Rabbit's Moon (Kenneth Anger, 1950, USA)

Rabbit's Moon is a short film by Kenneth Anger that was released in two different iterations. The film was originally shot in 1950, although it was not released until 1971. This 1971 version runs at about 16 minutes and uses a soundtrack composed of various 60s pop music. Anger re-released the film in 1979 in a shorter version, which came out with a soundtrack that is a loop of A Raincoat's song "It Came in the Night." The story of the film relates to the tale of Pierrot. Pierrot follows the moon. Harlequin bullies Pierrot and uses a lantern to show an image of Columbine. Pierrot tries to win the love of Columbine, and then enters a mystical realm from where he returns as a dead person. Oh yes, and there is a nice rabbit in the film as well.

For those fixated on the plot, this film won't be so entertaining, as, like most of Anger's works, this film is a visual poem. There is a commedia dell'arte style that colors the whole work, and the monochromatic blue of the camera work lends a strange quality to the whole film. The film is an ethereal work about longing for something that you can't have, with the buffoonish Pierrot expressing this desire. This is also another more family-friendly version of Kenneth Anger. While his other films tend to focus on more explicit sexual imagery and violence, this one has nothing objectionable. Still, there is plenty of Crowleyan imagery for those looking for something more occultic in nature. Rabbit's Moon is more of a mid-tier work that does not represent the director's best work, but at the same time does not fall into the lowest tier of his work. It is certainly an enjoyable watch that shows a keen sense of style and the unique Kenneth Anger energy. 

7/10