Fireworks by Kenneth Anger (analysis)

Fireworks is a silent film made in 1947 by film-maker Kenneth Anger. The film depicts a homosexual man whom has a sailor fetish, it is composed of scenes of a man eyeing sailors in a mens locker room then being harassed and brutally attacked by said sailors. Fireworks is filled with symbolic interactions and there is a very clear feeling of what it was like to be a homosexual man in the 1940s. The sailors in the film were not simply there to be iconic male models, instead they are there to bring light to the sailor fetish that was growing in the gay community during the time. However, because homosexuality was not accepted at the time, Anger had to hide his true sexuality resulting in the frustration and consequences depicted by the beatings in the film. In fact, Fireworks was so controversial at the time that Anger ended up doing jail time and being assaulted for showing the film. The fact that Anger knew what would happen to him if he created this film, but chose to go public with it anyways, makes this film none less than revolutionary and a true artist statement.