Kenneth Anger’s 1964 short film, ‘Scorpio Rising,’ is a brilliantly surreal picture that ranks amongst the most influential and avant-garde works to date. Often imitated, though never equaled, Anger’s film is just as poignant today as it was during the time of its release. Gritty and disturbing, ‘Scorpio Rising,’ contains some of the most powerful imagery from the 1960s. The haunting qualities of this picture are due largely in part to its documentary style filmmaking. It’s true that Anger staged certain aspects of the film, but a majority of the sets and events were mere bohemian photography. The film is titled after the zodiac sign, ‘Scorpio,’ which rules both sexual organs and machinery, two main components of Anger’s film.
Clearly a predecessor to the works of Lynch and Scorsese, ‘Scorpio Rising,’ is also often cited as playing a key role in the development of music videos. The film is ambiguous, offering a non-linear, thin narrative binding its grisly scenes together. Within the film, one can find themes of faith, spirituality, homosexuality, Nazism, violence, rape, pop culture and biking. All of these components in a picture that runs in just fewer than 30 minutes are impressive, and Anger’s magnum opus doesn’t disappoint. ‘Scorpio Rising,’ the most important short film next to ‘Le voyage dans la lune,’ is recommended for all admirers of film and history, as a picture that you’ll assuredly never forget, and a testament to an era when films were truly shocking. Read an in depth analysis of Anger’s film at Séance Of Cinema.
Scorpio Rising – Kenneth Anger (1963) from Obscure Camera on Vimeo.
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