Invocation of My Demon Brother

1969

Dir. Kenneth Anger, 16mm Color Sound 00:11:00

Page Contents

Description

Kenneth Anger’s intention that his films both depict and perform rituals, “casting a spell” on the audience, reached its zenith with INVOCATION OF MY DEMON BROTHER, which can be read as one of the most masterfully constructed rituals in THE MAGICK LANTERN CYCLE. The detail and complexity with which it is fashioned is no less astonishing than the extremely visceral responses that it creates in most viewers. Although many may be reluctant to accept the notion that such reactions arise from the film’s implementation of a spell, when couched in other language the underlying ideas may come to sound more orthodox.

[Source: Deborah Allison, Magick in Theory and Practice: Ritual Use of Colour in Kenneth Anger’s 'Invocation of My Demon Brother,' Senses of Cinema 2005]

Other Credits

Music composed and performed by Mick Jagger