Eaux d'artifice

A woman dressed elegantly walks purposely through the water gardens at the Villa d'Este in Tivoli, as the music of Vivaldi's "Winter" movement of "The Four Seasons" plays. Heavy red filters give a blue cast to the light; water plays across stone, and fountains send it into the air. No words are spoken. Baroque statuary and the sensuous flow of water are back lit. Anger calls it "water games." Based on what I've read, many have considered this among Anger's best, or his masterpiece, and it is apparently very influential. For me, I just did not care for it. I get that he shot it very beautifully and the use of tinting and light make this something of a moving painting. But, you know, it does not have that imagery I expect from his work.

Beautiful! Kenneth Anger's obscure filmography is chock full of artistic masterpieces, and "Eaux d'artifice" is among his very best work! Unlike many other Anger films, "Eaux d'artifice" is not provocative, explicit, or disturbing, instead it is a gorgeous, magical short focusing on the majesty of water. The fountains featured in the film flow with grace, water moves majestically through nearly every shot, images dissolve in and out of one another in a uniquely constructed, breathtaking way. This film will likely have fans of experimental art and imagery speechless, gleefully bathing in Anger's adventurous imagination. An avant garde classic this one is, and for good reason!

Pointless (and deadly dull) short film by Kenneth Anger. It involves a small woman (called the Water Witch I believe) wandering around this place with tons of gushing water. Then at the end she becomes a fountain. Swear to God--that's it! Anger's early films are an acquired taste. I did like "Fireworks", "Puce Moment" and "Rabbits Moon" but the popularity of this has always escaped me. I've seen it multiple times and (more often than not) found myself struggling to stay awake! Anger's beautiful imagery seems to be missing here. Just a bunch of gushing water and a midget running around in a bizarre outfit is not enough to keep me interested. How this got on the list of film to be preserved is beyond me. "Fireworks" is MUCH better than this--but I guess "Fireworks" is too homo erotic. I personally can't stand this one but many others seem to think it's a masterpiece. Use your own judgment.

Somewhat atypical of Anger's films, this seems to be a pure visual treat with none of his trademark homoeroticism or occult references. To a soundtrack of "The Four Seasons", a woman wearing eighteenth century clothes wanders through a garden carrying a fan, until she comes across a fountain. She enters the waters, and fades to nothingness. Anger's camerawork is nothing less than sensational, catching the play of light on the water superbly. This short film was shot in b&w, and printed with a coloured tint, with the fan hand-tinted in a separate colour. Simple, and beautifully effective.

I saw this on a fairly large screen as part of a MOCA exhibit in Los Angeles. I probably watched it four or five times that day. It is one of the most stunning films I have ever seen. It's breathtaking.

Sadly, every time I've seen it since, it doesn't sync quite right with the video format. You have to see it as a film projection (or find a source that gets around the mis-sync). Well worth it if you can!!!