Customer Reviews

The Films of Kenneth Anger, Vol. 2

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Kenneth Anger, Volume Two gathers together Kenneth Anger's work during his most influential period. "Scorpio Rising" is the standout, a homoerotic (daring by the standards of the day)semi-documentary (play the commentary) of gay bikers in Coney Island which through use of montage and then current pop songs, some sacreligious elements (a dated religious film is spliced in) and film footage of Hollywood movies (Marlon Brando in the "Wild One", James Dean)creates an avant masterwork, underground before the genre became tedious. Influential on John Waters Gus Van Sant but surprisingly an admitted influence on Martin Scorcese and many other mainstream film makers (the use of the song "Blue Velvet" in an out of context fashion may have been lifted by a certain film maker) and the use of pop songs in an ironic context was groundbreaking. The other films are less important ("Kustom Kar Kommandos" is a film fragment never completed, "Invocation of My Demon Brother" is dated (Mick Jagger unsuccesfully trying out the Moog, soundtrack, the appearence of Anton Levay), "Rabbit's Moon" is a shortened version of the far better version available on Volume I (which had a far more appropriate soundtrack) and "Lucifer Rising" has its moments and nice imagery but no more (the new film on Aleister Crowley "The Man We Want to Hang" is an interesting bonus but no surprise). So for overall content I'd give this 4 stars but "Scorpio Rising", plus the remastering of the films and soundtracks and the commentary take this up one full star and make this a neccessary purchase for all interested in film history.

The Films of Kenneth Anger - Vol. 2 is another lovingly prepared DVD treasure from San Francisco based Fantoma Films. Superb restoration from high definition masters on all 5 classic films, plus a bonus short. Commentaries by Kenneth Anger himself are informative and tell us the little secrets that we want to know. The 48 page illustrated booklet is another well thought out piece. Scorpio Rising, Kustom Kar Kommandos, Invocation Of My Demon Brother, Rabbit's Moon and the long awaited Lucifer Rising have never looked or sounded so good. Buy this one and treasure it.

Depending on whom you ask, the name "Kenneth Anger" conjures up any number of reactions. The author of the notorious "Hollywood Babylon". A devoted disciple of Aleister Crowley. A man who counts Dennis Hopper, Jimmy Page and former Manson family associate Bobby BeauSoleil amongst his friends. A provocative and influential film director. "Kenneth who!?" This collection covers the latter part (1964-2002) of the underground raconteur's astounding, nearly 60-year long career in avant-garde filmmaking. You may not know the name, but you've likely felt the influence. Watch 1964's legendary short "Scorpio Rising" back to back with Martin Scorcese's "Mean Streets" (just for starters) and you'll see what I'm talking about. Fantoma's handsome presentation features a nice booklet with essays from admirers Scorcese, Guy Maddin and Gus Van Sant, as well as wonderfully droll and enlightening commentary from the 75 year old (but still sharp as a tack) Anger. Essential viewing.

Vol. II of Fantoma's Kenneth Anger collection is here, and it's as good or better than anything I could have hoped for. Anger's later films, from Scorpio Rising through Lucifer Rising (his 2002 film of Aleister Crowley's art is also included as an extra) are presented gloriously restored. If you grew up watching these on the UK import or Mystic Fire VHS editions (as I did), the sheer clarity and vibrance of the restored films will be enough to blow you away. Add to that the detailed and witty commentary from the auteur himself (the Scorpio comments are especially illuminating), and you have a package that no true fan of 60s-70s underground cinema could resist.

At last the work of Anger is available to all and at a good price
The films never looked better
The commentary of Kenneth Anger is a stand out for setting the record straight on what films where about, Scorpio Rising is a good case point and what may you think of the bikers ,as most of their girlfriends where standing there ,A good show case for the high profile he has and the people who worked with him
I don't mind saying he's very polite on some people considering what happened in the past
A must for any film student

First time I saw a film by K.A was in the 60s...Thought it was
Scorpio Rising, later on also I remember have seen Inauguration of the Pleasure Dome.Since then i've kept those images as something quite close to my inner visions.Discovering how the archetypes are powerful for leading us to the narrow roads of the Inconscious.Last week it happenned
that his films would be exibited at S.Paulo,Brazil,where I come from.
I came, only the second day of the exibitions,and there was DVDs of the films, available.Got just the volume One,and then got trugh Amazon the 2nd volume.Words can't describe,to have this oportunity of disposing a permanent door not only to the films, but the way in what were conceived,described by the author himself. Like to have acess to an intime
diary, or journal. Creativity exposed to the bones.



ASIN:B000UAE7QS The Films of Kenneth Anger, Vol. 2]]

Kenneth Anger--the name is instantly familiar among underground film fans, but most mainstream folks associate him with the scandalous Hollywood tome 'Hollywood Babylon'. What many don't know is that his fusion of subversive images with pop music, as in his seminal film 'Scorpio Rising (1963)' influenced many filmmakers from David Lynch to Martin Scorsese. The next time you watch David Lynch's 'Blue Velvet (1986)', just don't forget to watch 'Scorpio Rising' to see where Lynch derived his inspiration for that movie from (a great film, by the way). Plus, Martin Scorsese's penchant for fusing his violent scenes with sugary pop music originally saw its genesis in 'Scorpio Rising'. The many visual juxtapositions, frenetic editing, superimpositions also gave way to the modern rock video. Frankly, without Anger, I don't how MTV would've seen the light of day. But unfortunately, outside his cult circle--who've assiduously collected his films on bootlegged copies, battered VHS tapes etc--he's largely unknown.
Thankfully, his films have been restored digitally and fans can now throw away their inferior versions and replace them with this beautiful set, released in two volumes. This set, Volume 2, mainly concerns itself with Anger's post 60's work--including the seminal 'Scorpio Rising' 'Invocation Of My Demon Brother' Kustom Kar Kummandos' 'Rabbit Moon' 'Lucifer Rising' and also 'The Man We Want To Hang'. No doubt, this is the best they've ever looked--the colors are rich, contrast well balanced, deep blacks etc. Note that most of Anger's films were shot in 16mm, thus they are grainy; but they collectively add to the visual texture and mood of the films. After all, these are underground films, not your typical Hollywood pap. Plus, 'Invocation Of My Demon Brother' has an optional audio track, which you can choose on the menu; Mick Jagger's--yes, THE Mick Jagger's-- ominous, Moog synth track is also present--you can choose the preffered version.
Personally, if you are new to Anger's films, this is the best place to start. His earlier films like 'Fireworks' and 'Inauguration Of The Pleasure Dome' are included in Volume 1, so you'll have to buy it separately if interested. Yet in my personal opinion, this is the set to get as it contains his most notorious efforts like 'Scorpio Rising' 'Lucifer Rising' or even the 'Invocation Of My Demon Brother'.
My sincere thanks to all who made this collection possible!

Kenneth Anger is truly a cinematic magus and I was very grateful to finally complete my collection of his most renowned films, looking more lovely now than they probably ever have. They are life-changing in their surreal intricate beauty, treasuries of one man's irreplaceable imagination. I hope to enjoy them for years to come.

First off I would just like to say, that the packaging for this DVD is excellent. For a low price the DVD package includes a 5o page booklet with pictures and commentary for each film.

Scorpio Rising- killer classic greaser footage captured right down to the engineer boots and leather. Lots of style and symbols are captured.

Invocation of My Demon Brother- Ground breaking film work here. The sound track is creepy too. Psychedelic Hell.

Lucifer Rising- very beautiful music as well as imagery. Probably Angers best work.

The first film in this long-awaited collection of Kenneth Anger's entire oeuvre is perhaps the single most influential of all his films, "Scorpio Rising." Representing a return to the themes of his first film "Fireworks," its a hallucinatory half-hour look at the connection in American culture between motorcycles, masculinity, myth, and pop music in American culture; its influence on later films (such as those of Martin Scorsese) is almost incalculable. The print here is absolutely stunning: the restoration was done so perfectly the film probably looks better than it ever has even when it was first made. Almost no-one since Eisenstein and the Soviets of the 20s uses montage more effectively than Anger does, and you can also see his technique in fine form in his (unfortunately forestalled) follow-up work, "Kustom Kar Kommandoes," which contrasts a beauitful custom-made California car, the emblem of constructed Apolline hypermasculity, with a pink backdrop (and a pink powerpuff used to buff it).

The remaining films are more of interest for people particularly interested in Anger as a filmmaker and thinker than for people simply interested in the history of experimental films; there are several predecessor works here to the film Anger considers his chef d'oeuvre, the 1981 "Lucifer Rising," which lays out the basic icons of his belief in Aleister Crowley's cosmology. As important as it undeniably is to Anger's ideas, its somewhat cheesy special effects seem to be behind the curve rather than ahead of it: the whole thing looks less like a tribute to the worship of Dionysiac gods than it does a prototype for Olivia Newton-John videos. (You almost expect her to come rollerskating out of heaven behind the flying saucer over the Colossi of Memnon.) But if only for its beautiful restoration of "Scorpio Rising" (available her for the first time commercially on DVD!), this DVD is worth the price for any serious student of experimental film.