Melville House Books

Being portrayed in a Hollywood movie by a big star is a certain kind of immortality. So I guess Allen Ginsberg officially rests with the immortals now. Opening this week at the Sundance Film Festival, is the film Howl, which tells the story of Ginsberg’s most famous poem—his writing and performing of it, and the subsequent obscenity trial which help galvanize a growing counter-culture.

Written and directed by Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman, it stars James Franco giving his best Ginsberg imitation. Thanks to YouTube you can be the judge of just how good that is:

Valerie Merians is the co-founder and co-publisher of Melville House.