The grandson of a Hollywood costume designer and a child actor himself, Kenneth Anger is the author of films whose radical originality influenced filmmakers such as Lynch, Scorsese or Rainer Werner Fassbinder.
Openly gay, which earned him several arrests at a time when homosexuality was a crime, the pope of experimental cinema, namely the author of almost forty short films from 1937 to 2010, he died at the venerable age of 96. His death was announced by Spruit Magers, the manager of the gallery where he exhibited.
“Kenneth was a trailblazer. His cinematic genius and influence will live on and continue to transform all who encounter his films, his words and his vision.” wrote the latter on his Twitter account.
Born in February 1927, Kenneth Anger was undoubtedly the most famous of the American avant-garde directors, especially for his provocations, often of a sexual nature (such as The Plan for a Penis Exploding in Fireworks, his first major film). censorship (Love that revolves will destroy Kodak for nudity) and Jean Cocteau’s encouragement prompts him to come and settle in Paris in the late 1940s.
He will stay there for 4 years, to realize the time especially A young man and death, after Cocteau and with the help of Roland Petit’s dancers. Returning to Los Angeles, he continued the same provocative tone with films such as The Inauguration of the Pleasure Dome (1954-1966), an erotic-mythological ritual, or The Scorpion Rising in 1963, an anthem of biker violence, between documentaries and feature films. .
Below is a short excerpt from “Rise of the Scorpion”…
Hollywood Babylon, his literary masterpiece…
Frequented by underworld circles and very shady individuals, fascinated by the occult, he befriended Anton LaVey, founder of the Church of Satan, in the 1960s. During his travels in the early 1970s, he met billionaire Jean Paul Getty, who would become his patron, and befriended Rolling Stones members Mick Jagger and Keith Richards.
But there was often anger Bobby BosleyA former member of Charles Manson’s “Family” who is currently serving a life sentence for murdering a music teacher in July 1969. A former musician, he worked with Anger – while in prison – creating music tracks. …
Outside of his underground fiction, Kenneth Anger is best known for writing a sultry book in 1959 that would become iconic: Hollywood Babylon (Published with us by Tristram editions) The work, which Anger created in Paris, evokes in glaucular detail the black legend of Hollywood’s Golden Age.
Addictions, rapes, murders, all kinds of manipulations, lawsuits… Not a single big movie star escaped scandal: Chaplin and his nymphs, Lana Turner and her wounded lover, Marlene Dietrich’s bisexuality, Erich von Stroheim and his crazy orgies. …
Between humor and brutality, a history of an era reeking of scandalous trash press. In addition, the book is an obvious reference to Damien Chazelle’s latest film, Babylon, which harkens back to this very Hollywood industry that spreads its depraved mannerisms in broad daylight.
Source: Allocine
Rose James is a Gossipify movie and series reviewer known for her in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the latest releases. With a background in film studies, she provides engaging and informative reviews, and keeps readers up to date with industry trends and emerging talents.
