Films by Kenneth Anger

Initiated early into the Hollywood dream (a bit part in Reinhardt's Midsummer Night's Dream), Kenneth Anger also delights in its nightmare (as devourers of his Hollywood Babylon can attest). His own films, while part dream, part nightmare, are primarily "magick"-the magic of an era, the rituals of the occult, the myths of an individual. A magician on-screen (in Lucifer Rising) and off, Anger is intensely aware of the power, the "magick" potential of film. (His title for his collected works is the "Magick Lantern Cycle.") His films, his "incantations," are elaborately constructed to juxtapose-ironically or as commentary-the visual and sound tracks. He works and reworks his films-adding a new sound track, altering the visual track-casting new "spells" on his audience. Tonight we present two versions of his Inauguration of the Pleasure Dome, first, one with a Janacek score, and then, at the end of the program, a later version with a rock song track. The program also includes Anger's earliest film in distribution, Fireworks, and his last completed work, Lucifer Rising, as well as Kustom Kar Kommando. Kathy Geritz Fireworks (1947, 15 min), Inauguration of the Pleasure Dome (1954-66, 38 min, Color), Kustom Kar Kommando (1965, 3.5 min, Color), Lucifer Rising (1980, 30 min, Color), Inauguration of the Pleasure Dome (1954-75, 38 min, Color).

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