Sunday, April 20, 2014

4/23/14 two films by ANDY WARHOL


BLOW JOB
35min/Silent/BW
Blow Job is a silent film, directed by Andy Warhol, that was filmed in January 1964. It depicts the face of an uncredited DeVeren Bookwalter as he apparently receives fellatio from an unseen partner. While shot at 24 frame/s, Warhol specified that it should be projected at 16 frame/s, slowing it down by a third.

Despite the salacious title, the film shows only the expression on the young man's face; the implied sexual act itself is not seen. It is not stated whether it is a male or a female performing the act, and the viewer must assume that fellatio is occurring. It has also been speculated that the salaciousness is entirely in the title, and that no fellatio was actually being performed.

THE LIFE JUANITA CASTRO
66min/Sound/BW
The Life of Juanita Castro (1965) is an American underground film directed by Andy Warhol, filmed in March 1965.
A playwright (Tavel) taunts a number of actresses into improvising a play on Fidel Castro and his family, at a time when the revolution was bringing back disquieting stories of executions and imprisonments and, particularly, virulent hatred and torture of homosexuals in Cuba.
Cast
Ronald Tavel as on-screen director
Marie Menken as Juanita Castro
Mercedes Ospina as Fidel Castro
Elektrah (Lobel) as Raul Castro
Aniram Anipso as Che Guevara
and as members of the Castro family: Harvey Tavel, Waldo Diaz-Balart, Ultra Violet, Jinny Bern, Amanda Sherrill, Bonny Gaer, Isadora Rose, Elizabeth Staal, and Carol Lobravico.