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1963 occultist Kennth Anger advertisement...
1963 occultist Kennth Anger advertisement...
Item # 719854
November 07, 1963
THE VILLAGE VOICE (weekly), Greenwich Village, New York, Nov. 7, 1963
* Underground filmmaker Kenneth Anger
* Occultist - believer in Aleister Crowley's "Thelema"
* "Scorpio Rising" short film movie advertisement
Page 15 has a 3 3/4 x 3 inch advertisement for a showing of the experimental films "Scorpio Rising" and "Fireworks" by Kenneth Anger. (see image)
AI notes: Kenneth Anger was a pioneering avant-garde filmmaker and provocateur whose work fused homoeroticism, occult symbolism, and pop culture into a visually arresting, subversive style that helped define underground cinema in the 20th century. Emerging with his controversial short Fireworks (1947), Anger boldly explored queer identity and inner fantasy during an era of deep repression, establishing himself as one of the first openly gay filmmakers in the U.S. Deeply influenced by the writings of Aleister Crowley, Anger embedded his films with ritualistic and esoteric imagery, most notably in Inauguration of the Pleasure Dome (1954) and Lucifer Rising (1972–1980), the latter featuring music by imprisoned Manson associate Bobby Beausoleil after a falling-out with Led Zeppelin’s Jimmy Page. His seminal Scorpio Rising (1963) merged biker fetishism, religious iconography, and a rock ’n’ roll soundtrack into a kinetic montage that anticipated the modern music video and deeply influenced directors like Martin Scorsese and David Lynch. Beyond film, Anger authored the notorious Hollywood Babylon, a tabloid-style exposé of Tinseltown’s darkest legends, which became a cult classic despite its questionable factual accuracy. Through both his cinematic and literary output, Anger cultivated a persona of transgression and mysticism, remaining a vital, if polarizing, figure in both queer art and occult culture until his death in 2023.
I suspect this to be an extremely rare item because there was really no reason to save it at the time.
The Village Voice was an American counterculture newspaper known for being the country's first alternative newsweekly. It introduced free-form, high-spirited, and passionate journalism into the public discourse - a tradition it maintained throughout its 60+ year history. It is quite common to find great political cartoons, satirical cartoons and articles, thought-provoking editorials, and ads and reviews for both concerts and theater productions - both on and off Broadway. Many iconic writers and musicians credit their appearance in The Village Voice for at least a portion of their success.
Complete in 24 pages, tabloid-size, one crease across the center, very nice condition.
Provenance note: This issue comes from The Village Voice's own archives, part of their in-house collection used to create their digital archive.
Alert: Many issues of The Village Voice contain articles and/or photos which some consider offensive, and are certainly inappropriate for children. Please purchase with discretion.
Category: The 20th Century
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