The Life and Times of Allen Ginsberg

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The Life and Times of Allen Ginsberg

1994

1h 22m

Documentary

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Popcornmeter

79%

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14 Reviews

71%

Popcornmeter

500+ Ratings

This documentary chronicles the life of American beat poet Allen Ginsberg. Born and raised in New Jersey, Ginsberg attends Columbia University alongside fellow beats Jack Kerouac and William S. Burroughs. Ginsberg rises to the forefront of the American counterculture following the success of his iconic poem "Howl" in 1955, after which he becomes heavily involved in spiritualism and activism. A 1997 recut of the film includes Ginsberg's death that April at the age of 70.

Darren Reidy

Village Voice

Aug 17, 2004

There's little here for those who know the story.

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KC Wildmoon

Southern Voice (Atlanta)

May 9, 2023

[Aronson] presents a moving and gentle portrait, combining interviews with friends, peers, family members, Ginsberg himself, home movies and photographs (many of them taken by Ginsberg) into a seamless whole.

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Lawrence Frascella

The Advocate

Apr 19, 2022

As a first go at a film bio, this documentary suffices. But it might have been better had it not carried such an official stamp.

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Christopher Long

Movie Metropolis

Jul 11, 2013

8/10

Commentators who couldn't take flower power or Buddhist chants or even poetry seriously were doomed to underestimate (Ginsberg's) resolve time and again.

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Jeffrey M. Anderson

Combustible Celluloid

Jan 31, 2008

For this double-disc DVD release, director Aronson has assembled a wealth of extra footage, much of it more interesting and revealing than the movie itself.

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Dennis Schwartz

Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews

Jul 23, 2007

A-

Worth seeing for all the memories of cultural changes it evokes.

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May 4, 2015

Wonderful story about an American original by a fabulous documentarian.

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May 4, 2015

Very proud to have been a small part of this project. Great film!

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Dec 23, 2012

Allen Ginsberg is one of the best poets I've ever read. His poetry actually introduced me to the Beats, something no advanced history textbook ever did. I love how candid and how raw his words were without losing that touch of sincerity and heart and soul. Upon hearing about this film, I searched everywhere to watch it. No stores had it, no other websites... (Thank Buddha for Flixster.) My first twenty times watching this, I sobbed from how beautiful it was. It's a magnificent film, and anyone who has doubts about getting into the Beat Generation should give this a try.

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Apr 30, 2011

Good overview of the mans life. Came into this movie knowing practically zilch about the guy and came away seeming to think he had a pretty large impact on society in the 20th century.....

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Oct 10, 2010

Awesome footage and interviews. Gives you a view of Allen's personal life and inspirations, as well as some footage of his political activism. Truly inspiring.

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Jun 16, 2010

Allen Ginsberg was one of the best minds of his generation, and the one that came after his...

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Jerry Aronson

Director

Joan Baez

Actor

William F. Buckley

Actor

William Lee

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Synopsis

This documentary chronicles the life of American beat poet Allen Ginsberg. Born and raised in New Jersey, Ginsberg attends Columbia University alongside fellow beats Jack Kerouac and William S. Burroughs. Ginsberg rises to the forefront of the American counterculture following the success of his iconic poem "Howl" in 1955, after which he becomes heavily involved in spiritualism and activism. A 1997 recut of the film includes Ginsberg's death that April at the age of 70.

Director: Jerry Aronson
Producer: Jerry Aronson
Distributor: New Yorker Films
Production Co: WNET Thirteen, Eagle Rock Entertainment, Ltd.
Genre: Documentary
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Feb 18, 1994, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Feb 1, 2017
Box Office (Gross USA): $4.5K
Runtime: 1h 22m

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