The Beat Hotel
Jun 29 - Jul 01, 2012
(Alan Govenar, USA, 2011, Blu-ray, 88 min)
Alan Govenar's new film goes deep into the legacy of the American Beats in Paris during the heady years between 1957 and 1963.
Allen Ginsberg, Peter Orlovsky and Gregory Corso fled the obscenity trials in the United States surrounding the publication of Ginsberg's poem "Howl," taking refuge in a cheap no-name Paris hotel. They were soon joined by the likes of William Burroughs, Ian Somerville and Brion Gysin, all seeking out the "freedom" that the Latin Quarter of Paris might provide.
In the film, British photographer Harold Chapman's photos and stylized dramatic recreations of his stories meld with the recollections of Scottish artist Elliot Rudie, whose drawings of his time in the hotel offer a poignant and sometimes humorous counterpoint.
"If you are a fan of Beat literature and culture, this documentary will satisfy you." -The Stranger