Hypnotic, occult, and visually electrifying, Invocation of My Demon Brother is one of the most striking works by underground filmmaker Kenneth Anger. Released in 1969, the short film became a defining piece of the psychedelic avant-garde—blending ritual imagery, occult symbolism, and rapid-fire editing into a feverish cinematic experience.
Shot largely during the late 1960s counterculture explosion, the film captures a world of ceremonial magic, biker culture, and experimental art colliding on screen. The cast even includes appearances by figures connected to the era’s darker mythology, including Bobby Beausoleil, whose haunting Moog synthesizer soundtrack gives the film its hypnotic pulse.
Anger, a pioneer of experimental cinema, created films that fused mythology, sexuality, pop culture, and mysticism. Invocation of My Demon Brother stands as one of the most intense examples of his work—part occult ritual, part psychedelic collage, and entirely unforgettable.
