Warhol Film Screening—Commercial/Commodity
Nov 24, 2018, 7 pm
Nov 28, 2018, 2 pm
Floor 3, Theater
Keenly aware of how the advertising world functioned as a consequence of his commercial commissions of the 1950s, Warhol brought his preoccupation with advertisements into his film work beginning in 1964 with a series of Screen Tests featuring prominent product placement shots. Warhol recognized early on the algorithmically driven advertising apparatus that preyed on consumers’ desires. His films reflect and critique the formulaic structure of television programming and advertisements in the 1960s. Warhol semi-facetiously said that he preferred the commercials over the programs. If the star of the commercial is the product, and, as Warhol himself noted, the reason to “go to the movies [is] to see only the star, to eat him up,” then Warhol’s filmmaking lays bare the advertisers’ manipulation of the viewer, and their invitation to devour the product on offer.
Films
Jane Holzer (Toothbrush) (ST147), 1964
16mm, black-and-white, silent; 4:24 min. at 16 fps, 3:54 min. at 18 fps
Lou Reed (Hershey) (ST270), 1966
16mm, black-and-white, silent; 4:24 min. at 16 fps, 3:54 min. at 18 fps
Nico (Coke) (ST244), 1966
16mm, black-and-white, silent; 4:36 min. at 16 fps, 4:06 min. at 18 fps
Soap Opera (excerpt), 1964
16mm, black-and-white, silent and sound; 46:48 min. at 24 fps
Total running time: 60 minutes
Saturday, November 24th, 2018
7 pm
Wednesday, November 28th, 2018
2 pm
Tickets are required ($12 adults; $10 members, seniors, students, and visitors with disabilities). See all screening programs for just $99 with the Warhol Film Package ($89 members, seniors, students, and visitors with disabilities).
View all Warhol Film Screenings and Programs.
The Susan and John Hess Family Theater is equipped with an induction loop and infrared assistive listening system. Accessible seating is available.
Learn more about access services and programs.
