Gregory Corso Movies
- 1982
After World War II there was a group of young men -- writers primarily -- who were disillusioned by the pursuit of the American dream. These men and other artists, associated through mutual friendships, were looking for new ways and means to express themselves and their ideals. Soon their writings found an audience and the American media took notice of their bohemian lifestyles, dubbing them the Beat Generation. Members of this group included writers Jack Kerouac and William Burroughs and poet Allen Ginsberg. essentially forming the Trinity of the Beats, and influencing the works of others during that era, including the "hippie" movement of the '60s. In this 55-minute video narrated by Allen Ginsberg, members of the Beat Generation are reunited to share their works and recollections. ~ Forrest Spencer, All Movie Guide
This documentary by filmmaker Maria Beatty explores the lives, careers, and creative inspirations of the beat poets, forging insight into the minds of such artists as Gregory Corso, Marianne Faithfull, Richard Hell, Allen Ginsberg, Lydia Lunch and Henry Rollins. ~ Cammila Albertson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- William S. Burroughs, Allen Ginsberg, (more)
- 1968
This documentary about poet Peter Orlovsky's schizophrenic brother, Julius, is a film within a film and is generally regarded as photographer/documentarian Frank's masterwork. Brother Julius spent years in a mental hospital and upon release was put into his brother's care. Frank captures the brothers' day-to-day lives, as well as a road trip with Allen Ginsberg. At times the film breaks into another film about actors working on a film about them; cinematic devices -- including black-and-white, color cutting, and unsychronized sound -- lend an element of visual "schizophrenia" to the work. One of the players is a young Christopher Walken. The emerging document is a testament to the camera's voyeuristic tendencies and a commentary on the mentally ill in society as well as an investigation into the life of the filmmaker himself. ~ Denise Sullivan, All Movie Guide
- 1959
Robert Frank's half-hour, black-and-white short film Pull My Daisy has also been released under the title The Beat Generation, and for good reason. Featuring narration written and performed by author Jack Kerouac, the film presents an affectionate portrait of beat culture at its height through the jazzy retelling of a long, rambling evening filled with literary improvisation, philosophical discussions, and playfully foolish behavior. The fun begins when poets Allen Ginsberg and Gregory Corso, who portray themselves, converge on the apartment of one of their friends for a day of beer drinking and poetic discourse. They soon learn that their friend and his wife are planning to host a young bishop and his family for dinner and decide to stay around until evening. As the day continues, a number of other colorful characters also drop in; when the bishop arrives, and the poets begin to goad him with their loopy yet earnest questioning of religion and other institutions, things take on the flavor of an impromptu party. The film was shot on a minimal budget and without sync sound, which serves to further place the emphasis on the film's true star, the rhythmic prose of narrator Jack Kerouac. ~ Judd Blaise, All Movie Guide
- 1987
In the U.S., in the 1950s, contemporary jazz was becoming more and more esoteric, and a small group of writers, poets and musicians who were hip to that beat were exploring the cracks in the American dream. Meanwhile, the Cold War and insistently cheerful and upbeat attitudes were being promoted by Dale Carnegie and his many imitators. America was never so prosperous, so virtuous, or so happy, and the writers and artists of the Beat generation were among the first to see the worm in that particular apple. Because so many of them couldn't get enthusiastic about the Cold War, they were derisively called "beatniks," the "nik" being an imitation Russian diminutive. In this 1980s documentary, surviving eminences from that period discuss the times and their experiences. Among those appearing are Allen Ginsberg, Jack Kerouac's daughter and wife, William S. Burroughs, Amiri Baraka (a.k.a. LeRoi Jones) and others, while archival footage gives viewers a taste of other greats of the period. The former Tonight Show host and author Steve Allen narrates. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- David Amram, Amiri Baraka, (more)
After a break of more than 15 years, director Francis Ford Coppola and writer Mario Puzo returned to the well for this third and final story of the fictional Corleone crime family. Two decades have passed, and crime kingpin Michael Corleone (Al Pacino), now divorced from his wife Kay (Diane Keaton), has nearly succeeded in keeping his promise that his family would one day be "completely legitimate." A philanthropist devoted to public service, Michael is in the news as the recipient of a special award from the Pope for his good works, a controversial move given his checkered past. Determined to buy redemption, Michael and his lawyer B.J. (George Hamilton) are working on a complicated but legal deal to bail the Vatican out of looming financial troubles that will ultimately reap billions and put Michael on the world stage as a major financial player. However, trouble looms in several forms: The press is hostile to his intentions. Michael is in failing health and suffers a mild diabetic stroke. Stylish mob underling Joey Zaza (Joe Mantegna) is muscling into the Corleone turf. "The Commission" of Mafia families, represented by patriarch Altobello (Eli Wallach) doesn't want to let their cash cow Corleone out of the Mafia, though he has made a generous financial offer in exchange for his release from la cosa nostra. And then there's Vincent Mancini (Andy Garcia), the illegitimate and equally temperamental son of Michael's long-dead brother Sonny. Vincent desperately wants in to the family (both literally and figuratively), and at the urging of his sister Connie (Talia Shire), Michael welcomes the young man and allows him to adopt the Corleone name. However, a flirtatious attraction between Vincent and his cousin, Michael's naïve daughter Mary (Sofia Coppola) develops, and threatens to develop into a full-fledged romance and undo the godfather's future plans. ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Al Pacino, Diane Keaton, (more)
The tough and tender sides of New York's homeless underground are documented in this independent drama. After a bicycle accident wounds her body and a rape by her landlord (Rockets Redglare) crushes her spirit, Lisa Napolitano (Rachel Amodeo) finds herself living on the streets of New York City. As Lisa makes her way into the city's homeless community, she's befriended by Nick (Richard Edson), a disturbed but good-hearted Vietnam veteran. However, while she grows to be quite close to Nick, his emotional instability only intensifies her own problems, especially after he disappears. Shot on New York's Lower East Side in and around Tompkins Square Park, an infamous haven for the city's homeless, What About Me features cameo appearances by a number of leading figures in New York's underground rock and art community, including Richard Hell, Dee Dee Ramone, Johnny Thunders, Nick Zedd, and Gregory Corso; Thunders also contributed to the film's musical score. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Rachel Amodeo, Richard Edson, (more)
