The Beat Generation: An American Dream (1987)

User Rating:

6.9/10   

Director:

Janet Forman

Writers:

Janet Forman (written by)
Regina Weinrich (written by)

Genre:

Documentary | History

Plot:

An investigation of the Beat Generation.

Plot Keywords:

Beat Generation | Interview | Writer | Kerouac | Poet

Cast

Steve Allen	...	Himself - Host
David Amram	...	Himself
Amiri Baraka	...	Himself
Ray Bremser	...	Himself
William S. Burroughs	...	Himself (as William Burroughs)
Carolyn Cassady	...	Herself
Neal Cassady	...	Himself (archive footage)
Clark Coolidge	...	Himself
Gregory Corso	...	Himself
Robert Creeley	...	Himself
Diane Di Prima	...	Herself (as Diane diPrima)
Larry Fagin	...	Himself
Lawrence Ferlinghetti	...	Himself
Allen Ginsberg	...	Himself
Abbie Hoffman	...	Himself
Herbert Huncke	...	Himself
Hettie Jones	...	Herself
Jack Kerouac	...	Himself (archive footage)
Jan Kerouac	...	Herself
Timothy Leary	...	Himself
Thelonious Monk	...	Himself (archive footage)
Peter Orlovsky	...	Himself
Carl Solomon	...	Himself
Anne Waldman	...	Herself

Runtime:

86 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White | Color

Certification:

USA:Unrated

Movie Connections:

Features "The Steve Allen Show" (1956)

Soundtrack:

Pull My Daisy

An excellent introduction to a vital literary movement.

The documentary Beat Generation: An American Dream provides an excellent introduction to an extremely vital and influential 20th century literary movement. Most of the key players are featured either through interviews or archival footage. News reels, propaganda, and pop culture film footage from the 40s and 50s (rife with the superficiality peculiar to that era) provide stark contrast to the free spirited ideals set forth by the key Beat exponents.

Some of the most compelling moments of the film were the segments featuring the writers reading from their works. It doesn't get any better than Jack Kerouac expressively reading from _On The Road_ while Steve Allen effortlessly accompanies him on piano. Just as moving was the excerpt of Allan Ginsberg's furious reading of _Howl_ and his sad and poignant recollection of his beloved mother.

Of course there is no better way to learn about the Beat writers than to actually read their works. But, if it's a film introduction you want, this is the one to watch.