Kustom Kar Kommandos
Encyclopedia
Kustom Kar Kommandos is a 1965 experimental film
by Kenneth Anger
. The 3-minute short features panning shots of a young man (Sandy Trent) buffing a customized hot rod
in front of an amorphous pink background, to the tune of "Dream Lover
" by The Paris Sisters
. Imagery and the choice of camera angles imply an intense eroticism.
Production of the film was funded by a $10,000 grant from the Ford Foundation
to Anger following the completion of his biker-themed film Scorpio Rising
. Anger's original intent for Kustom Kar Kommandos was to create a feature length film centering on the role of cars as fetish objects among young American males. However, the Ford Foundation's grant quickly ran out, and only one 3-minute episode was ever produced.
Experimental film
Experimental film or experimental cinema is a type of cinema. Experimental film is an artistic practice relieving both of visual arts and cinema. Its origins can be found in European avant-garde movements of the twenties. Experimental cinema has built its history through the texts of theoreticians...
by Kenneth Anger
Kenneth Anger
Kenneth Anger is an American underground experimental filmmaker, occasional actor and author...
. The 3-minute short features panning shots of a young man (Sandy Trent) buffing a customized hot rod
Hot rod
Hot rods are typically American cars with large engines modified for linear speed. The origin of the term "hot rod" is unclear. One explanation is that the term is a contraction of "hot roadster," meaning a roadster that was modified for speed. Another possible origin includes modifications to or...
in front of an amorphous pink background, to the tune of "Dream Lover
Dream Lover
"Dream Lover" is a song written and recorded by Bobby Darin on March 5, 1959. It was produced by Ahmet Ertegun and Jerry Wexler and engineered by Tom Dowd. It is considered a soulful rock song. The song became a multi-million seller, reaching #2 in US charts and was #1 in UK for three weeks during...
" by The Paris Sisters
The Paris Sisters
The Paris Sisters were a 1960s girl group from San Francisco, best known for their work with producer Phil Spector. The group consisted of lead singer Priscilla Paris; her older sister, Albeth Paris; and their middle sister Sherrell Paris...
. Imagery and the choice of camera angles imply an intense eroticism.
Production of the film was funded by a $10,000 grant from the Ford Foundation
Ford Foundation
The Ford Foundation is a private foundation incorporated in Michigan and based in New York City created to fund programs that were chartered in 1936 by Edsel Ford and Henry Ford....
to Anger following the completion of his biker-themed film Scorpio Rising
Scorpio Rising (film)
Scorpio Rising is a 1964 experimental film by Kenneth Anger, starring Bruce Byron as Scorpio. Themes central to the film include the occult, biker subculture, Catholicism and Nazism; the film also explores the worship of rebel icons of the era, namely James Dean and Marlon Brando...
. Anger's original intent for Kustom Kar Kommandos was to create a feature length film centering on the role of cars as fetish objects among young American males. However, the Ford Foundation's grant quickly ran out, and only one 3-minute episode was ever produced.