~ Filmmaker: Gus Van Sant ~

Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 28, 1986 by William S. Burroughs

On 22 November, 2012 by Dave Bonta with 0 Comments - Performance Poetry, Videopoems
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According to Open Culture,

“Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 28, 1986” first appeared in print in Tornado Alley, a chapbook published by William S. Burroughs in 1989. Two years later, Gus Van Sant (Good Will Hunting, My Own Private Idaho, Milk) shot a montage that brought the poem to film, making it at least the second time the director adapted the beat writer to film.

Ballad of the Skeletons by Allen Ginsberg

On 10 June, 2010 by Dave Bonta with 2 Comments - Performance Poetry, Videopoems
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This is basically a glorified music video from 1997, directed by Gus Van Sant — but with music by Philip Glass and Paul McCartney, and spoken word by none other than Allen Ginsberg. I got a charge out of seeing him dressed as Uncle Sam, though by the end of the video I was beginning to tire of the poet-as-prophet schtick.

Incidentally, Howl, the movie, directed by Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman, is set for release in September. That should breathe some new life into the Ginsberg cult.