Puce Moment

Kenneth Anger is one of my favorite filmmakers of all time, and this is a film I've been wanting to watch for quite some time. After watching it, I enjoyed it. Although not as great as other Anger films like "Scorpio Rising", which has become one of my all time favorite films, it is still a great, little, experimental short.

It has no plot, like most of avant garde cinema, but it is a series of images, which, unlike other avant garde films, are all connected, involving the same one character, who, mainly just goes through a bunch of her dresses. Other stuff happens as well, but it is mainly a woman going through her dresses.

What is so good about that? Well, Anger's imagery and style make the film very visually interesting, and the soundtrack helps the film as well. It is ahead of it's time, and a great short film that you should probably have enough time to watch.

I probably shouldn't have reviewed this. I had absolutely no interest in the subject matter or the story. So I am not going to dis it but I didn't see anything that was eye popping. I suppose the fact that it was made in 1949 had something to do with its inclusion at this time.

Anger. She looks through the wardrobe, not knowing what fits her style. The surreal orchestra plays as she finds the one that is the

best without a doubt-the black dress. It is beautiful and sparkling.

She places it on herself and walks around. Once she has had enough she

rests-awaking next morning to find herself in a distraught position outside. The dogs are lined up, she takes them for a walk-leaving her southern Californian house in mourning.

This is indeed one of Anger's best. It depicts his childhood fascinations with movie-stars and bizarre situations.

I recommend this film to every fan of avant garde or follower of a subculture/art.

This is a small 6 minute fragment of what was supposed to title "Puce Women". It was to be about the types of Hollywood actresses from the 1920s.

It begins with a series of beautiful, colorful gowns being shoved at the camera. They were actual gowns worn by 1920s actresses. It shows a woman (Yvonne Marquis) looking for a gown to go out in. She finally finds one that is puce-colored (hence the title). Then we have her lying on a couch which moves around. Next we see her walking four dogs in the puce gown.

There's no real point or story but it IS beautiful to watch and the gowns especially will be a treat to see in color for any fan of old Hollywood movies. It's an interesting short for fans of old Hollywood movies. I give it a 7.

Because of the psychedelic music I didn't believe this was from 1949, but that is probably added a decade or more later. In combination with the pictures it creates a very special experience that I watched over five times (its only six minutes) to let it endure. How the music and the text relates to the images is another thing, its either hippie or pure hedonistic or (strangely) both. What it creates in feeling of reminisce and nostalgia over past times is what makes this so special.

All we see is a diva woman enjoying herself by herself, as a hermit as the music suggests, looking at her garments, smelling her perfumes or out on the terrace with her four greyhounds. She is so self indulgent that she looks high.