The Confrontational Empathy of ‘I Shot Andy Warhol’

Welcome to The Queue — your day by day distraction of curated video content material sourced from throughout the online. At this time, we’re watching a video essay that explores how Mary Harron’s film I Shot Andy Warhol humanizes the controversial.

It’s in all probability not that controversial to say that American Psycho is Canadian director Mary Harron‘s best-known contribution to popular culture. And but, even on one of the best days, it doesn’t really feel notably honest to check the remainder of her filmography to her sophomore function, which tapped into one thing zeitgeist-y in a approach that may’t — I hope — be deliberate. Then once more, it doesn’t assist that her debut has been trapped indefinitely in distribution limbo, limiting its viewership via no fault of its personal.

Launched in 1996, I Shot Andy Warhol profiles the notorious feminist and would-be-assassin Valerie Solanas (Lili Taylor). A radical feminist whose largest contribution to historical past would have been the SCUM Manifesto if she hadn’t shot pop artist Andy Warhol in 1968. To say Solanas is a posh determine can be placing it evenly.

I Shot Andy Warhol unravels the circumstances that helped Solanas pull the set off: from her childhood to her experiences with homelessness, intercourse work, and being an out lesbian within the Fifties. The movie is an ambitiously empathetic viewing expertise; eager to push viewers to witness the human error and damage on the coronary heart of tabloid-courting scandal and controversy.

The video essay beneath takes time to acknowledge the unfair hand I Shot Andy Warhol was dealt by way of any authentic long-term survival. Lengthy out of circulation and as soon as thought of a lacking movie, Harron’s breakout debut persists for a purpose (it’s very good!). Incendiary and gentle, biting and tender, I Shot Andy Warhol deserves way more eyes on it, and right here’s why:

Earlier than you hit play, take into account this your formal warning that the next comprises spoilers. This may seem to be a goofy factor to flag contemplating this movie’s title and the truth that it’s based mostly on an actual particular person. But belief me: search this one out — in case you can — earlier than hitting play.

Watch “I Shot Andy Warhol – Humanising The Controversial”

Who made this?

This video essay on how Mary Harron’s I Shot Andy Warhol humanizes the controversial is by You Have Been Watching Movies. United Kingdom-based author Oliver Bagshaw produces the channel, creating video essays on an assortment of films, from cult to basic strains of cinema historical past. You possibly can subscribe to their YouTube channel right here.

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Associated Matters: Mary Harron, The Queue

Meg has been writing professionally about all issues film-related since 2016. She is a Senior Contributor at Movie Faculty Rejects in addition to a Curator for One Excellent Shot. She has attended worldwide movie festivals resembling TIFF, Scorching Docs, and the Nitrate Image Present as a member of the press. In her day job as an archivist and data supervisor, she frequently works with bodily media and is dedicated to making sure ongoing bodily media accessibility within the digital age. You will discover extra of Meg’s work at Cinema Scope, Lifeless Central, and Nonfics. She has additionally appeared on a lot of film-related podcasts, together with All of the President’s Minutes, Zodiac: Chronicle, Cannes I Kick It?, and Junk Filter. Her work has been shared on NPR’s Pop Tradition Completely satisfied Hour, Enterprise Insider, and CherryPicks. Meg has a B.A. from the College of King’s Faculty and a Grasp of Info diploma from the College of Toronto.