The Andy Warhol Diaries

Unless you are or were a hard-core fan of Andy Warhol, you (like most of us) probably have a preconceived notion of who Warhol was. To most people, he was the weird looking guy with the bad wig who painted a bunch of Campbell soup cans. This documentary blows the lid off of any and most perceptions people had of Warhol.

I think for the most part Warhol was his own creation of who he wanted the world to think he was, i.e., eccentric, reclusive, lonely, fly-on-the-wall persona who created an almost completely new genre of modern art. He would used this self-creation to at once achieve what he most wanted (wealth and fame) while simultaneously retreating from the spotlight when it suited his purpose.

This doc peels all of the layers off of the facade. What we see is a man who was at times a social butterfly, one who craved affection just like any other person, one who fell in love and had his heart broken when the love affairs dissolved and partook in everyday activities just like the common man.

To me, two of the most startling things I found out were that Warhol was on 'The Love Boat' and he fell off of the back of a snowmobile. I was literally gob smacked.

As an added bonus, this movie is a must see for anyone who wants to know what NYC was like before, during and after the Aids epidemic. It's devastation is revisited in gut-wrenching fashion.

I highly recommend this series if you have even a passing interest in art and the life of one of the greatest modern painters of a generation.

Annoyed by the reviews putting this down. What planet are they all on?! 10 stars to this series. This is such a tender portrayal of his life and loves. There was much I did not know about him. The images bring his world to life and capture, with fleeting images, snippets and moments in time. A marvel of editing. I found this moving and hypnotic.

Wonderful.

This was a binge watch for me as the 70's & 80's was my time in NYC living in an illegal loft before Soho became the in place for the BBQ crowd, I don't mean barbeque. I knew most of the people that hung out with Warhol and Basquiat and met both of them many times during the disco, drugs, drinks era. I spent most of my salary each month buying art from both of them when Basquiat was selling signed drawings on postcards for $25 and Warhol who couldn't give away his Campbell soup can paintings away at the The Odeon, which is celebrating their 42nd anniversary this year. Yes I had great insight at that time of what would be one day and now smile every time I see the prices that both of these artists command at auction. The documentary by Ryan Murphy focuses more on Warhol's lonely life as a closeted gay man looking for love and his obsession with beautiful Waspy men and death. The interviews with his inner circle that are still alive was insightful but as my title says no one will ever know the real Andy Warhol.

A wonderful peep behind the curtain of a genius self centered manipulator. His self marketing has never been repeated. Unser the wig was a brilliant mind. All can learn from these diaries. Was Warhol a good human being ? No.

I completely enjoyed this documentary series. If you like documentaries you'll like this. If you like Andy Warhol you'll love this. It's informative and layered. I think it's a great binge watch candidate. This series really captures the New York art scene from the late 60's and into the late 80's. It's an entertaining and thoughtful piece focusing on Warhol's rise to fame and all the interesting and artistic characters that entered and left his universe. There was much about Andy Warhol's life and history that I didn't know about and this documentary series covers all the bases. And yet I find myself asking if anyone ever really knew this complex artist. His flaws and insecurities are explored as is his somewhat conflicted love life. Several aspects of this series really resonated with me, which leads me to admit that I may be a tad biased. All who were involved with this work of art should feel proud and should also be applauded for a job well done.