too, must be, even if it be only to
overcome the numbness that hind–
ers our understanding of wh at has
happened to the old world, and
<'ur participation in the new-de–
cently, of course. But that goes
without saving. We have our de–
cency. What we need is necessity.
2. The End of Alienation
We are so sensitive that we can–
not feel any more. When the mo–
ment comes to respond, our res–
ponse is all spent in the anti cipa–
tion. Hence our famous "aliena–
tion"-an alienation from the
world we saw coming. Few of us
realize that we are no longer alien–
ated, now that this world has come.
Woe to the prophet, the prophecy
has come true ! H ence the attack
on intellectuals, the irresponsibles,
the decadents (would that every–
one were as decadent as we). But
at least we are at home in this
world. It is they, taken unprepared
by the reality, who are alienated
from it. We are the guides through
the museum of dead culture-or if
we, too, have lost our humanity,
'1"e
are at least the nimble goats
who can pick their way among the
rums.
Still we hear it said all around
us that we are in a worse position
than before-granted, but it is not
the same position!- that we have
nothing to say, and that even if
we have, and our message be more
precious than ever, we lack the
language to express it and the au–
dience to hear it. This merely des-
109
FIREWORKS
a
f
jim
by
KENNETH ANGER
H
Fireworks
deals with the neurosis
of a homosexual, an 'outcast' who
dreams he is tracked down and bru–
tally beaten. . . . Here, despite
the difficulties of ' forbidden' subject
matter, the film 's intensity of im–
agery
I
the strength a nd precision of
its shots and continuity, produce an
effect of imaginativeness and daring
honesty which on the screen is star–
tling. Ordinary objects- ornaments, a
Roman candle, a
Christma~
tree–
take on extraordinary vitality when
Anger uses them suddenly, arbitrarily,
with almost explosive force
h
as sym-
fr~:n o~n th~ill~~~:::js ;~~~ ~rri~~~
grandeur of catastrophe.' The objec–
tivity of the style captures the in–
cipient violence and perversion vivid–
ly, and the film becomes a frank and
deliberate expression of personality
.. . the film has a rare individuality
which no literal summary of
its
quali–
ties can communicate."
LEWIS JACOBS
in
H ollywood Quarterly
" I admire
Fireworks
for its audacity."
ANAIS NIN
Fireworks
is one of a series of re–
leases introducing the works of con–
temporary American film artists, avail–
able in 16mm sound for rental.
CREATIVE
FI LM
ASSOCIA TES
6215
fr~nklin
ave. hollywood 28 calif.
LIBERAL PRESS, INC.
printers of
PARTISAN REVIEW
•
80 FOURTH
NEW YORK
AVENUE
3. N. Y.
