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As Good As It Gets

A brilliant film that helped define a genre

It's a feast for the eyes. But what really makes this dramedy work is the acting.

Actress is magnificent and exudes a hypnotic screen presence in this affecting drama.

Pretty much a stylistic and thematic sequel to Scorpio Rising, only not quite as long and engaged and definitely not as dark. The action, for three minutes, is a man polishing his car. However, the imagery is of some serious lovemaking, and we're not talking about tongue-in-cheek "hur hur hur he's boning his car dudes", we're talking straight-up fetishizing of a vehicle obviously feminized, with seating in the shape of vaginae and an engine that looks like it has breasts. The car itself is, ironically enough considering its femininity, a perfect body, with bright shining clean skin and sleek design, less than 2% body fat and real muscle.In terms of the title, Kenneth Anger is not ignorant of what KKK means. Like in Scorpio Rising, he replaces cultural idiosyncrasy with a queer eye for alternative meanings. With his love of alchemy, different "chemical" elements (such as the artifice of the car, the blue tight-fit clothing of the man, the fuzzy boa he polishes the car with, and the pink background) turn one thing (the simple act of polishing and starting a car) into another (sex and death, Eros of the imagery and Thanatos of the title).--PolarisDiB

Oh, how I enjoy the time I think back at those memories of Kenneth Anger's films, especially his 'Magick Lantern Cycle'. Kustom Kar Kommandos is undoubtly of great importance for later directors like Martin Scorsese and Quentin Tarantino.Later of great importance, the whole carscene is about nothing else but a guy who really adores his own car. So much that he cherishes his vehicle while washing it. There isn't very much I can say about it, it's simply perfect. If you haven't seen this short feature, you can't exactly know what you're talking about when you say you love those satiric car moments in films of Scorsese and company.It's more in it's place thanks to the great soundtrack: the Paris Sisters sing 'Dream Lover', and then you see images of a guy (named Sandy Trent?!) who's fascinated by his "dream" and becomes the "lover". Hence, "Dream Lover".I like Angers short films, especially Scorpio Rising (it became my favourite movie ever seen since), but my second favourite is surely this almost unbeatable work of art, 'Kustom Kar Kommandos'.

First of all, this is a movie Kenneth Anger never finished. Its only 1/8 of what he planned, so its probably difficult to give it a fair judgment as a whole. First time I saw it, I didn't get it at all. Its a three minute short movie about a very 'gay' looking man caressing his expensive car. Very visual, and nice colors.. but thats it! He uses a powder puff to brush the shiny car. What Anger wanted to do with this movie was to make us think about the growing bubblegum-mentality in youngsters of America. The teenage of California in a world of hot-rod and customized cars. How crazy it is. How our standards as humans in some circumstances are far above anything normal. I thought it was an interesting project and I'm sad he never found people to support it financially to complete it.

What a refreshing contrast to Anger's normal output -- this is short, to the point, simple, and under control. No pretentiousness, and competent technical qualities, for a change. It's not about anything of importance, just fetishism for the bodies of cars and of young men, but for once Anger masters his form and puts it to the service of his small idea. A mini-delight.