*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.anger...@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 <p...@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/> > -- > Frameworks mailing list > Frameworks@film-gallery.org > https://mail.film-gallery.org/mailman/listinfo/frameworks_film-gallery.org > > > -- > Frameworks mailing list > Frameworks@film-gallery.org > https://mail.film-gallery.org/mailman/listinfo/frameworks_film-gallery.org >
-- Frameworks mailing list Frameworks@film-gallery.org https://mail.film-gallery.org/mailman/listinfo/frameworks_film-gallery.org