gavin6942
A Slavonic Mass by Leos Janácek plays as historical figures, biblical characters, and mythical creatures gather in the pleasure dome. Aphrodite, Lilith, Isis, Kali, Astarte, Nero, Pan, and the Great Beast and the Scarlet Woman are part of a visual feast of images superimposed, hallucinations, and the spirit of decadence of the "Yellow '90s." Kenneth Anger is a strange dude. No one else, before or since, has really made a name for themselves in blending mythology, the occult and elaborate costumes. How seriously you are to take his occultism is up to you, I suppose.The version I watched had a rock score over the top. I am not sure it was there originally and I rather doubt it, but it helped the picture out tremendously. A retrospective on Anger really needs to be done, as it is surprising how few modern directors cite his work.
preppy-3
Plot less short about some Greek gods (or something) getting together in a pleasure dome. There's no dialogue--only music which is supposed to match the images (I think). The color (in the restored print) is incredibly vivid and rich and some of the images are eye-catching but this is more boring and self-indulgent than anything else. The same images are shown again and again and AGAIN...it gets tedious rather quickly. With no plot or story to follow this gets to be a chore to watch. This might be of some interest to some since it has author Anais Nin as Astarte and artist Paul Mathison looking incredibly handsome as Pan. But, all in all, this is boring and pointless. It comes across as little more than director Kenneth Anger and his friends playing dress up. I give this a 4 for the imagery and color alone.
Polaris_DiB
Clocking in at just two minute short of the arbitrary divide between short film and feature length film as designated by the IMDb, this movie is quite a feast of color and imagination constantly rolling to hallucinatory lengths. That, of course, is the point.I didn't count, but I'm pretty sure all seven of the deadly sins are represented within this film, but there's a particular focus on gluttony and lust. Everything in this film is engorged, or seems engorged. It at first starts out a little like Puce Moment (and in fact, later a shot from Puce Moment is reused as one of the multiple exposures), but as the character we see literally consumes a pearl necklace, he's lead into what is apparently the Pleasure Dome, which is pretty much Hell filled with passion.The pacing of this film is pretty amazing. As more and more stuff happens it just builds up, a glutton for more, causing the need for more and more, and so on. Usually fast editing and multiple exposures are used as a way of showing the deconstruction of a character, but this time the fever dream seems more of a conglomeration of More and More in an appetizing pursuit to... more.It sounds exhausting, but is in fact actually quite pleasurable to watch. The presence of such colorful and vividly imagined characters brings it into a wonderful sort of clarity, making the whole movie tempting. It's tempting to join them in their lust, it's tempting to delve into such a realm. Which is why, at 38 minutes, it still seems like it's less than 20.--PolarisDiB
bobby cormier
this film is a devastating visual, sensory experience. i have been haunted by its breathtaking imagery & multi-layered arcane symbolism since the first time i saw it. i've watched it over & over again in the years since first viewing it & it never loses its overload of impact on me. i am not an acid casualty, in case you are wondering. it assaults the senses from all angles in a cubist, multidimensional sense. each viewing will bring new insight & renewed, shimmering ecstasy. i promise this to anyone who is open & teachable & cinematic ally inclined to new experience. kenneth anger is a national & world treasure. can you tell i like this film? the flaws in it, if any, have eluded me for years. -bobby
AD
