The World Beyond BetterMost > The Culture Tent

James Franco as Allen Ginsberg in "Howl"

(1/2) > >>

Aloysius J. Gleek:



[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rtfz1dpHS0I&feature[/youtube]

http://nymag.com/daily/entertainment/2010/07/james_francos_allen_ginsberg_d.html


Howl Trailer:
James Franco’s Allen Ginsberg
Doesn’t Disappoint

By: Willa Paskin
7/14/10 at 10:15 PM

James Franco does a mean, understated impersonation of Allen Ginsberg in this excellently edited trailer for Howl,  a biopic of the poet centering around his most famous poem's obscenity trial. The trailer cuts between the trial—with Treat Williams and Mary Louise Parker on the stand, and Jon Hamm, in full Don Draper gear, as Ginsberg's lawyer—, black and white footage of Franco reciting "Howl" in a club, and color footage of Franco, with a very neat beard, giving on camera interviews. The whole thing really moves, and is polished and accomplished enough that by the time Franco is howling at a psychedelic sky, it seems like a cool, zany touch.




http://fireman.ilcannocchiale.it/?yy=2009&mm=6&p=3

CULTURA
8 giugno 2009
Franco nei panni di Ginsberg


Prime immagini ufficiali per la preparazione del file Howl  in cui James Franco interpreta Allen Ginsberg
 nella foto (a destra) con il suo amico Peter Orlovsky (a sinistra, interpretato da Aaron Tveit).
Segue la foto originale:

serious crayons:
That looks promising. Interesting subject, good cast.

southendmd:
I was lucky to see this in June.  It was the opening selection at the Provincetown International Film Festival.  Although skeptical of James Franco as Ginsberg, he really pulled it off.  It is a great impression--the voice, the mannerisms--and he can read the poem well.  Even his prettiness gets lost behind the horn-rimmed glasses.

Interesting to note that Ginsberg wasn't even at the obscenity trial; Ferlinghetti, the publisher, was the defendant. 

The filmmakers, known for documentaries such as The Times of Harvey Milk (this is their first narrative film), were present, and posed the question, "How do you turn a poem into a film?"

The black-and-white bits show the writing and early performance of the poem, and trial scenes and later interviews with Ginsberg are in color.  Most was edited from actual transcripts.  However, the animation that is interspersed was distracting, and IMO neither successful nor necessary. 

Marina:
Very much looking forward to this one too.  :)

Shakesthecoffecan:
I read once that Franco was the great grandson of Gutzon Borglum who carved Mt. Rushmore, but I cannot verify that now so I don't know why I am even mentioning it.

Navigation

[0] Message Index

[#] Next page