Overlook every part you understand about Batman on display screen—there’s a bizarre, wild gem you’ve most likely by no means heard of. Again in 1964, Andy Warhol, sure Andy Warhol, made his personal Batman film. And no, he didn’t ask DC for permission. Batman Dracula was Warhol’s DIY tribute to the Darkish Knight, shot on a 16mm Bolex digital camera and solely ever proven at his artwork displays. Speak concerning the underground.
The film, starring Jack Smith as Bruce Wayne and Rely Dracula, is a complete journey. No flashy explosions, no CGI, only a surreal, nearly summary chase throughout Lengthy Island and New York Metropolis, culminating in a bizarre showdown between Batman and Dracula. Warhol didn’t look after typical superhero guidelines—this was his twisted take, filled with camp and weirdness. Batman and Dracula? Excellent combo, proper? And Warhol was all in. He didn’t simply spend a few hours on this—he shot seven hours of footage.
However right here’s the kicker—Batman Dracula was a misplaced movie for many years. Warhol solely ever confirmed it at his Pop Artwork displays, and since he didn’t get the inexperienced mild from DC, the film by no means went public. It was buried in obscurity till 2006 when some footage surfaced within the documentary Jack Smith and the Destruction of Atlantis. The footage? Grainy, summary, and arduous to decipher. However you would make out Jack Smith’s goateed Dracula swirling his cape round actress Jane Holzer whereas the dreamy sounds of The Velvet Underground’s “Nothing Tune” set the vibe. Superheroes, however make it artsy.
Good luck discovering all the film—it’s like trying to find a unicorn. Even the Andy Warhol Museum and MoMA don’t have it. And in the event that they did? They couldn’t display screen it with out DC giving the inexperienced mild. So, is it misplaced perpetually or stashed away in a dusty Warner Bros. vault? Your guess is pretty much as good as ours.
Rewind to 1964. Superhero motion pictures have been barely a blip on Hollywood’s radar. Batman had a tacky serial within the ’40s, and the campy Batman TV present wouldn’t hit screens till 1966. Warhol, being Warhol, noticed the inventive freedom and went full-on gothic. His imaginative and prescient? There’s a trippy conflict between two icons—Batman and Dracula. That’s the form of wild power he thrived on.
Oh, and Warhol was low-key obsessive about Batman. In 1966, he dressed as Robin for a photoshoot with Nico as Batman. Quick ahead to the ’90s, and DC dropped a Batman vs. Dracula graphic novel. Coincidence? Possibly. However let’s be sincere—Warhol was simply forward of his time, doing Batman in his artsy, offbeat manner.
So, whereas we might by no means get an entire model of Batman Dracula, what’s clear is that Warhol’s bizarre little fan movie was manner forward of its time. It wasn’t the superhero flick we all know at the moment, nevertheless it was nonetheless a love letter to Batman, made by a real fan.
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