We recentÂly told you the stoÂry. In the mid 60s, Andy Warhol quit paintÂing rather abruptÂly and began some new advenÂtures in mulÂtiÂmeÂdia. TakÂing a quick detour into music, Warhol became the manÂagÂer, “proÂducÂer” and overÂall patron of the up-and-comÂing band, The VelÂvet UnderÂground. But film is where he focused his creÂative enerÂgies.
Between 1964 and 1966, the pop artist shot close to 500 short movies — or what he called “screen tests” — of friends, celebriÂties and modÂels. (Find screen tests of Lou Reed, Nico, Edie SedgÂwick, and DenÂnis HopÂper here.) And then he shot a series of longer films, or rather “anti-films,” that chalÂlenged the conÂvenÂtions of filmÂmakÂing. No three act strucÂtures here. Above, we start you off with his first film, Sleep (1963). OrigÂiÂnalÂly Warhol wantÂed to make Brigitte BarÂdot the star, but he evenÂtuÂalÂly setÂtled for his friend John Giorno, and you get what the title promisÂes. 40 silent minÂutes of Giorno’s long slumÂber.
Next in the loose trilÂoÂgy comes Kiss, a 54 minute film built out of a series of shortÂer films. It’s all couÂples kissÂing. Men & women. Women & women. Men & men. And it’s all silent again.
Then we cap things off with Eat (1964), 40 minÂutes of watchÂing the starvÂing pop artist Robert IndiÂana gnaw on a raw mushÂroom and nothÂing more. The trilÂoÂgy-ender was first screened at the WashÂingÂton Square Gallery, along with anothÂer long-take film, Blow Job.…
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Andy Warhol’s 1965 Film, Vinyl, AdaptÂed from AnthoÂny Burgess’ A ClockÂwork Orange