Jason KingAndy Warhol's FLESH ($12-)
February 16th 2009 21:35
Category: No Category
Andy Warhol's FLESH ($12-)
Although Flesh was released as Andy Warhol's Flesh, Warhol had little to do with the actual making of the film. Paul Morrissey directed it while Andy was recuperating from his gunshot wounds.
While Warhol was in the hospital, John Schlesinger used some of the Factory regulars for the party scene of Midnight Cowboy. Warhol was jealous that Hollywood was making a commercial film about a hustler when he had already made My Hustler in 1965, so he suggested to Paul Morrissey that he make another hustler film:
Andy Warhol:
"While I was in the hospital, I had the same jealous feeling thinking about Midnight Cowboy that I had had when I saw Hair and realized that people with money were taking the subject matter of the underground, counterculture life and giving it a good, slick commercial treatment... 'Isn't it amazing?' Paul said on the phone one night while I was still in the hospital. 'Hollywood's just gotten around to doing a movie about a 42nd Street male hustler, and we did ours in '65...' 'Well, you know,' I said, 'maybe we did our film too early. Maybe now is the smart time to do a film about a male hustler. Why don't you do another one - this time it can be in color.'"
Paul Morrissey's first film in the sensational and erotically charged FLESH, TRASH, HEAT trilogy was a decisive homage to the aesthetic that inspired Warhol's first works. Commencing with a prolonged shot of a sleeping Joe Dallesandro (echoing Warhol's six-hour film, SLEEP), FLESH launches into a distinctive, if somewhat esoteric plot, following Joe as he starts his day. Joe works as a prostitute to fund an abortion needed by the girlfriend of his lesbian wife. Bouncing between seedy encounters with delusional and damaged clients and dates with drag queens and hustlers, Joe is often the object of sexual attention and obsession (especially from the camera itself) as he meanders through his life. Whether casually receiving oral sex from a dim-witted ex-girlfriend, gently caressing his baby, or offering sexual favors in a public restroom for a twenty spot, Joe is always portrayed sympathetically. Making good on his belief that personality is the crux of any story, Morrissey trains his camera languorously on the minutiae of humanity and its many traits, talents, and downfalls, creating a highly personal insight into the failed lives of his unique characters.
The film is pure homoerotica worship of Joe Dallesandro and he is totally worthy of the worship - he is divine in beauty and carries the failed lives of all around him on his shoulder with subtlety and accepts his place in life. Sad really, considering how beautiful, motivated and intelligent he is. The film is aptly titled - Joe is everyone elses piece of meat, including the audience and cameras. A large portion of all the shots are lingering closeups of Joe's face and body. It is Warhol and Morrisey's film version of their take on Adonis.
Joe Dallesandro: "I consider myself bisexual. It wasn't that I was sexually attracted to men per se, but you know, if you do something for awhile you can acquire a taste for it."
One doesn’t have to be gay to enjoy FLESH, but it wouldn’t hurt. The frequent male nudity will shock those who aren’t comfortable watching that much bare flesh, and the audience is soon thrown into the position of one of Joe’s tricks by gawking at every inch of him presented on the screen, which was probably Morrissey’s intent. His portrayal of a day in the life of a male hustler was reportedly influenced by the less-than-accurate Hollywood film MIDNIGHT COWBOY, in which members of the Warhol gang had cameos. In fact, FLESH beat COWBOY to the theaters by almost a year and was an X-rated smash before Hollywood dared to release their X-rated Schlesinger movie. Like that film, Morrissey shot FLESH on the mean streets of New York City, cheap sets and in seedy apartments, but without permits and with no script, giving the actors a scenario and allowing them to work out the scene themselves. I am pretty confident everyone is off their faces while filming the movie and some of the scenes are drawn out but effective.
This film is shot so rough it could almost pass as a home 8mm or 16mm film. There are some scenes with no sound and the majority of scene changes come with a white flash and sound beep but it is enthralling, while Warhol had little to do with the actual production it comes across as another piece of his famous art and a beautiful viewing into the times and sexual free thinking of the people.
Worth the viewing for Joe and the underground film making of the late 60's. Morgan - you would LOVE this. I bought a copy for $10- on Ebay and it is out on DVD. Worth $12-
Although Flesh was released as Andy Warhol's Flesh, Warhol had little to do with the actual making of the film. Paul Morrissey directed it while Andy was recuperating from his gunshot wounds.
While Warhol was in the hospital, John Schlesinger used some of the Factory regulars for the party scene of Midnight Cowboy. Warhol was jealous that Hollywood was making a commercial film about a hustler when he had already made My Hustler in 1965, so he suggested to Paul Morrissey that he make another hustler film:
Andy Warhol:
"While I was in the hospital, I had the same jealous feeling thinking about Midnight Cowboy that I had had when I saw Hair and realized that people with money were taking the subject matter of the underground, counterculture life and giving it a good, slick commercial treatment... 'Isn't it amazing?' Paul said on the phone one night while I was still in the hospital. 'Hollywood's just gotten around to doing a movie about a 42nd Street male hustler, and we did ours in '65...' 'Well, you know,' I said, 'maybe we did our film too early. Maybe now is the smart time to do a film about a male hustler. Why don't you do another one - this time it can be in color.'"
Paul Morrissey's first film in the sensational and erotically charged FLESH, TRASH, HEAT trilogy was a decisive homage to the aesthetic that inspired Warhol's first works. Commencing with a prolonged shot of a sleeping Joe Dallesandro (echoing Warhol's six-hour film, SLEEP), FLESH launches into a distinctive, if somewhat esoteric plot, following Joe as he starts his day. Joe works as a prostitute to fund an abortion needed by the girlfriend of his lesbian wife. Bouncing between seedy encounters with delusional and damaged clients and dates with drag queens and hustlers, Joe is often the object of sexual attention and obsession (especially from the camera itself) as he meanders through his life. Whether casually receiving oral sex from a dim-witted ex-girlfriend, gently caressing his baby, or offering sexual favors in a public restroom for a twenty spot, Joe is always portrayed sympathetically. Making good on his belief that personality is the crux of any story, Morrissey trains his camera languorously on the minutiae of humanity and its many traits, talents, and downfalls, creating a highly personal insight into the failed lives of his unique characters.
The film is pure homoerotica worship of Joe Dallesandro and he is totally worthy of the worship - he is divine in beauty and carries the failed lives of all around him on his shoulder with subtlety and accepts his place in life. Sad really, considering how beautiful, motivated and intelligent he is. The film is aptly titled - Joe is everyone elses piece of meat, including the audience and cameras. A large portion of all the shots are lingering closeups of Joe's face and body. It is Warhol and Morrisey's film version of their take on Adonis.
Joe Dallesandro: "I consider myself bisexual. It wasn't that I was sexually attracted to men per se, but you know, if you do something for awhile you can acquire a taste for it."
One doesn’t have to be gay to enjoy FLESH, but it wouldn’t hurt. The frequent male nudity will shock those who aren’t comfortable watching that much bare flesh, and the audience is soon thrown into the position of one of Joe’s tricks by gawking at every inch of him presented on the screen, which was probably Morrissey’s intent. His portrayal of a day in the life of a male hustler was reportedly influenced by the less-than-accurate Hollywood film MIDNIGHT COWBOY, in which members of the Warhol gang had cameos. In fact, FLESH beat COWBOY to the theaters by almost a year and was an X-rated smash before Hollywood dared to release their X-rated Schlesinger movie. Like that film, Morrissey shot FLESH on the mean streets of New York City, cheap sets and in seedy apartments, but without permits and with no script, giving the actors a scenario and allowing them to work out the scene themselves. I am pretty confident everyone is off their faces while filming the movie and some of the scenes are drawn out but effective.
This film is shot so rough it could almost pass as a home 8mm or 16mm film. There are some scenes with no sound and the majority of scene changes come with a white flash and sound beep but it is enthralling, while Warhol had little to do with the actual production it comes across as another piece of his famous art and a beautiful viewing into the times and sexual free thinking of the people.
Worth the viewing for Joe and the underground film making of the late 60's. Morgan - you would LOVE this. I bought a copy for $10- on Ebay and it is out on DVD. Worth $12-
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Comment by Raoul Duke
Style of Eye
Comment by Jason King
Sydney Table
Salty Popcorn
Total Randomness
I am after the other two from the trilogy now - I am pretty sure they all star Joe.
Comment by Raoul Duke
Style of Eye
Trash is more a junkie flick and Heat is a loooose reworking of Sunset Blvd.
Joe was the Keanu of his day ... RAFLMAO
Comment by Jason King
Sydney Table
Salty Popcorn
Total Randomness
Will track down Trash and Heat on Ebay - thanks again!
Joe is very hot!
Comment by Raoul Duke
Style of Eye
Comment by Jason King
Sydney Table
Salty Popcorn
Total Randomness
Comment by Morgan Bell
Deep Pencil
Business News
Movie Train
sounds like something i would like
i wonder if theres a box-set floating around
Comment by Jason King
Sydney Table
Salty Popcorn
Total Randomness
Comment by ShaunK
Screen Adventure
Loved 'Trash' ! In fact its one of my favourite movies.
Heat was funny and entertaining
However I felt like flesh was the weak link for me, when I watched it at the time i didnt actually have the patience for its meandering quality, plus that cutting with the white flash gave me the shits! the opening scenes with his son are absolutely stunning though
Definitely three films which arnt for your average viewer, Jason and Morgan, the boxset is available everywhere, just go into JB hifi and you'll be able to find it. they're cheap too.
Comment by Jason King
Sydney Table
Salty Popcorn
Total Randomness
I am there - these are keepers.
Thanks Shaun