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(The following interview was recorded with Andy Warhol at 4:30 A.M. on the 43rd floor of the Time-Life Building, just 30 minutes after completion of the shooting of the 8-hour "underground" movie, Empire, in the summer of 1964.)
INTERVIEW WITH ANDY WARHOL ON EMPIRE/by Gerard Malanga
GM: Could you tell me how you felt as you were being taken up into the building?
AW: The actual elevator ride to the top of the 
    Empire State Building took as little time as 
    one minute, but a visit to Empire State is an 
    experience that each visitor will remember all 
    his life. 
    My thrills began the moment I stepped aboard 
    a modern express elevator which whisked me to 
    the 86th floor Observatory at a speed of 
    1,200feet per minute. A special elevator took 
    me to the 102nd story peak.
GM: What did you see once you reached the top?
AW: Once atop the Empire State Building, the most 
    spectacular view in the world was spread at my 
    feet. From the outdoor terraces or the glass- 
    enclosed, heated Observatory on the 86th floor 
    (1,050 feet or 320 meters). Here I was often 
    at cloud level nearly a quarter of a mile 
    above the streets.
    I could distinguish Landmarks as far away as 
    25 miles and was able to gaze as far as 50 
    miles into five states... Massachusetts, 
    Connecticut, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New 
    York.
GM: What were some of New York's landmarks that 
    you were able to see from atop Empire State?
AW: To the north the HCA Building stands out 
    against the 840 acres of Central Park. The 
    Hudson River to the left leads to upper New 
    York State and New England. The Bronx is in 
    the background.
    From the northwest corner of the 86th floor 
    Observatory, visitors look into Times Square 
    (center) and the bustling piers along the 
    Hudson River, where giant ships from all over 
    the world tie up.