Chelsea Classics

When news broke a few days ago that Bow Tie Cinemas would be acquring Clearview Cinemas, our first thought was, "what about Chelsea Classics?" And our second was, "here's hoping they do something about all the broken seats."

Every Thursday Chelsea Clearview screens a classic movie at 7 and 9.30 for just $7.50. That's a pretty good deal right there, but Hedda Lettuce hosts the 7 o'clock show, making a good deal even better (aforementioned seats notwithstanding). We first discovered the so-called Queen of Green and her one-liners at an Oscar party held at the theater. And then we saw her again a few years later, and she was even funnier. Only her wig is bigger than her wit. 

Recently we've gotten hooked on the weekly events, joining the regulars for sold-out screenings of Marnie, Bonnie & Clyde, and, last night, The Birds. Hedda began by telling a long story about getting arrested and trying to live out her good cop rape fantasy, and concluded by interviewing one of the stars ("the bird in the left corner," she said, once the movie started). We learned about the bird's crack addiction, what it had to do to/with Hitch to get into the movie, and how much it liked the taste of children. Hedda-led Chelsea Classics is neighborhood programming at its best --- just listen to the audience.