‘Fireworks’: Kenneth Anger’s pioneering queer masterpiece
Regarded by many as one of the most influential filmmakers of the 20th century, Kenneth Anger is a true pioneer whose cinematic experiments had a profound effect on the aesthetic frameworks of modern cinema. As one of the first openly gay directors in the US, Anger not only made fascinating contributions to the country’s rich traditions of avant-garde cinema but also completely revolutionised perceptions of queer cinema.
Known for his masterpieces like Inauguration of the Pleasure Dome, Anger’s entire filmography is full of complex pieces that deserve to be categorised as essential viewing for cinephiles all over the world. Drawn to filmmaking from a very early age, Anger started making short films when he was just ten, but it would take him a while before he received more attention. The first project to introduce his vision to a wider audience was the 1947 gem Fireworks.
Incorporated with experimental elements and a striking homoerotic theme, Fireworks presents a young man who is repeatedly beaten up and overpowered by a bunch of extremely attractive sailors. Featuring boner jokes and cumshots, this early work by Anger announced the arrival of an uncompromising artist who wasn’t afraid to address his identity and sexuality. In fact, scholars have actually cited it as the first gay narrative film in American history.
During a conversation with Dazed, Anger opened up about how Fireworks changed his life. While talking about the accolades the early short film received, Anger recalled: “I was really pleased with it. I made it on 16mm, and I heard that Jean Cocteau was going to be a judge at the Festival du Film Maudit in Biarritz, France and so I just sent it off, and a little while later, I found out it was awarded the prize for poetic film – that was in 1949.”
The director added: “It was inspired by an incident at the end of WWII when a bunch of sailors in their sailor whites came up from Long Beach and proceeded to hunt down Mexican kids in downtown Los Angeles and beat them bloody. The incident is known as the Zoot Suit Riots because the Mexicans were wearing those fanciful zoot suits, you know – cut very weirdly and in outrageous colours like purple. That was actually the inspiration for Fireworks.“
Functioning like a wet dream that exists at the margins of the domain of nightmares, Fireworks uses sadomasochism and American symbols like fireworks and sailors to generate a powerful commentary about the LGBTQ+ community in the country. Made when he was only seventeen while his parents were away one weekend, this is the masterpiece that properly kickstarted Anger’s tenure as one of the most subversive directors in the world.
Watch the film below.
