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Secret Cinema at Moore presents THE VELVET UNDERGROUND FILM FESTIVAL -- RE-LOADED Moore College of Art & Design 20th & Race Streets, Philadelphia (215) 568-4515, ext. 4099 Thursday, April 21: 8:00 pm - Program 1 (THE VELVET UNDERGROUND AND NICO: A SYMPHONY OF SOUND + WARHOL SCREEN TESTS) 10:00 pm - Program 2 (THE V.U. aka MOE GETS TIED UP + EPI PROJECTION REEL) Friday, April 22: 8:00 pm - Program 2 (THE V.U. aka MOE GETS TIED UP + EPI PROJECTION REEL) 10:00 pm - Program 1 (THE VELVET UNDERGROUND AND NICO: A SYMPHONY OF SOUND + WARHOL SCREEN TESTS) Admission is $6.00 for each program, or $10.00 to see both programs in the same day. This month, The Secret Cinema at Moore College of Art & Design will revive and expand the most popular presentation in its thirteen-year history, with THE VELVET UNDERGROUND FILM FESTIVAL -- RE-LOADED. Two separate programs will feature films made by Andy Warhol (and Warhol's right-hand filmmaker Paul Morrissey) in the peak years of the legendary rock band's innovative career. New for this edition are three films, all of which can be considered Philadelphia premieres*. And to make it timely, there's even an appearance by Salvador Dali! Once again, we will show the feature THE VELVET UNDERGROUND AND NICO: A SYMPHONY OF SOUND, which contains the only known sound footage of the group performing live. Additionally, the programs will include rare reels that were projected during THE EXPLODING PLASTIC INEVITABLE, the live multi-media happening that Warhol produced in 1966 to showcase his new musical discoveries. Each program will be shown twice, as shown above. Complete details of the individual films are as follows: PROGRAM 1 THE VELVET UNDERGROUND AND NICO: A SYMPHONY OF SOUND (1966, sound, 67 mins. Dir: Andy Warhol) While Andy Warhol introduced the Velvets to the world though his multi-media extravaganza "The Exploding Plastic Inevitable," he was also immersed in making a groundbreaking series of experimental films. He would use VU music in a number of his films as well as occasional band member cameos in works such as THE CHELSEA GIRLS. This, however, is the only title from Warhol's prolific 60s output to star the group. It features a live performance at the Factory, captured in the only sync-sound footage of the VU known to exist. SYMPHONY OF SOUND is shot in Warhol's minimal, laissez-faire style, which generally let events unfold before the camera without intrusion. In this case, the events included an otherwise unreleased, freewheeling "Sister Ray"-esque jam, Nico's (and Alain Delon's) young son Ari wandering around in the mayhem, and New York Police officers coming in to stop the racket. WARHOL SCREEN TESTS (1966, silent, 35 mins. Dir: Andy Warhol) Between 1964 and 1966, visitors to the Factory with "star" potential would be seated in front of a stationary camera and asked to hold still while 3 minutes of 16mm film were shot. Proving the adage that less is more, these clips contain some of Warhol's most striking and enduring film images. Real celebrities would join the Warhol "Superstars" and forgotten passers-by in these time capsule miniatures. This reel includes tests of Nico, Lou Reed, and John Cale, along with Susan Sontag, Helmut Newton and others. PROGRAM 2 EPI PROJECTION REEL aka SALVADOR DALI. (1966, silent, 22 mins. Dir: Andy Warhol) Intended for projection behind the Velvet Underground during live performances of THE EXPLODING PLASTIC INEVITABLE, this reel contains Factory-shot Screen Tests of the one and only Salvador Dali, plus Nico, Sterling Morrison and Lou Reed, followed by two rolls of EPI dancers Gerard Malanga and Mary Woronov performing their S&M "whip dance" for the camera. THE V.U. aka MOE GETS TIED UP (1966, sound, 66 mins. Dir: Andy Warhol) These intriguing reels were also filmed for use as background projections during the Velvets' live shows, but with Warhol's Auricon camera, which recorded a live soundtrack as it ran. Shot on a staged "set" at Warhol's Factory, the band enact an improvised psychodrama in which Reed, Cale and Morrison bind drummer Maureen Tucker to a chair with ropes and proceed to torment her with whips and food. There is no music in this minimal narrative, but much to analyze, in a fascinating discovery for dedicated Lou Reed/VU fans. *There is the distinct possibility that any or all of the films that were made to be shown during the live performances of THE EXPLODING PLASTIC INEVITABLE were seen just one time previously in Philadelphia, back in 1966 -- that is when The Velvet Underground, with Nico, played at the YMHA (today known as the Gershman Y), along with the projections and dancers that comprised the EPI. Note the new Secret Cinema website location: www.thesecretcinema.com |
