1 Film Excess nomination:
Best Lead Actor: James Franco (lost to Stephen Dorff for Somewhere)
+ Best Art Film of the Year
+ Best Poster of the Year
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| A creative and very keen poster for Rob Epstein & Jeffrey Friedman's Howl |
Allen Ginsberg was the son of an insane mother and became a groundbreaking gay poet in 1950s New York, who after travels, hospital admissions, loves, relationships and personal insight reads and publishes his poem Howl, which causes outrage in 1955.
Howl tells the true story of Ginsberg and his titular poem, written and directed by great documentary filmmakers Rob Epstein & Jeffrey Friedman (Lovelace (2013)), who make their fiction debut with it. It is an eclectic, attractive, stringent film, which both arranges the poem, lets Ginsberg speak, - through James Franco's (The Adderall Diaries (2015)) inspired performance, - and portrays the 1957 obscenity trial that the work underwent in San Francisco. This part of the film is adorned with such gifted actors as David Strathairn (Simon Birch (1998)), Jeff Daniels (Dumb & Dumber (1994)), Bob Balaban (Girl Most Likely (2012)) and Jon Hamm (Sucker Punch (2011)).
Without my awareness, the film got under my skin and made a big emotional impact. It is touching, strong and exhilarating as the poem itself, which it breathes cinematic life into in the most ideal way with a mix of a resplendent Franco and playful animation created by Eric Drooker, who also collaborated with Ginsberg while he was still alive. Anyone interested in literature, poetry, wordplay and/or art in general should find themselves surrendering to this splendid, surprising gem.
Related posts:
2010 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED III]
2010 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED II]
2010 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED I]
2010 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess
Watch a trailer for the film here
Box office: At least 1.6 mil. $
= Unknown (but likely a big to huge flop)
[Howl premiered January 21 (Sundance) and runs 85 minutes. It was shot in just 14 days in and around New York from March - April 2009. It opened #51 in just 6 theaters to a 51k $ first weekend, peaking in 29 theaters and grossing 617k $ (38.6 % of the total gross). The 2nd and 3rd biggest markets were Italy with 305k $ (19.1 %) and (surprisingly) Vietnam with 240k $ (15 %). Roger Ebert gave the film 3/4 stars, a grade lower than this review. An extensive interview with the directors by the A.V. Club's Keith Phipps can be read here. Howl is fresh at 62 % with a 6.4 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]
What do you think of Howl?
Other poetry-centered films that you think are recommendable?
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