In class on Wednesday we watched two short films by the experimental filmmaker Kenneth Anger – Scorpio Rising (1963) and Eaux d’Artifice (1953). Anger is known for using jump cuts and popular rock soundtracks in his films which often complemented occult and homoerotic themes. This was of course highly controversial at the time in the 1960’s.
Notes on Scorpio Rising
- Musically driven
- Masculine and punky
- Hypnotic and trance inducing
- Montage/jump cuts
- Mixing time periods
- Contrasting
- Colours
Notes on Eaux d’Artifice
- Heavy visual contrasts
- Light/shadow
- Focus on textures
- Tranquillising
- Orchestral composition
- Painterly qualities
After watching both of these clips by Anger it is obvious he focuses on sensation. I will definitely take inspiration from Anger in my work, especially the way he uses music and imagery to induce a hypnotic feeling within the audience.