Although IMDb warns that short descriptions of less than ten lines may n

January 25, 2013 3:45 AM

"Although IMDb warns that short descriptions of less than ten lines may not be adequately detailed, I believe that a longer description is probably not reasonably possible. I think I have included everything that bears mentioning." Andy Warhol's Eat. Also Kiss. Also Sleep.
posted by twoleftfeet (7 comments total)

It's the 50th year anniversary of these films.

Miss you, Andy.
posted by twoleftfeet at 3:53 AM on January 25, 2013 [2 favorites]

Good thing Youtube doesn't limit the size of uploads.
posted by Obscure Reference at 4:34 AM on January 25, 2013 [1 favorite]

"Eat: Synopsis. See More at IMDBPro"

After reading the synopsis I don't think I really need to.
posted by marienbad at 5:56 AM on January 25, 2013

I believe that a longer description is probably not reasonably possible.

and the post title proves it!
posted by quonsar II: smock fishpants and the temple of foon at 8:09 AM on January 25, 2013 [2 favorites]

Although IMDb warns that short descriptions of less than ten lines may n

MeFi, on the other hand, warns that longer descriptions may b
posted by The Bellman at 8:11 AM on January 25, 2013 [1 favorite]

Warhol's films are extraordinary. I love that IMDb synopsis. Warhol's the rare experimental filmmaker whose work can be summarized narratively like that while retaining a certain sense of what the work is like.

If you described what Warhol does as the filmmaker, it would be almost as simple: he starts the camera, perhaps he speaks briefly to the subject(s) from behind the camera (you might or might not hear him, since so many of his films were silent, but you might still see the subjects react), the camera rolls for the length of one reel of 16mm film or perhaps for the maximum length the motor on his camera will allow for one take (these long takes might last even longer than reality if you are watching one of the silent films, since these are meant to be projected at 16 fps). At some point, the film will run out (usually you will see this happen - you'll see the image get washed out by light and end-of-reel markings).

This website has a nearly-complete filmography of Warhol's film work along with a lot of background detail.

MoMA will rent you 16mm prints of some of these films, which is the only way to see many of them.

(On home video, the Warhol Foundation has Flesh, Trash, and Heat, all collaborations between Warhol and Paul Morrissey and rather different from Warhol's solo work - and then there's this DVD of screen tests from Plexifilm. But that's about it for authorized releases, as far as I know - yay YouTube?)
posted by bubukaba at 10:23 AM on January 25, 2013 [1 favorite]

The most adventurous film buff I know personally, a man so adventurous he relocated permanently to India based on his love for Bollywood, told me he saw a screening of Andy Warhol's Empire. The film is basically a static shot of the Empire State Building held for approximately 8 hours. My friend told me that, when darkness fell and they had to turn the lights on the Empire State Building, the audience clapped.
posted by jonp72 at 11:08 AM on January 25, 2013 [2 favorites]