Saturday, July 15, 2017

Movie review - "Andy Warhol's Bad" (1977) **

I've never seen an Andy Warhol film. I'm not sure this was the best introduction - it's like a John Waters film played straight, a delirious melodrama in the suburbs with Carroll Baker as a hair removalist who runs a murder business on the side. Perry King comes to stay with her and mayhem ensues.

I think this was meant to be a comedy but it doesn't feel like one. The handling is flat. Some actors play it broad, others underplay. It was nice to see Carroll Baker in a good role in an American film made by a leading artist (even though Warhol didn't write or direct it); she's competent in a role that might have required more flair. Perry King is fine in the "beautiful young man" part he often had to play in the 70s - but this role does have some meat on it.

The supporting cast have energy. There's scenes with a toilet overflowing with shit, amputations, a woman with gas... There's also, shockingly, a scene with a baby thrown out the window - it hits the ground and goes splat.

It was kind of dull. I kept expecting it to be more fun than it was.

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