[Frameworks] Kenneth Anger

[Scott MacDonald]

*Hey Dominic,*

*We geezers do have some good tales to tell, and this is a good one.*

*(Not sure I wouldn't have accepted the book!)*

*I was jolted to think Kenneth had died--he seemed indestructible somehow.
Getting an interview with him was one of the thrills of my life.*

*Scott*

On Wed, May 24, 2023 at 12:38 PM Dominic Angerame <
dominic.angerame at gmail.com> wrote:

> This breaks my heart, below is a short piece that will be included in a
> book I am writing about my experiences at Canyon Cinema and the filmmakers
> that I had come to know and love.
>
> This is an excerpt
>
> One day I was leaving my apartment in North Beach and walking on Columbus
> Avenue when I ran into Kenneth walking down the street. Surprised to see
> him, I offered to buy him a cappuccino.  He declined but said he wanted to
> show me something. We walked and talked for a while walking down Broadway
> past the numerous strip clubs until we stopped outside of an porn store on
> Kearny Street.
>
>
>
> The store had a massive video arcade in the back. I knew the store had a
> collection of some of the grossest porn that I had ever seen. I groaned
> quietly and walked in, not knowing what to expect. We walked to the back of
> the shop where the private video booths were located. Of course there were
> several strange looking clients coming sheepishly out of the booths. The
> floor was cement and sloped downward and above there were portholes for the
> projection of the films. This was very curious, and then Kenneth told me
> this porn shop used to be a theatre called the “Art Movie House”, and it
> was where he premiered *Scorpio Rising*. I was standing in an historic
> building!
>
>
>
> As we walked around a bit and I am sure we looked suspicious as
> we  examined the ceiling, the portholes, the walls. My filmmaker mind
> imagined what films this theatre had shown in the past and what it must
> have looked like when *Scorpio Rising* was presented. We then walked
> outside and I felt like I had just an extremely spiritual experience.
> Kenneth then pointed to a window on the second floor and said he lived
> there, directly above the theatre.
>
>
>
> This long gone porn store now is the home of North Beach Citizens, an
> organization that helps homeless people. Ironically this organization was
> started by Francis Ford Coppola and funded in part by George Lucas. The
> sloped floors are gone along with the portholes, yet the spirit of the old
> theater remains. I have volunteered there in the past and now AA meetings
> on held on that sight.
>
>
>
> Another day I was working in the office and Bruce Conner walked in
> unexpectedly as he often would.  He was carrying a book he wanted the
> office to have. It was the unauthorized biography of Kenneth Anger. I
> looked at the book and the phone rang. I was suddenly conflicted  since
> Bruce normally demanded all my attention and did not want to be
> interrupted.
>
>
> However, I saw that it was Kenneth Anger calling me. I answered the phone
> and Bruce was upset. Kenneth said hi, etc. and then he went on to discuss
> the very book Bruce had brought. Kenneth went on to say  angrily “Do not
> buy that book, do not read it and do not accept it if given to you, do not
> even touch the book,” I said ok, hung up the phone looked at Bruce and said
> I cannot accept the book. Talk about MAGIK!
>
>
> On May 24, 2023, at 9:29 AM, Pip Chodorov <pip at re-voir.com> wrote:
>
> Sad news...
>
> <GettyImages-604272326.jpg>
>
> Kenneth Anger, Experimental Filmmaker and ‘Hollywood Babylon’ Author, Dies
> at 96
> <https://variety.com/2023/film/news/kenneth-anger-dies-fireworks-1235623957/>
> variety.com
> <https://variety.com/2023/film/news/kenneth-anger-dies-fireworks-1235623957/>
>
> <https://variety.com/2023/film/news/kenneth-anger-dies-fireworks-1235623957/>
> --
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