This is another short by Kenneth Anger that wasn't fully completed, but unlike Puce Moment I don't really think it needed that much more to it. It's a story of unattainable desire... Anger returns to silent era with a pantomime troupe performing Pierrot, with a magic lantern. For some reason, in every description of this film, there must be mention of the magic lantern.
Anyway, the tinted blue black-and-white film and the set design definitely sets the perfect tone for this film, and the pantomime is very well done (is pantomime a lost skill? I hope not. I hope troupes like this still exist). The short itself is just a little slow with its repetitions, but that also adds a sense of poetry to it that I rather like. I really like the set design, it's very beautiful.
I don't know about the Doo Wop music. Honestly, I don't really think it fits. The story and imagery itself is associated with classic fables from both the West and the Orient, and the appeal towards stage movements keeps it in a kind of nostalgic light. Switching to a more modern music can still be effective instead of just using classical elements, but I don't think Doo Wop fits the overall tone of the movie, which is slower and has a much more mournful quality. Maybe he should have used blues or slow jazz if he were going to keep with modern music styles.
EDIT: RABBIT MOON
1979 re-edit of the original 1950 La lune des lapins. Pierrot really wants that damned moon. This time, instead of doo-wop songs used without permission, Anger uses an otherwise unreleased single "It Came in the Night" by A Raincoat, which does wonders for the mood and enjoyment of the film (my previous rating for it is a five, but now I'd rate it a seven). He also speeds up the imagery, giving it a somewhat more comical vibe and, well... speeding it up, because the problem with the original edit is that it was slow and repetitive. So score for Dr. Anger for returning to this one.
--PolarisDiB
Anyway, the tinted blue black-and-white film and the set design definitely sets the perfect tone for this film, and the pantomime is very well done (is pantomime a lost skill? I hope not. I hope troupes like this still exist). The short itself is just a little slow with its repetitions, but that also adds a sense of poetry to it that I rather like. I really like the set design, it's very beautiful.
I don't know about the Doo Wop music. Honestly, I don't really think it fits. The story and imagery itself is associated with classic fables from both the West and the Orient, and the appeal towards stage movements keeps it in a kind of nostalgic light. Switching to a more modern music can still be effective instead of just using classical elements, but I don't think Doo Wop fits the overall tone of the movie, which is slower and has a much more mournful quality. Maybe he should have used blues or slow jazz if he were going to keep with modern music styles.
EDIT: RABBIT MOON
1979 re-edit of the original 1950 La lune des lapins. Pierrot really wants that damned moon. This time, instead of doo-wop songs used without permission, Anger uses an otherwise unreleased single "It Came in the Night" by A Raincoat, which does wonders for the mood and enjoyment of the film (my previous rating for it is a five, but now I'd rate it a seven). He also speeds up the imagery, giving it a somewhat more comical vibe and, well... speeding it up, because the problem with the original edit is that it was slow and repetitive. So score for Dr. Anger for returning to this one.
--PolarisDiB