The Velvet Underground

Preceded by Todd Haynes’s music video for “Disappearer” by Sonic Youth

NOTE: The December 17 screening will take place in the Bartos Screening Room.

Dir. Todd Haynes. 2021, 121 mins. DCP. Haynes’s kaleidoscopic portrait of the seminal sixties rock group The Velvet Underground explodes the music documentary form. Rather than dutifully charting the ups and downs, personal crises and triumphs of the band’s members (like Lou Reed, John Cale, Nico, Sterling Morrison, and Maureen Tucker), Haynes situates them within the larger, buzzing microcosm of creation that was the New York art scene of the 1960s, encompassing the Warhol Factory, pop art, underground film, and the avant-garde, all feeding off each other in exciting ways. The result is a thrilling, cathartic work of unconventional nonfiction that pays tribute to genius without succumbing to hagiography, and stands as a poignant testament to a time, place, and headspace that would have untold influence on generations of artists, musicians, and filmmakers.

Tickets: $15 / $11 senior and students / $9 youth (ages 3–17) / discounted for MoMI members ($7–$11). Order tickets. Please pick up tickets at the Museum’s admissions desk upon arrival. All seating is general admission. Review safety protocols before your visit.