I SHOT ANDY WARHOL
US-UK, 1996, 106 minutes, Colour.
Lili Taylor, Jared Harris, Stephen Dorff, Martha Plimpton, Lothaire Bluteau.
Directed by Mary Herron.
I Shot Andy Warhol was directed and written by Mary Heron, a British documentary maker who moved into feature films with this film and then went on to make American Psycho. The film's focus is on Valerie Solanas, a feminist writer, a lesbian, a would-be actress, who was attracted to Andy Warhol and his Factory. She tended to remain on the outskirts of the factory and, ultimately, angry with Warhol, attempted to kill him.
The film focuses on the atmosphere of 1968 in New York City, a period of turmoil, Andy Warhol and his art, his Factory, his associates, especially with the focus on sexuality and drugs. Jared Harris impersonates Andy Warhol, Stephen Dorff impersonates the transvestite Candy Darling, and Lothaire Bluteau impersonates the publisher Maurice Girodias.
However, it is Lili Taylor as Valerie Solanas who is at the centre of the film, gives an intense performance, re-creates something of the atmosphere of the period and the intensity of this woman, especially in association with Warhol but also her writing, especially the SCUM Manifesto, Solanas's Society for Cutting Up Men.
There have been a number of films about Warhol and the Factory as well as the films produced by him and Paul Morrisey and others during this period. The film serves as a spotlight on what now seems a somewhat bizarre period of New York art and culture.
1. The status of Andy Warhol, in his time, in the US, in the art world, film world? His status after his death?
2. The film as narrative plot? As social documentary? As feminist film? As a portrait of Valerie Solanas? The variety of genres and their combination? The effect?
3. The framework: the initial shooting, Valerie and Warhol and his assistants, Valerie and the police and the interrogation, the interview with the psychologist? The ending with the repetition of the shooting sequence? Her sentence? The information about the others in the Warhol world? The exploration of Valerie's experience in between?
4. Warhol and his statements about 15 minutes of fame? The fame of Valerie Solanas - in herself, because of Warhol? The impact of the title of the film - and her saying it?
5. The re-creation of the atmosphere of the '60s, the Factory in New York City? The background of Warhol and his pop art, Op Art? Warhol in himself, his background, appearance, hair, glasses, thin? Shy and detached? Observing the artists and friends, the associates? How close was he to individuals? The range of artists around him, their style? Buying art, exhibiting? The social impact and social comment? The drug world of the period? Sexual liberation and experimentation? His homosexuality, relationships, attitudes towards women? The stars and the Warhol court? His building up his actors and artists into cult figures? His contribution to US culture and to modern attitudes towards art? Morality?
6. The variety of the people in the Factory? The range of types, their creative names, clothes and appearances, drug use, sexuality? Painting, artwork, acting? Plays and films? The boost that Warhol and the association with him gave to themselves as persons, to their careers, cult status? Seeing them in action at the Factory - especially in the filming? The background of their living at the Factory, discussions, poses, flamboyant behaviour?
7. The portrait of Valerie Solinas? The information about her background, family, sexual abuse, her lesbianism? Her walking the streets, as a prostitute, begging? Her friendship with Stevie and relationship with her? Her encounter with Maurice Girodias in the street? Having the cup of coffee, the discussion, his commissioning her to write? Her play and wanting to get it to Warhol? The friendship with Candy Darling and the approach to Warhol? The phone calls, leaving it with the secretary? The attention given by Warhol and his friends? His using her in film and her performance? Not following through with the play? Her growing paranoia? Her discussion with her friends, with Stevie, with Candy, with other members of the Factory? The background of her manifesto SCUM? The black and white sequences and her reciting from her manifesto? The play and its being lost, her feminism, her statements about lesbianism? Her going on the TV panel and being the only one to turn up, the violent response to the host and her chasing him? Her irritating people and people being annoyed with her? Getting the gun, the build-up to the shooting? Her reaction to the shooting, to the interrogation? Information about her sentence, her internment, wandering the streets, the pathos of her death? Her influence on feminist thought? Portrait and character drawing?
8. Candy Darling, the background, Jimmy and his ordinary life, transvestite, wanting to be a transsexual? The style and posing of his feminine life? Friendship with Valerie and Stevie, the discussions? The Warhol connection? Fashion? Trying to present the feminine - and the contrast with Valerie's lesbianism and feminism? Candy Darling's place in the Warhol Factory and the films? Pathos of the information about her death?
9. The world of Stevie, the prostitutes of New York City, their work, clients? Valerie and her picking up the businessmen, the charges, the sado-masochism and treatment of her clients?
10. Maurice Girodias, Olympia Press, his status, publications, fascination with Valerie, being irritated with her, ignoring her? The later publication of her manifesto and his loss of his money and firm?
11. The atmosphere of the Factory, the set pieces with the parties, the dancing? Warhol observing? The performance theatre, the filming? The characters and their attitudes?
12. The incident and its impact, the shooting of Andy Warhol, his going to hospital, recovering? Adding to Warhol's cult status? His life after the shooting, his death?
13. The film as a piece of entertainment? As an interesting background to characters and a particular period in American history, in New York history? As an interpretation of this period?
