Tub Girls
| Tub Girls | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Andy Warhol |
| Starring | Viva Abigail Rosen Taylor Mead Brigid Polk |
| Distributed by | Andy Warhol Films |
Release date |
|
Running time | 90 mins. |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Tub Girls is a 1967 underground film by Andy Warhol. The film stars Warhol superstar Viva in a bathtub entertaining a series of visitors. Tub Girls is part of the full-length version of Warhol's film **** (Four Stars) (1967).
Plot
The film follows Viva in different bathtubs as she receives a succession of visitors from Factory regulars.[1][2] Throughout the film, Viva alternately shares the tub with and departs from different companions, creating a recurring cycle of pairings and separations.[2] The visitors include both men and women of different racial backgrounds, including Abigail Rosen, Brigid Polk, Taylor Mead, and Alexis de la Falaise.[2][3] The largely improvised encounters emphasize shifting social and interpersonal relationships rather than a conventional narrative.
Production
Viva asked her friend Abigail Rosen to locate an unusual bathtub for a film Warhol had cast her in.[4] Rosen obtained a clear acrylic tub previously used in a television commercial on the condition that she be allowed to appear in the film.[4] She subsequently appeared alongside Viva in the bathtub while the film.[4] Rosen recalled that Paul Morrissey handled the lighting and camera setup while Warhol briefly supervised the filming.[1] She was paid $100 for her appearance, making her one of the few Warhol performers to receive payment.[4]
Tub Girls consists of six reels from, and appeared as a segment within another Warhol film, the 25-hour-long **** (Four Stars) (1967).[5] The original poster promoting the film, designed by George Abagnalo, is shown prominently in a portrait of Warhol by Jack Mitchell.[6]
Reception
In a 1968 article for the East Village Other, critic Dick Preston reviewed **** (Four Stars) and highlighted the Tub Girls segment, writing that it explored "all the variations and deviations" of possible pairings.[2] He added, "Among the sequences which appealed to me was a very white Viva bathing in a glass bath (set in the middle of a black and white chequered floor) with a dark skinned girl of infinite charm and beauty. … Viva making love in the bath (there were at least six different bath sequences) with a young man to whom she hardly said a word."[2][7]
See also
References
- 1 2 Comenas, Gary (December 2007). "Abigail Rosen (McGrath) Interview". warholstars.org. Retrieved August 4, 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 5 Salvo, Donna M. De; curator), Jessica Beck (Art museum (January 1, 2018). Andy Warhol: From A to B and Back Again. Yale University Press. pp. 62–63. ISBN 978-0-300-23698-9.
- ↑ Schaap, Dick (December 10, 1967). "The World of Warhol". San Francisco Sunday Examiner & Chronicle. p. 216. Retrieved August 4, 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 Green, Penelope (January 12, 2025). "Abigail McGrath, Founder of an Experimental Theater, Dies at 84". The New York Times. Retrieved January 15, 2025.
- ↑ Summers, Claude (April 24, 2012). The Queer Encyclopedia of Film and Television. Cleis Press Start. p. 286. ISBN 978-1-57344-882-6.
- ↑ Highberger, Craig. "Andy Warhol at his Factory at 33 Union Square, LAST ONE signed by Jack Mitchell". 1stDibs. 1stDibs.com Inc.
- ↑ "Tub Girls - Andy Warhol". warholstars.org. Retrieved August 4, 2026.
