The Surrealist is ready for his close up, Mr. Warhol. Are you ready for him?
As previously noted on this site, Andy Warhol filmed nearly 500 “screen tests” in the mid-60s. He wasn’t looking to discover unknown talent or cast an upcoming movie. His interest seemed to stem more from voyeurism, the collector’s impulse, and his fixation with glamour. The majority of his celebrated subjects, obeying Warhol’s instructions, refrained from hamming it up on camera.
Reportedly, Bob Dylan was a bit of a diva.
But it was not until Salvador Dalí faced the lens that the maker met his match…twice. The Museum of Modern Art documents the Spanish artist’s flagrant disregard for Warhol’s strictures, while also speculating on Warhol’s response.
And yet, something soulful does come through in the clip above. Is Dalí emoting? Or is the shimmering background melody by Armando Dominguez the inspiration for Destino, a Dali-Disney animated joint that took 57 years in the making?
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Andy Warhol’s ‘Screen Test’ of Bob Dylan: A Classic Meeting of Egos
Ayun Halliday will let you know if she makes it to Pittsburgh for her screentest if you follow her @AyunHalliday
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