Fireworks (1947 film)

Infobox Film
name = Fireworks


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director = Kenneth Anger
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starring = Kenneth Anger
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distributor = Mystic Fire Video (DVD)
released = 1947
runtime = 20 min.
country = USA
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"Fireworks" (1947) is a homoerotic experimental film by Kenneth Anger. Filmed in his parents' Beverly Hills, California home over a long weekend while they were away, the film stars Anger and explicitly explores themes of homosexuality and sado-masochism. [Hoberman et al. p. 55] It is the earliest of his works to survive.

Anger synopsizes the film thus: "A dissatisfied dreamer awakes, goes out in the night seeking a `light' and is drawn through the needle's eye. A dream of a dream, he returns to bed less empty than before." Adding later, "This flick is all I have to say about being seventeen, the United States Navy, American Christmas, and the Fourth of July." [cite news
last = Smith
first = Claiborne K.H
coauthors =
title = Kustom Film Kommando: Interview With Filmmaker Kenneth Anger
work = Austin Chronicle
pages =
language =
publisher =
date = 1997-10-30
url = http://www.austinchronicle.com/gyrobase/Issue/print?oid=518703
accessdate = 2008-04-10]

Anger was arrested on obscenity charges following the release of "Fireworks". The case went to the California Supreme Court which declared the film to be art. [cite news
last = Frye
first = Brian L
coauthors =
title = Angry Young Man
work = The Stranger
pages =
language =
publisher =
date = 2007-04-24
url = http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Content?oid=206143
accessdate = 2008-02-25 ]

Notes

References

Hoberman, J. and Jonathan Rosenbaum (1983). "Midnight Movies". New York, Harper & Row. ISBN 0060909900 (paperback edition).

External links

* [http://imdb.com/title/tt0039383/ "Fireworks"] at IMDB
* [http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/kenneth_anger_fireworks "Fireworks" at Rotten Tomatoes]
* [http://www.subcin.com/anger.html Anger's "Magick Lantern Cycle"]
* [http://www.mysticfire.com/ntsc/archives/bios/NIAnger.html Anger's films at Mystic Fire Video]