Kenneth Anger

Directing

Kenneth Anger

Born — Died

1927-02-03 — 2023-05-11

Place of birth

Santa Monica, California, USA

Known for

Directing

Credits

80 titles

Kenneth Anger (born Kenneth Wilbur Anglemeyer; February 3, 1927 - May 11, 2023) was an American underground experimental filmmaker, actor and author. Working exclusively in short films, he produced almost forty works since 1937, nine of which in particular have been grouped together as the "Magick Lantern Cycle," and form the basis of Anger's reputation as one of the most influential independent filmmakers in cinema history. His films variously merge surrealism with homoeroticism and the occult, and have been described as containing "elements of erotica, documentary, psychodrama, and spectacle." Anger himself has been described as "one of America's first openly gay filmmakers, and certainly …

Known for

Film credits

2020s · 1 titles

2010s · 6 titles

42 One Dream Rush poster
6.0

An omnibus project bringing together acclaimed directors from around the world, each contributing a 42-second short inspired by a dream. Produced by 42 Below vodka, the collection blends surreal, poetic, and experimental visions into a mosaic of oneiric cinema.

42 One Dream Rush

2010

Mansfield 66/67 poster
5.2

About the last two years of movie goddess Jayne Mansfield’s life and the speculation swirling around her untimely death being caused by a curse after her alleged romantic dalliance with Anton LaVey, head of the Church of Satan.

Mansfield 66/67

2017

The 1000 Eyes of Dr Maddin poster
6.0

Guy Maddin, who has been nicknamed the Canadian David Lynch, is undoubtedly one of the last remaining Magi of cinema. Despite living in the middle of the digital age, this heretical director hailing from the snowy plains of Canada has spent 25 years transposing the uncommon and the uncanny onto screens over-saturated with naturalistic imagery. A lover of primitive cinema, he has cunningly summoned the light-and-shadow techniques and experimentations of the Golden Age of film to resuscitate a unique cinematographic language which plays with the spectator’s unconscious by means of visual trickery as disturbing as it is absurd. In an attitude as playful at that Maddin’s films this documentary follows the mediumistic experiments of this master of illusion, filmed during the ‘’spirit’’ shootings he presented in Europe.

The 1000 Eyes of Dr Maddin

2015

Anton LaVey: Into the Devil's Den poster
6.0

In 1989, I met Anton LaVey for the first time. At this time in his life, LaVey was seeing only a select few people. For this film, I've met and interviewed some of them, to try and create a composite image of what he was really like, and what he meant to these people. It's a memory lane trip, filled with personal stories, dark humor, great music and never before seen material with the Black Pope himself.

Anton LaVey: Into the Devil's Den

2019

Satan Lives poster
NR

From Texas to the Vatican, Satan Lives meets with Satanists, exorcists, cult icons - believers and non-believers alike - to ask why in the age of reason the Devil remains so powerful and seductive.

Satan Lives

2015

Cinemagician: Conversations with Kenneth Anger poster
4.0

Iconic American filmmaker Kenneth Anger has inspired generations of creative storytellers since the late 1940s. He is a unique visionary who drifts from pure poetry within his magical filmmaking to sardonic gossip in his bestselling "Hollywood Babylon" books. In-between these extremes we find a person who never tires of exploring his own creativity. In this intimate documentary, Anger lets us in on his fascinating life story, his approaches to filmmaking, and his relationship to British occultist Aleister Crowley.

Cinemagician: Conversations with Kenneth Anger

2019

2000s · 13 titles

Rescued from the Closet poster
6.5

Rescued from the Closet is a 2001 documentary consisting of interviews originally recorded for the 1995 film The Celluloid Closet. It explores the history and impact of LGBT representation in cinema, providing insights into the portrayal and evolution of LGBT characters and themes within the film industry.

Rescued from the Closet

2001

365 Day Project poster
10.0

This exhibition focuses on Jonas Mekas’ 365 Day Project, a succession of films and videos in calendar form. Every day as of January 1st, 2007 and for an entire year, as indicated in the title, a large public (the artist's friends, as well as unknowns) were invited to view a diary of short films of various lengths (from one to twenty minutes) on the Internet. A movie was posted each day, adding to the previously posted pieces, resulting altogether in nearly thirty-eight hours of moving images.

365 Day Project

2007

The Films of Kenneth Anger: Volume Two poster
10.0

Covering the second half of Anger's career, from his legendary SCORPIO RISING to his breathtaking phantasmagoria LUCIFER RISING, Fantoma is very proud to complete the cycle with this long-awaited final volume of films by this revolutionary and groundbreaking maverick, painstakingly restored and presented on DVD for the first time anywhere in the world. Contains the films: Scorpio Rising (1964) Kustom Kar Kommandos (1965) Invocation of My Demon Brother (1969) Rabbit's Moon (1979 version) Lucifer Rising (1981)

The Films of Kenneth Anger: Volume Two

2007

Busby Berkeley: Going Through the Roof poster
10.0

Documentary profile of legendary dance choreographer Busby Berkeley.

Busby Berkeley: Going Through the Roof

2003

The Films of Kenneth Anger: Volume One poster
10.0

Covering the first half of Anger's career, from his landmark debut FIREWORKS in 1947 to his epic bacchanalia INAGURATION OF THE PLEASURE DOME, Fantoma is very proud to present the long-awaited first volume of films by this revolutionary and groundbreaking maverick, painstakingly restored and presented on DVD for the first time. Contains the films: Fireworks (1947) Puce Moment (1949) Rabbit's Moon (1950, the rarely seen original 16 minute version) Eaux d'Artifice (1953) Inauguration of the Pleasure Dome (1954)

The Films of Kenneth Anger: Volume One

2007

No artwork available
5.4

A look at avant-garde filmmaker Marie Menken.

Notes on Marie Menken

2006

Added Attractions: The Hollywood Shorts Story poster
7.0

The story of the short film from the beginning of the movies in the 1890s, when all movies were shorts, through the 1950s when short subjects virtually disappeared from theaters.

Added Attractions: The Hollywood Shorts Story

2002

Night of Pan poster
4.3

A magician encounters the void that separates the human mind from divine consciousness and in turn faces the mad god.

Night of Pan

2009

FLicKeR poster
6.8

In 1960, Brion Gysin invented the Dream Machine, a hypnotic light device with the power to induce hallucinations, drugless highs, and revolutionize human consciousness. It looks simple enough; a 100-watt light bulb, a motor, and a rotating cylinder with cutouts. Just sit in front of it, close your eyes, and wait for the visions to come. The Dream Machine enthralled mystics and freethinkers everywhere; Kurt Cobain had a dream machine, and William S. Burroughs thought it could be used to “storm the citadels of enlightenment.” With a custom-made Dream Machine in tow, director Nik Sheehan takes us on a journey into the life of Brion Gysin; his art, his complex ideas, and his friendships with some of the most eccentric counter-cultural icons. Taking the Dream Machine as the basis of its explorations, FLicKeR asks crucial questions about the nature of art and consciousness, and imagines a humanity liberated to explore its creativity in complete freedom.

FLicKeR

2009

Hedy Lamarr: Secrets of a Hollywood Star poster
7.0

"Secrets of a Hollywood Star" is another documentary made after "Calling Hedy Lamarr" in 2006. It features interviews with Hedy's friends in both Europe and Hollywood and her film/studio partners.

Hedy Lamarr: Secrets of a Hollywood Star

2006

Anger Me poster
8.8

Elio Gelmini interviews Avantgarde filmmaker Kenneth Anger. With archive footage of Angers films, he portrays the filmmaker from his childhood until present day.

Anger Me

2006

No artwork available
7.0

Disinfo.Con contains an amazing 4 hours of footage from The Disinformation Company's massive counterculture event in New York City's Hammerstein Ballroom. New York hadn't seen anything like this since the Nova Convention in 1978 which saw Frank Zappa, Patti Smith and others anoint William Burroughs as king of the counterculture. A quarter century later Disinformation's keynote speakers Richard Metzger and Douglas Rushkoff ushered in a dizzying, day-long array of performances ranging from sword-swallowing to sanskrit chanting, interspersed with lectures and conversations with counterculture luminaries like Mondo 2000 founder R.U. Sirius, industrial music progenitor Genesis P-Orridge, Grant Morrison, Robert Anton Wilson, theorists, performance artists and others from the extremes of popular culture. Nothing beats actually experiencing an event like this in the flesh, but this DVD comes pretty close to capturing the spirit of the counterculture as we lurch into the 21st century.

Disinfo.Con

2007

The Spells of Kenneth Anger poster
NR

- "The Spells of Kenneth Anger" was shot in Hollywood in July, 2003. Anger gives an overview of his life and we see clips of his many films. He touches on his run-in with Charles Manson, being influenced by Alistair Crowley, working with Marianne Faithful, and he shows us his favorite place in LA: the Hollywood cemetary.

The Spells of Kenneth Anger

2003

1990s · 6 titles

1970s · 5 titles

Lucifer Rising poster
6.7

Egyptian gods summon the angel Lucifer, in order to usher in a new occult age.

Lucifer Rising

1974

Magick Lantern Cycle poster
7.8

Cinematic magician, legendary provocateur, and author of Hollywood Babylon, Kenneth Anger was a unique figure in post-war American culture. His iconic short films are characterised by a mystical-symbolic visual language and phantasmagorical-sensual opulence that underscores the medium’s transgressive potential. Anger’s work fundamentally shaped the aesthetics of 1960s and 1970s subcultures, the visual lexicon of pop and music videos and queer iconography. These nine films form the basis of Anger’s reputation as one of the most influential pioneers of avant-garde film and video art. Fireworks, 1947, 14 min Puce Moment, 1949, 6 min Rabbit's Moon, 1950/1971, 16 min Eaux d'Artifice, 1953, 13 min Inauguration of the Pleasure Dome, 1954, 37 min Scorpio Rising, 1964, 28 min Kustom Kar Kommandos, 1965, 3 min Invocation of My Demon Brother, 1969, 11 min Lucifer Rising, 1981, 27 min

Magick Lantern Cycle

1974

Langlois poster
5.3

Documentary portrait of Henri Langlois, co-founder of the Cinémathèque Française.

Langlois

1970

Kenneth Anger: Film as Magical Ritual poster
5.7

Anger discusses his Aleister Crowley-inspired theories of art: How he views his camera like a wand and how he casts his films, preferring to consider his actors, not human beings but as elemental spirits. In fact, he reveals that he goes so far as to use astrology when making these choices. This is as direct an explanation of Anger’s cinemagical modus operandi as I have ever heard him articulate anywhere. It’s a must see for anyone interested in his work and showcases the Magus of cinema at the very height of his artistic powers. Fascinating. (Dangerous Minds)

Kenneth Anger: Film as Magical Ritual

1970

No artwork available
NR

A collage-style documentary of one of Kenneth Anger's visits to Pittsburgh in the early 1970s

Look Back at Anger

1974

1960s · 3 titles

1940s · 2 titles

Series credits

Behind the camera

Scorpio Rising poster
6.6

A gang of bikers prepares for a race as sexual, sadistic, and occult images are cut together.

Scorpio Rising

1964

Scorpio Rising poster
6.6

A gang of bikers prepares for a race as sexual, sadistic, and occult images are cut together.

Scorpio Rising

1964

Lucifer Rising poster
6.7

Egyptian gods summon the angel Lucifer, in order to usher in a new occult age.

Lucifer Rising

1974

Lucifer Rising poster
6.7

Egyptian gods summon the angel Lucifer, in order to usher in a new occult age.

Lucifer Rising

1974

42 One Dream Rush poster
6.0

An omnibus project bringing together acclaimed directors from around the world, each contributing a 42-second short inspired by a dream. Produced by 42 Below vodka, the collection blends surreal, poetic, and experimental visions into a mosaic of oneiric cinema.

42 One Dream Rush

2010

Magick Lantern Cycle poster
7.8

Cinematic magician, legendary provocateur, and author of Hollywood Babylon, Kenneth Anger was a unique figure in post-war American culture. His iconic short films are characterised by a mystical-symbolic visual language and phantasmagorical-sensual opulence that underscores the medium’s transgressive potential. Anger’s work fundamentally shaped the aesthetics of 1960s and 1970s subcultures, the visual lexicon of pop and music videos and queer iconography. These nine films form the basis of Anger’s reputation as one of the most influential pioneers of avant-garde film and video art. Fireworks, 1947, 14 min Puce Moment, 1949, 6 min Rabbit's Moon, 1950/1971, 16 min Eaux d'Artifice, 1953, 13 min Inauguration of the Pleasure Dome, 1954, 37 min Scorpio Rising, 1964, 28 min Kustom Kar Kommandos, 1965, 3 min Invocation of My Demon Brother, 1969, 11 min Lucifer Rising, 1981, 27 min

Magick Lantern Cycle

1974

Magick Lantern Cycle poster
7.8

Cinematic magician, legendary provocateur, and author of Hollywood Babylon, Kenneth Anger was a unique figure in post-war American culture. His iconic short films are characterised by a mystical-symbolic visual language and phantasmagorical-sensual opulence that underscores the medium’s transgressive potential. Anger’s work fundamentally shaped the aesthetics of 1960s and 1970s subcultures, the visual lexicon of pop and music videos and queer iconography. These nine films form the basis of Anger’s reputation as one of the most influential pioneers of avant-garde film and video art. Fireworks, 1947, 14 min Puce Moment, 1949, 6 min Rabbit's Moon, 1950/1971, 16 min Eaux d'Artifice, 1953, 13 min Inauguration of the Pleasure Dome, 1954, 37 min Scorpio Rising, 1964, 28 min Kustom Kar Kommandos, 1965, 3 min Invocation of My Demon Brother, 1969, 11 min Lucifer Rising, 1981, 27 min

Magick Lantern Cycle

1974

Invocation of My Demon Brother poster
5.9

The shadowing forth of Our Lord Lucifer, as the Power of Darkness gather at a midnight mass. The dance of the Magus widdershins around the Swirling Spiral Force, the solar swastika, until the Bringer of Light—Lucifer—breaks through.

Invocation of My Demon Brother

1969

Invocation of My Demon Brother poster
5.9

The shadowing forth of Our Lord Lucifer, as the Power of Darkness gather at a midnight mass. The dance of the Magus widdershins around the Swirling Spiral Force, the solar swastika, until the Bringer of Light—Lucifer—breaks through.

Invocation of My Demon Brother

1969

The Films of Kenneth Anger: Volume Two poster
10.0

Covering the second half of Anger's career, from his legendary SCORPIO RISING to his breathtaking phantasmagoria LUCIFER RISING, Fantoma is very proud to complete the cycle with this long-awaited final volume of films by this revolutionary and groundbreaking maverick, painstakingly restored and presented on DVD for the first time anywhere in the world. Contains the films: Scorpio Rising (1964) Kustom Kar Kommandos (1965) Invocation of My Demon Brother (1969) Rabbit's Moon (1979 version) Lucifer Rising (1981)

The Films of Kenneth Anger: Volume Two

2007

The Films of Kenneth Anger: Volume Two poster
10.0

Covering the second half of Anger's career, from his legendary SCORPIO RISING to his breathtaking phantasmagoria LUCIFER RISING, Fantoma is very proud to complete the cycle with this long-awaited final volume of films by this revolutionary and groundbreaking maverick, painstakingly restored and presented on DVD for the first time anywhere in the world. Contains the films: Scorpio Rising (1964) Kustom Kar Kommandos (1965) Invocation of My Demon Brother (1969) Rabbit's Moon (1979 version) Lucifer Rising (1981)

The Films of Kenneth Anger: Volume Two

2007

The Inauguration of the Pleasure Dome poster
6.4

Lord Shiva wakes. A convocation of magicians in the guise of figures from mythology; a masquerade party at which Pan is the prize. The wine of Hecate is poured: Pan's cup is poisoned by Shiva. Kali blesses the assembly as a bacchic rite ensues.

The Inauguration of the Pleasure Dome

1954

The Inauguration of the Pleasure Dome poster
6.4

Lord Shiva wakes. A convocation of magicians in the guise of figures from mythology; a masquerade party at which Pan is the prize. The wine of Hecate is poured: Pan's cup is poisoned by Shiva. Kali blesses the assembly as a bacchic rite ensues.

The Inauguration of the Pleasure Dome

1954

Puce Moment poster
5.7

This film resulted from the unfinished short film Puce Women. The film opens with a camera watching 1920s style flapper gowns being taken off a dress rack. The dresses are removed and danced off the rack to music. (The original soundtrack was Verdi opera music; in the 1960s, Anger re-released the film with a new psychedelic folk-rock soundtrack performed by Jonathan Halper.) A long-lashed woman, Yvonne Marquis, dresses in the purple puce gown and walks to her vanity to apply perfume. She lies on a chaise lounge which then begins to move around the room and eventually out to a patio. Borzois appear and she prepares to take them for a walk.

Puce Moment

1949

Puce Moment poster
5.7

This film resulted from the unfinished short film Puce Women. The film opens with a camera watching 1920s style flapper gowns being taken off a dress rack. The dresses are removed and danced off the rack to music. (The original soundtrack was Verdi opera music; in the 1960s, Anger re-released the film with a new psychedelic folk-rock soundtrack performed by Jonathan Halper.) A long-lashed woman, Yvonne Marquis, dresses in the purple puce gown and walks to her vanity to apply perfume. She lies on a chaise lounge which then begins to move around the room and eventually out to a patio. Borzois appear and she prepares to take them for a walk.

Puce Moment

1949

Puce Moment poster
5.7

This film resulted from the unfinished short film Puce Women. The film opens with a camera watching 1920s style flapper gowns being taken off a dress rack. The dresses are removed and danced off the rack to music. (The original soundtrack was Verdi opera music; in the 1960s, Anger re-released the film with a new psychedelic folk-rock soundtrack performed by Jonathan Halper.) A long-lashed woman, Yvonne Marquis, dresses in the purple puce gown and walks to her vanity to apply perfume. She lies on a chaise lounge which then begins to move around the room and eventually out to a patio. Borzois appear and she prepares to take them for a walk.

Puce Moment

1949

The Films of Kenneth Anger: Volume One poster
10.0

Covering the first half of Anger's career, from his landmark debut FIREWORKS in 1947 to his epic bacchanalia INAGURATION OF THE PLEASURE DOME, Fantoma is very proud to present the long-awaited first volume of films by this revolutionary and groundbreaking maverick, painstakingly restored and presented on DVD for the first time. Contains the films: Fireworks (1947) Puce Moment (1949) Rabbit's Moon (1950, the rarely seen original 16 minute version) Eaux d'Artifice (1953) Inauguration of the Pleasure Dome (1954)

The Films of Kenneth Anger: Volume One

2007

The Films of Kenneth Anger: Volume One poster
10.0

Covering the first half of Anger's career, from his landmark debut FIREWORKS in 1947 to his epic bacchanalia INAGURATION OF THE PLEASURE DOME, Fantoma is very proud to present the long-awaited first volume of films by this revolutionary and groundbreaking maverick, painstakingly restored and presented on DVD for the first time. Contains the films: Fireworks (1947) Puce Moment (1949) Rabbit's Moon (1950, the rarely seen original 16 minute version) Eaux d'Artifice (1953) Inauguration of the Pleasure Dome (1954)

The Films of Kenneth Anger: Volume One

2007

No artwork available
8.0

A silent black-and-white film in which a brother (played by Bob Jones) and sister (Jo Whittaker) are examining mirrors when a third figure (Dare Harris), causes them to act violently against one another, before a magical rite takes place in which the sister's binding spell is destroyed by the brother.

The Nest

1943

The Man We Want to Hang poster
5.5

"The Man We Want to Hang" is a 12-minute short, consisting of Anger filming borrowed paintings done by legendary and controversial occultist Aleister Crowley.

The Man We Want to Hang

2002

Technicolor Skull poster
NR

Technicolor Skull is a real sensory experience, exploring the mental impact of a magick ritual in the context of an improvised performance. With Brian Butler at the special guitar and the electronics, and Kenneth Anger at the theremin and visuals, the collaboration of these two Californian artists gives birth to a “ceremony” that is enchanting and spectral as well. An initiation to occult rituals, and an event that will leave a mark on you.

Technicolor Skull

2014

Eaux d'Artifice poster
6.5

A woman dressed elegantly walks purposely through the water gardens at the Villa d'Este in Tivoli, as the music of Vivaldi's Winter movement of The Four Seasons plays. Heavy red filters give a blue cast to the light; water plays across stone, and fountains send it into the air. No words are spoken. Baroque statuary and the sensuous flow of water are back lit. Anger calls it water games.

Eaux d'Artifice

1953

Eaux d'Artifice poster
6.5

A woman dressed elegantly walks purposely through the water gardens at the Villa d'Este in Tivoli, as the music of Vivaldi's Winter movement of The Four Seasons plays. Heavy red filters give a blue cast to the light; water plays across stone, and fountains send it into the air. No words are spoken. Baroque statuary and the sensuous flow of water are back lit. Anger calls it water games.

Eaux d'Artifice

1953

Fireworks poster
6.0

A dissatisfied dreamer awakes, goes out in the night seeking a 'light' and is drawn through the needle's eye. A dream of a dream, he returns to bed less empty than before.

Fireworks

1947

Fireworks poster
6.0

A dissatisfied dreamer awakes, goes out in the night seeking a 'light' and is drawn through the needle's eye. A dream of a dream, he returns to bed less empty than before.

Fireworks

1947

No artwork available
NR

A short film about the fetishistic interest in military uniforms.

Uniform Attraction

2008

Rabbit's Moon poster
6.3

A Japanese fairy tale meets commedia dell'Arte. All in white, the naïf Pierrot lies in a wood. Doo-wop music plays as he rises, stares about, and reaches for the moon. Although music abounds and the children of the wood are there at play, Pierrot is melancholy and alone. Harlequin appears, brimming with confidence and energy. He conjures the lovely Colombina. Pierrot is dazzled. But can the course of true love run smooth?

Rabbit's Moon

1971

Rabbit's Moon poster
6.3

A Japanese fairy tale meets commedia dell'Arte. All in white, the naïf Pierrot lies in a wood. Doo-wop music plays as he rises, stares about, and reaches for the moon. Although music abounds and the children of the wood are there at play, Pierrot is melancholy and alone. Harlequin appears, brimming with confidence and energy. He conjures the lovely Colombina. Pierrot is dazzled. But can the course of true love run smooth?

Rabbit's Moon

1971

I'll Be Watching You poster
NR

A young man with a stylish crew cut watches a surveillance video monitor with great interest as a security guard makes out with a bodyguard (both with similar crew cut) among luxury cars in the underground parking of a posh building.

I'll Be Watching You

2007

I'll Be Watching You poster
NR

A young man with a stylish crew cut watches a surveillance video monitor with great interest as a security guard makes out with a bodyguard (both with similar crew cut) among luxury cars in the underground parking of a posh building.

I'll Be Watching You

2007

Mouse Heaven poster
6.5

A short film featuring various vintage Mickey Mouse toys.

Mouse Heaven

2004

Missoni poster
6.5

A dream-like intoduction of the 2011 Missoni fashion ad.

Missoni

2010

Foreplay poster
NR

The training practice of a soccer team – close-up of feet, body parts, muscles – entirely silent except for the noises of the ball being hit – a sort of minimalist, crisp, homoerotic version of Philippe Parreno's and Douglas Gordon's Zidane – A 21st Century Portrait.

Foreplay

2008

No artwork available
9.0

Early film by Kenneth Anger.

Escape Episode

1947

Ich will! poster
7.5

Composed from footage found in the Imperial War museum, London, of Hitler Youth in full swing.

Ich will!

2008

My Surfing Lucifer poster
5.3

Using found footage, we're introduced to the short life of Bunker Spreckels, Clark Gable's stepson and surfing legend.

My Surfing Lucifer

2007

Kustom Kar Kommandos poster
6.2

A man in tight jeans buffs his car to the strains of The Paris Sisters' "Dream Lover".

Kustom Kar Kommandos

1965

Kustom Kar Kommandos poster
6.2

A man in tight jeans buffs his car to the strains of The Paris Sisters' "Dream Lover".

Kustom Kar Kommandos

1965

Rabbit's Moon poster
7.0

Rabbit's Moon is an avant-garde short film by American filmmaker Kenneth Anger, and released in two different versions. It was filmed in 1950, but not completed (nor released) until 1971. This, the second version, was re-released in 1979, sped up and with a different soundtrack.

Rabbit's Moon

1979

Hollywood Babylon II poster
NR

A one-hour documentary hosted by Tony Curtis based on Kenneth Anger's book series of the same name, detailing scandals and gossip from the Golden Age of Hollywood. Later followed by a television series also hosted by Curtis.

Hollywood Babylon II

1992