Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman take a passionate look at beat icon Allen Ginsberg, his most famous work and the obscenity trial that surrounded it in Howl – The Beat That Rocked A Generation.
James Franco plays Ginsberg convincingly, as someone who has watched many recordings of Ginsberg reading poetry or in interview I can say confidently that his performance is an impersonation on a par with Johnny Depp’s portrayal of Hunter S. Thompson. From the intonation in his speech to the way he holds his cigarette Franco inhabits the role completely. However he does seem just like a recording of Ginsberg, he remains a detached persona, a narrative device more than a living breathing character. This is telling of Epstein and Friedman’s history as documentary makers, the court room scenes in particular lacked finesse and felt like a recording of a stage performance.
The film has a non-linear format which is slightly confusing at first but as the film goes on it soon becomes clear why. There are five separate threads to the film. There are the scenes of Ginsberg reading the poem in a crowded coffee house, shot in black and white with narrow camera frames and ambient noise that is very atmospheric. There is the animation with Franco reciting Howl over it. The animation is dark and hallucinogenic, a valiant effort to visualise the powerful imagery in the poem as you hear Franco masterfully deliver it. I found this absorbing and would be jolted when the film snapped back in a non-sequitur to an interview with Ginsberg. The interview scenes are shot in colour but there is a dull blue-ish feel to them thanks to the lighting and setting of a dingy apartment. The interview is a joy as Ginsberg talks about himself and how he writes and how his feelings, as well as ruminations on the nature of self and personal relationships. When he talks about past events we are shown in black and white a younger Ginsberg at parties or with friends, there is very little action or dialogue as Franco provides a narrative via voice over. Then there are the court room scenes which are shot in colour and in a classical court room drama style. These are a weak point in the film as they lack the tension necessary to make them interesting, though the discussion of Howl as a work was sometimes thought provoking.
The films moves about frenetically between these threads, the reason being that as we hear howl recited over the animation the other parts of the film provide backdrop to the poem and explore the themes contained within the lines. From Ginsberg’s time in a mental institution and his mother’s madness and death to his time spent as a vagabond seeking adventure.
The film is experimental and filled with energy, much like the title poem. The use of jazz music adds atmosphere and life, the music during the animation sequences is ambient and dreamlike which complements the visuals well without being intrusive.
For fans of Ginsberg it is a must see, for fans of film it is an experiment in what a non-linear plot style can do to create thematic links and expand meaning. It’s not a fun film for a night in with your mates; it’s a serious artistic work and as such is interpretational. I can imagine another reviewer panning it completely however I don’t think anyone could fault Franco’s performance as the film is worth watching for that alone.
Conor Keaney.
Howl is running exclusively at the IFI from Friday 25th Feb 2011.
