This biographical documentary on author and eccentric William S. Burroughs (Naked Lunch), founder of the Beat Generation literary movement along with Jack Kerouac and Allen Ginsberg, is roughly divided into two segments. The first part has some witty scenes as the camera follows the author around to his various early haunts in the U.S., London, and Morocco. His friends are interviewed, including an interesting segment with Allen Ginsberg. In the second half of the film Burroughs becomes more of an exhibitionist than a subject, suggesting that discretionary editing would have made a smaller but better final version.~Eleanor Mannikka
Features
Audio interview with Director Howard Brookner from 1985
Footage from the 2014 New York Film Festival premiere of the film's restoration, featuring a Q&A with Jarmusch, Aaron Brookner, filmmaker Tom DiCillo, and William S. Burrough's friend and fellow writer James Grauerholz
New Audio Commentary by Filmmaker Jim Jarmusch, who was a sound recordist on the film
New interview with Brookner's nephew, filmmaker Aaron Brookner, who oversaw the film's restoration
New, high-definition digital restoration
Plus: An essay by critic Luc Sante and collage artwork by artist Alison Mosshart
Rare outtakes
Twenty-three minute experimental edit of the film from 1981 by inventor and photographer Robert E. Fulton III
Director
Howard Brookner
Cast
William S. Burroughs
Allen Ginsberg
Terry Southern
Jackie Curtis
Patti Smith
Lauren Hutton
Crew
Howard BrooknerProducer
Howard BrooknerCinematographer
Mike SouthonCinematographer
Tom DiCilloCinematographer
Joëlle van EffenterreEditor
Scott VickreyEditor
Jim JarmuschSound/Sound Designer
Peter MillerSound/Sound Designer
Details
Genre
Documentary, Special Interests
Subgenre
Biography [nf],Literary Studies [nf],Social History [nf]
![Front Standard. Burroughs [Criterion Collection] [2 Discs] [DVD] [1983].](https://pisces.bbystatic.com/image2/BestBuy_US/images/products/2951/29518295_sa.jpg)
