Scorpio Rising

This is the nightmare the film Cruising has before waking up covered in sweat.

Pop-culture version of a Dionysian cult blended with experimental style where violent images of the unconscious burst into the consciousness of the film material. Spiritual, evil and idiosyncratic.

I'm not gay, nazi, satan worshipper or anything like that. But this is great, edited in such a stylish way! It stands somewhere between Godard and John Waters, with a cool rock'n'roll soundtrack. I guess that's why some people call Kenneth Anger the father of video clip.

Motorcycles and kitties.

As if from a dream, gay nazi bikers have doo-wopped their way into my mind and heart and have taken me back to a specific time and place I previously thought unimaginable. Thank you, Kenneth Anger. Note: I was surprised to learn David Lynch stole his entire audiovisual aesthetic from this movie, but it was a welcome surprise.

Conjures a specific and detailed atmosphere through a colorful montage of silent images and pieces of rock music. Better than the other stuff I've seen by Anger.

An interesting document of sub- and counterculture, and a product of the culture wars being waged at the time. Besides what it's "about," it has an interesting rhythm that builds to a surreal and psychedelic climax. Also one of the gayest movies I've ever seen.

Pretty rad.

A really dark american graffiti

Sadism, bikers, and leather: I'm a fan already.

Fantastic soundtrack aside, this was dull as dirt.

Tame and a bit obvious by today’s standards for sure but even removed from the context of when it was released it’s a super effective piece of work with very effective editing and music choices.

Intriguing with a great soundtrack, and legally significant (it was originally shut down for obscenity before being given the green light by the California Supreme Court), this is basically an ahead of its time in style extended music video. Ultimately, though, I didn't really understand the point Anger was trying to make. A lot of the central themes are easily identifiable, but don't really seem to fit together. Ultimately I think it's a bit of an interesting but confused mess.

it is such a cute thing to imagine: these gay guys who are so obsessed with their bikes

at the peak of orgasm life size principle of pleasure and suffering empirical equation dream-enacting behaviors interdimensional. -amorously-

Actually seems somewhat tame nowadays, but it's still a groundbreaking work with some really striking visuals and a particularly rapturous climax (heh).

A crazy montage of 60's music and counter culture imagery.

Kenneth Anger #1

Those gay nazi bikers. They're just like Jesus!

Those gay Nazi bikers for Jesus are a menace I tell you! I don't care how good their pop music is!

I don't get it.

The 60's pop songs set over the psychopathic obsessiveness would become industry standard. Some silly stuff mixed in, but it can be overlooked.

Raucous, colorful and captivating. An ode to the most visible and the most hidden cultures of a decade. Could have done without the obnoxious Nazi and Jesus stuff. The gleaming motorcycles and youthful cavorting are what sticks.

My first ever Anger film, this is a great experimental pop art-cum-erotic art piece. I'm definitely interested to see more Anger.

I don't know what to write. Or even how to probably score this.

#413

disgusting fascists

I entered into Anger's world very enthused, and little by little, the interest has been lost. I don't know what this is.

392

Dark, moody lights, nazi symbols, bikers, several gay acts(albeit very, very quickly done), sweet rock music, quick editing. If you can't stand any of that, this is not for you.

At first I thought it was quite genius, evoking an unfamiliar mood of sensuality and danger and death and innocence. But around halfway through, here comes the Nazi stuff and the clips from the Jesus movie and I got annoyed. I know this kind of thing was pretty daring for 1964, but now it just seems silly. Still, I was mostly engaged and the use of pop songs was clever (and obviously influential). I was surprised to learn how little of this was staged, it's mostly things exactly as they were.

366

# 497

An odd quasi documentary about a group of bikers. The sound track is entirely pop songs, so everything the movie says is through visuals which intercut between the bikers and images of James Dean Marlon Brando and Jesus. I'm not sure what the point of this was and I wouldn't say I liked it, but it was interesting to watch.