Howl details
| Formats: | 15 DVD, Blu-ray |
|---|---|
| Starring: | James Franco, Paul Rudd, Mary-Louise Parker, Jeff Daniels, David Strathairn, Alan Alda |
| Directors: | Rob Epstein, Jeffrey Friedman |
| Genre: | Drama - Biography |
| Studio: | ELEVATION SALES |
| Collections: | June - LOVEFiLM Picks, June New Releases, Summer 2011 Releases |
| Name | Discs | |
|---|---|---|
Howl |
15 Feature |
DVD Information
| Run time: | 1 hour 24 minutes |
|---|---|
| Rental release: | 20 Jun 2011 |
| Main languages: | English |
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LOVEFiLM Review
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By Jennifer Trevorrow from LOVEFiLMJames Franco puts in another great performance as poet Allen Ginsberg...
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Most helpful review
More of a squeak than a howl
By Tuttle (26 reviews) from Newdigate , 23 Jun 2011[Highly rated reviewer]
Good acting and period detail could have made a more powerful expression of what being gay and artistic (if a bit pretentious) was like in the 50s.
But Ginsburg's poetry and the supporting cartoons don't really deliver a big enough emotional punch. The court room scenes are starry but again never really got me going - it didn't generate any laughs or sense of drama. Maybe it is just that we've moved on in terms of what is shocking and there isn't much else left to Ginsberg now.
The non cartoony bits are good to look at though and quite evocative.- Was this review helpful to you?
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(38)Great performances
By a customer , 17 Feb 2013THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS Show review anywayHide
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The Beats are the Best
By a customer , 18 Sep 2012This film is not for everyone. But if you are vaguely interested in the Beat Generation or poetry or Ginsberg, Franco does an amazing job. I loved the way they interweaved the court case, the poetry reading, the animation and the interview. It just works really well.- Was this review helpful to you?
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Fresh beat
By a customer , 13 Apr 2012I guess 'Howl' is going to attract viewers who know the poem or who are interested in Allen Ginsberg as a figurehead of the 1960's counterculture.
The film mixes an interview format with a dramatised courtroom scenes,animation and Ginsberg(Franco) reading 'Howl' to a 'beat' audience in 1955.
The animation seems to be there to illustrate the hallucinatory vividness of Ginsberg language, but doesn't match up
Through an extended,informal 'interview', Franco's Ginsberg gives a measured defence and exploration of his method and reasons for writing 'Howl' and finding and expressing his sexuality. This material is neatly intercut with a court scene dramatising the prosecution of the publisher of 'Howl', Lawrence Ferlinghetti and Ginsberg declamatory reading of 'Howl'.
A satisfying film.
A recording of the real Ginsberg reading 'Howl' is well worth hearing and is now probably widely available.- Was this review helpful to you?
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A must see.....
By a customer , 15 Jan 2012I didnt know what to expect with this film. At first glance I thought it was going to an artsy, thought provoking film that left me pondering afterwards the meaning of Giensberg's poetry. But in actual fact the movie explains the life of the famous poet and shows how the litery value of the poem howl is open any interpretation however in the end it doesn't matter as the film shows not only the poets talent but also the controversy that followed and how he lived his life.
I would definitely recommend this film because even If your not a fan of poetry the film allows new audiences to appreciate GIensberg's work, with the use of highly effective format.
The film makers have combined documentary film making, with reconstruction and animation to not only move the narrative along and tell the story but to also illustrate the words written in howl.
Overall, I really loved this film and it made me want to know more about GIensberg and his work. Also James Franco's performance is beilivable and sometimes moving. A good film that is totally not what I expected. It is a must.- Was this review helpful to you?
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A real good suprise movie, liked it lots
By a customer , 05 Jan 2012This movie pulls off a really difficult task of being a documentary and a movie with a story all in one film.
The animationtion segments really bought poem extracts to life and gave real power to the poem's meaning.
The poet was well ahead of his time and much of the subject matter is still so relevant to todays' societys' problems.- Was this review helpful to you?
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