06/08/2009
First Frame: James Franco as Allen Ginsberg in Howl
There have been a few on-set shots of James Franco shooting Howl, the biopic about poet Allan Ginsberg. Here's the first official shot from the studio of Franco as Ginsberg (right) with his friend Peter Orlovsky (played by Aaron Tveit)
EW reports: "Produced by Gus Van Sant, the movie revolves around the titular Ginsberg work from 1956 that turned him into a literary superstar. 'All his uncertainty culminates in the poem 'Howl' and gives birth to the Ginsberg we know,' says Franco. 'The Beats were very important to me when I started reading literature more seriously in high school. They were some of the first writers that I read and fell in love with.''"
Ginsberg and Orlovsky met in 1954 and were together for forty years. Ginsberg made a point of listing Orlovsky as his 'spouse' in whis 'Who's Who' entry. Below, Orlovsky and Ginsberg at place Ste-Germain des Pres, Paris, late 1957.
Posted 9:33 AM EST by Andy Towle in Allen Ginsburg, Film, James Franco, News | Permalink
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What an amazing story this movie is going to tell. The pic of the 2 actors is adorable and strikingly authentic to the original men. I can't wait to see it. You go, James Franco!
Posted by: Jim | Jun 8, 2009 9:38:26 AM
Wow. They fugged Franco up. I'm impressed.
Aaron Tveit is in this? Swoon. I saw him in Next to Normal and he works out at my gym. He's way dreamy.
Tveit + Franco in a movie about the beats = HOT
Posted by: Alex | Jun 8, 2009 9:40:25 AM
Sorry - they do not look feral or weed/acid baked enough ... or have the wild genius of near insanity that sets people free ... and the clothing is too clean
movies magic - blah
Posted by: facts are facts | Jun 8, 2009 9:48:47 AM
oh yeah --- and part of the genious of the beats is they were not about looks and these two were NOT pretty boys during the early gay revolution but were still highly in demand for their minds and sexuality --- having pretty boys play them is an insult to who they were
Posted by: facts are facts | Jun 8, 2009 9:50:33 AM
the look like actors.
Posted by: Leona | Jun 8, 2009 11:21:50 AM
VERY excited for this film.
And yes, it's a bit bizarre that pretty boys are playing these two literary icons.
But perhaps it's worth it for extra reach that the film will garner?
Posted by: @Daniel_Baylis | Jun 8, 2009 11:26:28 AM
Does anybody know if the movie is gonna deal with the pedo issue?
Posted by: Mike | Jun 8, 2009 11:38:02 AM
"...having pretty boys play them is an insult to who they were"
Hollywood don't like ugly.
Posted by: Derrick from Philly | Jun 8, 2009 12:17:43 PM
Allen would have been all over the two of them like a cheap suit in a New York minute.
Posted by: David Ehrenstein | Jun 8, 2009 12:41:57 PM
oh for cripe's sake. i know that ginsberg (or any of the "beats") would be cracking up over the oh so serious, holier than thou kvetching of some of you purists.
Posted by: nic | Jun 8, 2009 7:41:47 PM
And seriously, would you really go see a movie about a coupla ugly mo's?...
that's what I thought....
Posted by: Seriously | Jun 8, 2009 10:23:11 PM
"...with his friend Peter Orlovsky"?
If Ginsberg could say spouse, can't we?
Posted by: par3182 | Jun 9, 2009 12:38:06 AM
I think it'll be very cool. It's from the directors who did The Celluloid Closet and The Times of Harvey Milk, so it won't be some over-glamorized Hollywood thing.
Posted by: Geedz | Jun 9, 2009 1:34:27 PM