Burroughs: the Movie

Burroughs: The Movie
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Howard Brookner
Produced by	Howard Brookner
Starring	William S. Burroughs
Release date	1983
Running time	90 minutes
Country	United States United Kingdom
Language	English

Burroughs: The Movie is a 1983 documentary film directed by Howard Brookner about the beat generation writer William S. Burroughs.

Burroughs: The Movie is the first and only documentary to be made about and with the full participation of writer William S. Burroughs. In a collaboration between Burroughs and director Howard Brookner the film explores Burroughs’ life story along with many of his contemporaries including Allen Ginsberg, Brion Gysin, Francis Bacon, Herbert Huncke, Patti Smith, Terry Southern, and Lauren Hutton.

Brookner managed to obtain 5 years of unparalleled access and enthusiastic participation from William S Burroughs. As a result, Burroughs: The Movie documents Burroughs’ long, controversial and productive life in great detail. The film travels from the American Midwest to North Africa, through defining moments of his wildly unconventional life, including several personal tragedies, ultimately charting the development of Burroughs’ unique literary style.

Howard Brookner began shooting the film in 1978 as his senior thesis at NYU; with Burroughs’ cooperation it subsequently expanded into a feature completed 5 years later in 1983. The film was shot by Tom DiCillo and Richard L. Camp. The sound was recorded by Jim Jarmusch. DiCillo and Jarmusch were fellow NYU classmates and both very close friends of Brookner’s.

Towards the end of shooting BBC Arena approached Howard Brookner and provided funds to complete the film. As a result, the film was screened as part of the BBC Arena television series.

In the process of making Burroughs: The Movie Howard Brookner became close friends with William S. Burroughs. Their friendship would endure for many years more and Burroughs would go on to play a cameo role in Brookner’s final film Bloodhounds of Broadway.