Andy Warhol darling and Factory superstar Edie Sedgwick is the star of this docudrama where she plays a thinly disguised version of herself. It makes for fairly alarming viewing though, with Sedgwick totally strung-out for the whole runtime. She died 3 months after filming was complete of an overdose - the news of this event is even edited into the end of the film. If you watch this, I daresay you will not be surprised by the proximity of this terrible turn of events, as this hitherto bright girl can barely speak properly here. There is definitely a dubious exploitative aspect to this, as we are watching someone drown to an extent, albeit Sedgwick actively did want her story told and wanted it made. Nevertheless, this remains a troubling film in many ways, yet one which is compelling and unique despite all this.
Review of Ciao Manhattan
