Scorpio Rising (1964)

User Rating:

7.2/10   

Director:

Kenneth Anger

Writers:

Release Date:

4 February 1972 (Finland)

Genre:

Short

Plot:

An army of gay/nazi bikers make their engines roar and ride the way to pain/pleasure as sexual and sadistic...

Plot Keywords:

Biker | Underground Film | Cult Favorite | Accidental Death | Dream Like

Cast

Ernie Allo	...	Joker (uncredited)
Bruce Byron	...	Scorpio (uncredited)
Frank Carifi	...	Leo (uncredited)
Steve Crandell	...	Blondie (uncredited)
Johnny Dodds	...	Kid (uncredited)
Bill Dorfman	...	Back (uncredited)
Nelson Leigh	...	Jesus Christ (uncredited) (archive footage)
John Palone	...	Pinstripe (uncredited)
Barry Rubin	...	Fall Guy (uncredited)
Johnny Sapienza	...	Taurus (uncredited)

Runtime:

USA:28 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Finland:K-16

Filming Locations:

Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Puck Film Productions

Trivia:

Most of the young men in the film were Italian-Americans from Brooklyn who worked during the day at the Fulton Fish Market in Manhattan, (the central location for New York City's fish wholesalers), doing heavy physical labor. Their priorities in spending their money were: motorcycles first, girlfriends second! The man with a very muscular body in the "Blue Velvet" sequence was, however, a visiting biker from Canada.

Movie Connections:

Features The Living Bible: Last Journey to Jerusalem (1952)

Soundtrack:

He's a Rebel

One of the best experimental films ever shot

Kenneth Anger's "Scorpio Rising", set to the tune of thirteen 1960's pop songs, ranks as one of the best films ever shot in the experimental genres, which to some people might translate as the best pile of dog poop ever made, but in terms of visual imagery, context, and use of music, it ranks up there as one of the most important films of the 60's. Kenneth Anger's trademarks (outsider as protagonist, homosexual iconography, pop culture looked at in a different light) are at their most poignant here with most memorable scenes set to 'Blue Velvet", "I Will Follow Him", and "Wipe Out". Also classic is the use of clips from Cecil B. DeMille's "King of Kings" of Jesus and his disciples walking superimposed between shots of gay bikers. A classic piece of Americana.