Inauguration of the Pleasure Dome

Show & Culture

Directed in 1954 by Kenneth Anger, an underground filmmaker known for his homoerotic work, "Inauguration of the Pleasure Dome" is considered a major work of American experimental cinema. The film offers a demonic reinterpretation of Hollywood excess, blending sacred ritual and operetta parody, with influences from Lachman's "Dante's Inferno" and "The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari." Kenneth Anger seeks to transport viewers to a magical world through the use of color and dream, progressively evolving toward a total subjectivity that gives the impression of seeing the action through the characters' eyes. The film exists in three versions: two from 1954 and 1966 with music by Leoš Janáček (Glagolitic Mass), and one from 1977 with music by Electric Light Orchestra (Eldorado).