- Format: Colour, DVD-Video, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC
- Language English
- Subtitles: English
- Region: Region 1 (US and Canada DVD formats.)
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9 - 1.77:1
- Number of discs: 1
- Classification: Unrated (US MPAA rating. See details.)
- Studio: Oscilloscope
- DVD Release Date: 15 Feb 2011
- Run Time: 87 minutes
- ASIN: B004BJLFUK
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 57,394 in Film & TV (See Top 100 in Film & TV)
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5 reviews
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
DESPERATE SANITY?
10 Mar 2011
Previously unseen archival footage enhances this probing but affectionate look at William S. Burroughs ("Naked Lunch"), one of the first writers to break the social barriers of queer and drug culture. Burroughs thrashed conservative values and triggered counterculture movements. The soundtrack is by Patti Smith and Sonic Youth. Peter Weller narrates with a bemused detachment. This sharp documentary delves below the surface of a troubled, brilliant and desperately sane author whose influence remains a force.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Good/great but maybe one too many talking heads
18 Oct 2011
A good film, well worth seeing if you have any real interest in WSB. The film does a good job at rebalancing some aspects of his life that he is perhaps more notorious for (his drug use for example). There's a lot of deserved respect here. And we do learn quite a bit about WSB.
It's a shame that there's not more archive footage of Bill himself telling his story (who really cares what Jello Biafra thinks?) but then it's a shame Bill is no longer around (though that would be pushing it). There was a BBC Horizon documentary in the mid or late 80s, which was almost entirely Bill himself, telling his story, fantastic stuff: --- some of that could have been good to include.
Having said that, there are still many great (new to me) clips of Bill in this film, and yes this is definitely a film worth seeing.
It's a shame that there's not more archive footage of Bill himself telling his story (who really cares what Jello Biafra thinks?) but then it's a shame Bill is no longer around (though that would be pushing it). There was a BBC Horizon documentary in the mid or late 80s, which was almost entirely Bill himself, telling his story, fantastic stuff: --- some of that could have been good to include.
Having said that, there are still many great (new to me) clips of Bill in this film, and yes this is definitely a film worth seeing.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Turning Stigmatization Into An Artform or *How to Take Poison & Turn it into Pleasure*
2 Feb 2012
This documentary definitely focuses on Burrough's sexuality more than any other I've seen, with chat about who he had crushes on & who had crushes on him. And I know plenty who found that objectionable, as who cares if he was gay, he's a true original and icon as a writer. But frankly, that concern is really just a wincing knee-jerk homophobia from the very non-gay audience Burroughs was generally interested in writing for. As in truth, he more than most really WAS more deeply influenced by his sexuality in the formation of the whats & whys of all he wrote.
Being an 'outcast' concerned with 'otherness' (ie, NOT the straight & narrow path) and an interest in 'marginalized' beinghood (even 'alien') & unusual sexual practices IS ALL BURROUGHS...the man within, you might say. And yes, resultant of having no represented place in society growing up, and for him, well into adulthood. Find me one song on the radio that sings of same sex love (no, not 'Lola' by The Kinks), and maybe you can refute that, even today, the stigmas are strong. But he turned stigmatization into an artform. Or you might say, he took his poison & transformed it into the body of work we've now gained from him.
In any case, I've seen a lot of Burroughs, including the Commissioner of Sewers & Towers Open Fire, as well as owning some of his talkie CDs like Dead City Radio, and sure this film borrows plenty of footage from these, which 'real fans' would have already had exposure to. But I take it real fans don't mind seeing clips of those again & actually enjoy it quite a bit. I think this was a very cool documentary with some personal tidbits, both from stories told & home videos shown, which were quite rewarding.
Being an 'outcast' concerned with 'otherness' (ie, NOT the straight & narrow path) and an interest in 'marginalized' beinghood (even 'alien') & unusual sexual practices IS ALL BURROUGHS...the man within, you might say. And yes, resultant of having no represented place in society growing up, and for him, well into adulthood. Find me one song on the radio that sings of same sex love (no, not 'Lola' by The Kinks), and maybe you can refute that, even today, the stigmas are strong. But he turned stigmatization into an artform. Or you might say, he took his poison & transformed it into the body of work we've now gained from him.
In any case, I've seen a lot of Burroughs, including the Commissioner of Sewers & Towers Open Fire, as well as owning some of his talkie CDs like Dead City Radio, and sure this film borrows plenty of footage from these, which 'real fans' would have already had exposure to. But I take it real fans don't mind seeing clips of those again & actually enjoy it quite a bit. I think this was a very cool documentary with some personal tidbits, both from stories told & home videos shown, which were quite rewarding.
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