

Bradley cited the percentages taken by credit card companies, point-of-service apps, rising insurance premiums, and inflation as having battered not just his restaurants, but the industry at large. "It leaves me kind of bitter," he says. 

He pointed out he’s articulating these reasons for closing in an attempt to get the attention of local government and others who "can help do something about it." 
The 12th Street space previously housed the high-end cocktail lounge Mace. Double Wide closed at No. 503-505 in March 2018 (much to the relief of some neighbors). 

Openings: Pasta de Pasta on 1st Avenue

Photo by Lola Sáenz 

Pasta de Pasta debuted at 192 First Ave. between 11th Street and 12th Street earlier this month. (Previously.) 

The quick-serve pasta shop offers a simple menu, starting with a base of homemade pasta and cheese for $9.90 and many add-on options. (The menu is at the bottom of the site here.) 

The pasta is tossed in a Parmesan wheel before being served for one of the tables in the back or to go.

Daily hours: Noon to 11 p.m. 

The space was most recently Koko Wings, which closed in early 2024 after four-plus years in service. 

That's all for M & J Asian Cuisine on 14th and B

Multiple readers shared the closing news on Tuesday about M & J Asian Cuisine (seen below in better days), a budget-friendly Chinese restaurant and sushi bar on the SE corner of 14th Street and Avenue B.
No word on why it closed. The restaurant arrived in the fall of 2014, so perhaps the lease was up... and how much longer can a prime corner like this continue with single- and two-level buildings.

Thanks to EVG reader Patrick for the top photo!

Wednesday, June 26, 2024

Wednesday's parting shot

As seen on Avenue A this morning ...

At an East Village benefit for Washington Square Park Mutual Aid

Photos by Stacie Joy 

On Sunday, La Plaza Cultural hosted a benefit show and collection drive for the Washington Square Park Mutual Aid group. 

An array of performers and residents came to the community garden at the southwest corner of Ninth Street and Avenue C on a sweltering day to show their support. 

The entertainment included Federico of Pinc Louds and Crackhead Barney & Friends (featuring Matthew Silver).

Here are a few scenes from the afternoon...
WSP Mutual Aid, now in its third year, distributes food and clothing to people in need every Friday evening in Washington Square Park. Learn more about their work here.

[Updated] East Village singer-songwriter Jesse Malin will return to the stage this Dec. 1

Tickets for a second show on Dec. 2 are now on sale.

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East Village singer-songwriter Jesse Malin will return to the stage for the first time since early 2023 on Dec. 1 at the Beacon Theater, billed as "the largest hometown show of his career." 

Via the EVG inbox: 
Jesse Malin will perform a full set with his longtime band, and then the show will feature special guests Lucinda Williams, Rickie Lee Jones, Jakob Dylan, Butch Walker, J Mascis, Adam Duritz and David Immergluck of Counting Crows and Alejandro Escovedo, with hosts Michael Imperioli and Mary Louise-Parker, and support from WFUV. More guests are to be announced! 
Tickets go on sale to the public on Friday. A presale is underway now with the password PATRONSAINTS. Link here

Malin, who has been undergoing rehabilitation, including daily physical therapy, was left paralyzed from the waist down after suffering a rare spinal stroke in May 2023

A Queens native and longtime East Village resident, Malin is a partner in several local establishments, including Niagara, 96 Tears and the Bowery Electric.

Now people are stealing Invader's mosaics in the East Village and elsewhere

Art and plaque theft season continues in the East Village. (See here and here.) 

In recent weeks, two men have been removing Invader's mosaic tile art from around walls in NYC. 

The French street artist addressed it in an Instagram post on Monday:
For the past few weeks, some guys in New York have been destroying my work by trying to rip it off the walls, probably to resell it. Shame on them! Street art belongs to the street, and in my case, once ripped from the walls, it is nothing more than broken, unsigned tiles that you could find in any tile store. They will never be authenticated. 

Buyers should think twice of what they buy, not only are they being duped but they are also depriving other people of enjoying free art on the street. 
He followed up yesterday with a photo of a theft someone took, showing two men removing a classic invader above the signage at Ralph's Famous Italian Ices on the NW corner of Avenue A and Ninth Street...

 

We asked the folks at Ralph's about it. Unfortunately, they didn't see it happening, as the theft occurred after store hours. 

As Invader noted, the mosaics likely have little resale value. Plus, when he installed these, he reportedly used larger, thinner tiles that would chip apart upon contact with a tool. 

An array of mosaics arrived in NYC and the East Village, some in collaboration with the LISA Project, in 2015. A few were immediately vandalized, though there are still several around if you know where to look.

The Rite Aid on 1st Avenue doesn't look like a store that will be in business much longer

Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy 

According to multiple published reports, Rite Aid plans to close 92 stores nationwide in 2024 as the chain continues to work through a bankruptcy proceeding. 

Since filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy last October, Rite Aid has been grappling with its financial woes, which have led to the closure of numerous locations. However, the East Village outpost on First Avenue at Fifth Street has managed to escape the hit list. 

Here's more about why the company has struggled via Forbes:
Multiple factors contributed to Rite Aid's bankruptcy. It was larded with debt and faced more than a thousand opioid-related lawsuits. Yet its business has been deteriorating for years as it struggled to compete against larger companies like CVS, Amazon, Walgreens...
During a recent visit, I saw barren shelves throughout the store. Management here told me they are having a "tough time getting any product or supply right now." When I asked if they were closing, I was told, "Right now, we're OK, but we really don't know." 

On another stop-by, staff said that the company is saving money by not stocking shelves; they only restock or receive supplies once a week. They also said that, for now, the store is safe and not closing. They did not rule out a closure in the future, but no one's heard anything. 

They said that if the store were to close, the patrons/pharmacy clients would be informed immediately.

Here's a look at the store... where even the COVID-era lockdown shelves were barren...
The 101 Avenue D location had a similar barren look before it eventually closed in 2022. 

The First Avenue location has a special place in our hearts because of its Headless Santa

The one-story First Avenue location also sits on a prime East Village corner, and developers would likely pay top dollar for another sliver of luxury housing. 

Check out an aerial view of the refurbished Tompkins Square Park basketball courts

So the refurbished Tompkins Square Park basketball courts returned to public use on Monday after a multi-week closure ... and with a dedication ceremony featuring the collaborators — Glossier, a beauty website, Project Blackboard, the WNBA, artist Na Chainkua Reindorf and the Parks Department. 

The Glossier Instagram account posted the two aerial shots here...
Here's more via Fast Company ... and Kyle Leahy, Glossier’s CEO: 
Glossier didn’t just sponsor the art; it also paid to refurbish the court so it is more functional. It mended the nets and repainted the backboards. It also sponsored a women's league that uses this court regularly to practice, paying for all of their equipment. "We wanted these young women to realize that they are worthy of this investment." 
The courts were last refurbished in the summer of 2015 with funding from YouTube.

Joey Bats Café has closed on Avenue B

Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy

Over the weekend, the Joey Bats Café signage was removed from 50 Avenue B, marking the official end of the business here between Third Street and Fourth Street.
Joey Batista (aka Bats) opened his eponymous business here in October 2021. He initially sold his signature pastéis de nata from a sidewalk table until he debuted the cafe-bar late last summer.

While the Avenue B outpost is no longer open, Batista (below) will continue to sell his Portuguese custard tarts from several locations, including the Essex Market, Grand Central Terminal and Chelsea Market. (He's also expanding to Boston.) He'll also still use his shipping center on Houston Street near Clinton for nationwide orders. 
Batista was a former partner in the basement business at 50 Avenue B, GAMA Lounge. We hear that GAMA will take over the street-level space, though they have yet to respond to a request for more information.

Lamia’s Fish Market is 'temporarily closed for maintenance'

Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy

Lamia's Fish Market is closed for now at 47 Avenue B between Third Street and Fourth Street.

Door signage notes a temporary closure "for maintenance." 
The restaurant's website and social media properties do not mention the closure, and as of last night, Lamia's was still accepting reservations.

However, multiple sources tell us that the Fish Market will not reopen and that staff has already left for new jobs.

Owner Lamia Funti was previously involved with Le Souk, a longtime trouble spot on this block that eventually had its liquor license canceled by the State Liquor Authority in 2009.

Lamia's made a splash upon opening in the summer of 2019, garnering media attention for its two-level, six-room "aquatic splendor."

Tuesday, June 25, 2024

Tuesday's parting shots (aka, SCHOOL'S almost OUT FOR THE SUMMER)

Photos by Stacie Joy

The 2023-24 school year is wrapping up this week... and there was a celebration (or an unsanctioned rave?) involving buckets of photogenic powder taking place outside at STAR Academy/P.S. 63 on Third Street...

A plaque dedicated to a former longtime Parks employee is missing from Tompkins Square Park

Photos by Steven

Last week, someone stole the brass plaque dedicated to former Tompkins Square Park supervisor Harry Greenberg from along the Ninth Street pedestrian walkway...
Greenberg worked in Tompkins from 1987 to 2010. A plaque via the Board of Howl! Arts Inc. arrived here early in the summer of 2012... (photo of Harry from 2012 by Stacie Joy)...
The working theory among Park sleuths is that someone stole the plaque for the materials instead of being a random act of vandalism/mischief.

Howl! Arts co-founder Riki Colon tells us that the organization plans to replace it ASAP.

Last summer, someone destroyed the Tompkins Square Park holiday tree plaque after it was stolen in 2020. 

Away from Tompkins, the plaque commemorating the Fillmore East at 105 Second Ave. near Sixth Street is also currently MIA.