The Source

Traces the Beats from Allen Ginsberg and Jack Kerouac's meeting in 1944 at Columbia University to the deaths of Ginsberg and William S. Burroughs in 1997. Three actors provide dramatic interpretations of the work of these three writers, and the film chronicles their friendships, their arrival into American consciousness, their travels, frequent parodies, Kerouac's death, and Ginsberg's politicization. Their movement connects with bebop, John Cage's music, abstract expressionism, and living theater. In recent interviews, Ginsberg, Burroughs, Kesey, Ferlinghetti, Mailer, Jerry Garcia, Tom Hayden, Gary Snyder, Ed Sanders, and others measure the Beats' meaning and impact.

• Release date
• January 23, 1999
• Runtime
• 88 min
• Genres
• Documentary, History
• Director
• Chuck Workman

Cast

Johnny Depp Jack Kerouac Dennis Hopper William S. Burroughs John Turturro Allen Ginsberg Allen Ginsberg Self (archive footage) William S. Burroughs Self (archive footage) Philip Glass Self

R

Robert Creeley Self

A

Ann Charters Self