courting ANGER

Kenneth Anger invited me on a date soon after our first meeting. And not just any date. I was to pick him up and accompany him as his guest and chaperone to the Los Angeles Film Critics Awards for his lifetime achievement award in experimental film, with cocktails and dinner at the non plus ultra Casa del Mar Hotel in Santa Monica. I was very soon sidetracked from the task at hand. Julianne Moore, bedecked in a treasure-trove of diamonds to rival Liz Taylor, collected a best actress award; Pedro Almodóvar had just flown in from Spain to accept the award for best director for Talk to Her. Daniel Day Lewis won best actor for Gangs of New York, a tie with Jack Nicholson for his role in For Schmidt, while Arthur Penn won a directorial career achievement award. Anger and I had a memorable night out together; one of the highlights of the evening was Jack Nicholson getting up to give him a standing ovation and take his hand.