A documentary tracing the life and work of Allen Ginsberg, the greatest of the Beat Generation poets.

Visionary, radical, spiritual seeker, renowned poet, founding member of a major literary movement, champion of human rights, Buddhist, political activist and teacher-- Allen Ginsberg’s remarkable life challenged the very soul of America. For 25 years, Academy Award-nominated director Jerry Aronson accumulated more than 120 hours of film on Allen Ginsberg, resulting in this comprehensive and invaluable portrait of one of America’s greatest poets, author of HOWL and other ground-breaking poems. The DVD includes exclusive and revealing interviews with his friends, family and contemporaries, as well as never before seen materials made public because of the warm friendship that developed between Ginsberg and the filmmaker. This deluxe edition contains the Director’s Cut of the award-winning documentary that began filming in 1982 and is now complete, updated and re-mastered. Also included are many new interviews with the latest generation of artists influenced by Ginsberg. This compilation reveals the last 60 years of American culture beginning with the Beat era in the post war Forties and Fifties, continuing through the revolutionary Sixties and concluding with both the uncertainty and possibility of current times.

The Life And Times Of Allen Ginsberg

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The Life And Times Of Allen Ginsberg

Release Year: 1994

Duration: 82 min

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Visionary, radical, spiritual seeker, renowned poet, founding member of a major literary movement, champion of human rights, Buddhist, political activist and teacher-- Allen Ginsberg’s remarkable life challenged the very soul of America. For 25 years, Academy Award-nominated director Jerry Aronson accumulated more than 120 hours of film on Allen Ginsberg, resulting in this comprehensive and invaluable portrait of one of America’s greatest poets, author of HOWL and other ground-breaking poems. The DVD includes exclusive and revealing interviews with his friends, family and contemporaries, as well as never before seen materials made public because of the warm friendship that developed between Ginsberg and the filmmaker. This deluxe edition contains the Director’s Cut of the award-winning documentary that began filming in 1982 and is now complete, updated and re-mastered. Also included are many new interviews with the latest generation of artists influenced by Ginsberg. This compilation reveals the last 60 years of American culture beginning with the Beat era in the post war Forties and Fifties, continuing through the revolutionary Sixties and concluding with both the uncertainty and possibility of current times.

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Posted 10/13/09 by Nick Nixon

Jerry Aronson, please contact me as I have several videos of Allen in early 80s as he did an album with our band in Denver. Not selling anything, just trying to help.

Nick Nixon
325-242-2453

Posted 10/13/09 by RoaroftheTiger

It’s NO doubt...That Ginsberg,"the Man” was a Giant.His Example epitomized All that was decent, about Humanity. Yet I had a Most Unusual “encounter"with Allen.
I’ve “guess-timated"… It Must of been Late Fall of ‘96.
My Bank was opposite Union Square in NYC. As I was leaving, that Building; I spotted Him. I was like a “Deer caught in the Headlamps of a Car”. I froze. It was “Ginsberg” !..."Poet of the Beat Generation”..Pacifist and Peace Advocate, as He Truly Valued Life. He was convinced that besides Violence, “Man” was capable of Great Benevelence.. He Set the Example We Needed. Yet, as He passed Me, that day… It took Moments to work my mouth.But in a Low Tone, almost a Whisper...Within the “Shadow of Gandhi’s Statute”. I said, “allen ginsberg”. He spun around. And laced-into Me with a Terroizing Rant!
I was STUNNED! Talk about being taken aback! What was my transgression? How was I the catylist, that unleashed such a Tirade??? In retrospect, He Must have already been Suffering the Torment of the Cancer that took His Life ? How Ironic… How Sad… How New York.

Posted 10/11/09 by john j dorfner

allen ginsberg for president… now that is something to Imagine. RIP ole friend. jj

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