
The Closet. 1966. USA. Directed by Andy Warhol. With Randy Bourscheidt, Nico. Digital 16mm film transfer. 66 min.
At the Dakota Apartments, the beautiful, sophisticated Nico and Randy Bourscheidt, a shy, gay college student, remain for the duration of the film in a tiny closet, where an existential narrative plays out as the two talk about leaving the comfort of the small space, but never do. Despite the contrived situation, the two real-life strangers, compelled to interact, become genuinely intimate. A reel from this film was included as an opening reel in premiere versions of The Chelsea Girls. However, the film was still in a state of organizational flux and the reel was removed soon thereafter. Randy Bourscheidt, a founder of Estate Project for Artists with AIDS who has worked in arts management for over 20 years, will be present at the May 9 screening.