Howl poster
FilmDrama

Howl (2010)

R · 2010-08-26 · 1h 24m · EN
66%
User score
161 votes
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The Obscenity Trial That Started a Revolution. The Poem That Rocked a Generation.

It's San Francisco in 1957, and an American masterpiece is put on trial. Howl, the film, recounts this dark moment using three interwoven threads: the tumultuous life events that led a young Allen Ginsberg to find his true voice as an artist, society's reaction (the obscenity trial), and mind-expanding animation that echoes the startling originality of the poem itself. All three coalesce in a genre-bending hybrid that brilliantly captures a pivotal moment-the birth of a counterculture.

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Rob EpsteinDirector, WriterJeffrey FriedmanDirector, Writer
Budget
$5M
Box office
$1.2M

Media

Top billed cast

Full cast & crew →
James FrancoJames FrancoAllen GinsbergJon HammJon HammJake EhrlichMary-Louise ParkerMary-Louise ParkerGail PotterTreat WilliamsTreat WilliamsMark SchorerJeff DanielsJeff DanielsProfessor David KirkDavid StrathairnDavid StrathairnRalph McIntoshAndrew RogersAndrew RogersLawrence FerlinghettiAlessandro NivolaAlessandro NivolaLuther NicholsAaron TveitAaron TveitPeter OrlovskyBob BalabanBob BalabanJudge Clayton HornAllen GinsbergAllen GinsbergHimselfSean Patrick ReillySean Patrick ReillySix Gallery

Keywords

Freedom1950sCounter-cultureMale homosexualityGayPsychiatric hospitalPoetryIndependent filmLiterature

Movie DNA

Genre affinityDramaTheme affinityFreedom · 1950s · Counter CultureDialogue densityDramaPacingShortDirector preference137173 · 137174Actor preference11359 · 29809 · 56676

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Frequently asked questions about Howl

What is Howl about?

It's San Francisco in 1957, and an American masterpiece is put on trial. Howl, the film, recounts this dark moment using three interwoven threads: the tumultuous life events that led a young Allen Ginsberg to find his true voice as an artist, society's reaction (the obscenity trial), and mind-expanding animation that echoes the startling originality of the poem itself. All three coalesce in a genre-bending hybrid that brilliantly captures a pivotal moment-the birth of a counterculture.

How long is Howl?

Howl has a runtime of 84 minutes.