Scorpio Rising (film)
910648
203737086
2008-04-06T12:46:06Z
Paulisdead
1887649
/* External links */
{{Infobox Film
| name = Scorpio Rising
| image =
| caption =
| director = [[Kenneth Anger]]
| producer =
| writer =
| starring = [[Bruce Byron]]
| music =
| cinematography =
| editing =
| distributor =
| released = [[1964 in film|1964]]
| runtime = 30 min.
| country = [[USA]]
| awards =
| language =
| budget =
| preceded_by =
| followed_by =
| amg_id = 1:138019
| imdb_id = 0058555
}}
'''''Scorpio Rising''''' was a groundbreaking [[avant-garde]], [[experimental film]] by [[Kenneth Anger]], author of the ''[[Hollywood Babylon]]'' books, starring Bruce Byron as the biker Scorpio. It features themes of leather-clad [[motorcycle|biker]]s, the [[occult]], [[Jesus]] and [[Nazi|Nazis]]. Its [[camp (style)|camp]] appropriation of popular culture included an innovative use of pop music, the erotic cult of [[James Dean]], and [[comic book]]s. The film was produced in [[1964]] and initially shown on the [[underground film]] circuit. The film features no lines of dialogue, accompanied instead by music from popular 50's and 60's artists including [[Ricky Nelson]], [[The Angels]], [[Bobby Vinton]], [[Elvis Presley]], [[Ray Charles]] and [[Martha Reeves & the Vandellas]]. It is considered to be one of the first post-modern films and an influence to future directors such as [[Martin Scorsese]] and [[David Lynch]].
The film was censored for indecency, and the case went to the Supreme Court, where it was decided in Anger's favor. Anger explained in an interview:
<blockquote>
"When Scorpio Rising was — we've forgotten, in a sense, that it was a groundbreaker, legally. Because there are only a few flashes of nudity, genitalia, whatever in the film, I mean, they're very, very short and, if you blink, you won't even see them. At any rate, when it was shown, at the Cinema — it was called the Cinema on Western Avenue in Hollywood — the premiere run, someone denounced it to the Hollywood vice squad and they raided the theater and took the print. And the case had to go to the California Supreme Court to be freed and then it became, like, a landmark case of redeeming social merit. That was the phrase that was used to justify that it wasn't pornography. And, indeed, there's nothing pornographic about it. Somebody had to break the ice and have that kind of case at that time to establish the freedom, because, before then, the police could seize anything they wanted to. What I was doing on the West Coast, [[Jack Smith (film director)|Jack Smith]] was doing on the East Coast with [[Flaming Creatures]]. The two films happened at about the same time." ([[http://www.reel.com/reel.asp?node=features/interviews/anger]] Interview with Pam Grady from reel.com)
</blockquote>
==Soundtrack==
# [[Ricky Nelson]] - "[[Fools Rush In (Where Angels Fear to Tread)]]"
# [[Little Peggy March]] - "Wind-Up Doll"
# [[The Angels (band)|The Angels]] - "[[My Boyfriend's Back (song)|My Boyfriend's Back]]"
# [[Bobby Vinton]] - "[[Blue Velvet (song)|Blue Velvet]]"
# [[Elvis Presley]] - "[[(You're the) Devil in Disguise]]"
# [[Ray Charles]] - "[[Hit The Road Jack]]"
# [[Martha Reeves and the Vandellas]] - "[[(Love Is Like A) Heat Wave]]"
# [[The Crystals]] - "[[He's a Rebel]]"
# [[Claudine Clark]] - "Party Lights"
# Kris Jensen - "Torture"
# [[Gene McDaniels]] - "Point Of No Return"
# [[Little Peggy March]] - "[[I Will Follow Him]]"
# [[Surfaris]] - "[[Wipe Out (song)|Wipe Out]]"
The [[Shangri-Las]] - "[[Leader of the Pack]]" (appears in another version).
==External links==
*[http://seul-le-cinema.blogspot.com/2007/10/1015-kenneth-anger-shorts-september.html Review by Ed Howard at Only The Cinema]
{{Kenneth Anger}}
{{short-film-stub}}
[[Category:1964 films]]
[[Category:Avant-garde and experimental films]]
[[Category:Short films]]
[[Category:LGBT-related films]]
[[Category:Films directed by Kenneth Anger]]
[[de:Scorpio Rising]]