A POET ON THE LOWER EAST SIDE (GINSBERG – EGY KOLTO A LOWER EAST SIDE-ROL)

(director/writer: Gyula Gazdag; screenwriter: based on an idea by Andras B. Vagvolgyi; cinematographer: Marina Goldovskaya; editor: Gyula Gazdag; cast: Allen Ginsberg, István Eörsi, Gregory Corso, Peter Orlovsky, Jonas Mekas; Runtime: 96; MPAA Rating: NR; producer: Gyula Gazdag; Facets;1997-Hungary-in English)

“If you’ve ever wanted to catch the legendary poet Ginsberg in some spontaneous moments on camera, here’s your chance in this heartwarming no-frills doc.“

Reviewed by Dennis Schwartz

Hungarian filmmaker Gyula Gazdagdirects a free-wheeling cinéma vérité documentary on Beat poet Allen Ginsberg hosting radical maverick Hungarian writer, poet and translator Istvan Eorsi on his one-week visit in May 1995 to the Lower East Side. The soul mates talk about various subjects that range from Buddhism to the meaning of First Thought and stroll together around Allen’s neighborhood, where they are followed by a camera crew as they encounter Gregory Corso, Peter Orlovsky and Jonas Mekas; visit a Korean grocery; reminisce about a poet’s hang-out coffee house long gone on McDougal Street, visit several bookshops, St. Mark’s church and chat with sincere protesting squatters about to be evicted in Alphabet City.

There’s also time for a visit to Ginsberg’s hometown of Paterson, NJ, a chance to hear Allen record “Howl” at the Looking Glass studio and hear Allen sing “Father Death Blues” in his humble old-fashioned kitchen.

If you’ve ever wanted to catch the legendary poet Ginsberg in some spontaneous moments on camera, here’s your chance in this heartwarming no-frills doc

REVIEWED ON 4/6/2010 GRADE: A-  https://dennisschwartzreviews.com/

Dennis Schwartz: “Ozus’ World Movie Reviews”

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