Burroughs: The Movie is a biographical documentary film about the life and work of William S. Burroughs, the American novelist, essayist, and spoken word performer. Directed by Howard Brookner, the film features extensive interviews with Burroughs, who talks about his childhood, his drug addiction, his writing process, his friendships, and his artistic collaborations.
The film also includes interviews with Burroughs’ friends and colleagues, such as Allen Ginsberg, Brion Gysin, Francis Bacon, Herbert Huncke, Patti Smith, Terry Southern, and William Burroughs Jr. They provide insights into Burroughs’ literary influences, his travels, his sexual preferences, and his cultural impact.
The documentary is shot in a mix of styles, including archival footage, interviews, and dramatizations of some of Burroughs’ works, such as Naked Lunch and The Wild Boys. The film captures the spirit of the Beat Generation, of which Burroughs was a leading figure, and shows how his writing and art influenced the counterculture of the 1960s and beyond.
Released in 1983, Burroughs: The Movie was Brookner’s first feature-length film, and it received critical acclaim for its intimate portrait of a complex and fascinating artist. The film was later remastered and re-released in 2014, with additional footage and a new score by composer Patti Smith and guitarist Lenny Kaye.
