Andy Warhol, one of the twentieth century's major visual artists, was a prolific filmmaker who made hundreds of films, many of them - "Sleep", "Empire", "Blow Job", "The Chelsea Girls", and "Blue Movie" - seminal but misunderstood contributions to the history of American cinema. In the first comprehensive study of Warhol's films, J.J. Murphy provides a detailed survey and analysis. He discusses Warhol's early films, sound portraits, involvement with multimedia (including The Velvet Underground), and sexploitation films, as well as the more commercial works he produced for Paul Morrissey in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Murphy's close readings of the films illuminate Warhol's brilliant collaborations with writers, performers, other artists, and filmmakers. The book further demonstrates how Warhol's use of the camera transformed the events being filmed and how his own unique brand of psychodrama created dramatic tension within the works.

About the Author
J.J. Murphy is Professor of Film and Affiliate Professor of Art at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. A filmmaker and curator, Murphy is also the author of Me and You and Memento and Fargo: How Independent Screenplays Work.

Reviews
"Challenge[s] the entire field to discover the pleasures and rewards of respecting the specificity and integrity of Warhol's production." Artforum "Murphy has derived a highly unique, counterintuitive map, tracing Warhol's cinematic influence to the heart of U.S. art cinema." Cineaste "Murphy's study is critical to any understanding of Warhol's impact and influence as a filmmaker... This is one of the best books on Warhol's films to date." Choice "Forget everything you think you know about Andy Warhol... In encouraging us to completely rethink Warhol, Murphy's real strength is the way he's able to make these films sound so alive and vibrant." Bad Lit "Murphy's engaging study gives us Warhol the visionary." Times Higher Education "Fascinating and essential... A product of thoroughly engaged research." -- Jack Sargeant Filmink Magazine "An engaging, invaluable volume that does much to reframe Warhol's complex use of [film]... A terrific resource." Fandor.com



Book Information
ISBN 9780520271883
Author J.J. Murphy
Format Paperback
Page Count 336
Imprint University of California Press
Publisher University of California Press
Weight(grams) 454g
Dimensions(mm) 229mm * 152mm * 23mm