Allen Ginsberg spent 21 years of his life (1975 to 1996) living in a fourth floor walk-up in the East Village, and now—following the death of his partner Peter Orlovsky, it's on the rental market. Earlier this month, The Allen Ginsberg Project stopped by as it was undergoing renovations, and there's little left of the poetic madman's presence. For example, the bedroom that his pal Harry Everett Smith once resided in is now a bathroom (read an interview Ginsberg did with Paola Igliori in 1995, where the two discussed his one-time roommate).
Here's the official listing for 437 East 12th Street—$1700 for a one-bedroom apartment in the East Village, filled with the ghosts of Beats past. All you have to do is beat James Franco to it. Now, when's William Burroughs's old apartment on Bowery going on the market? [via EV Grieve]"
Even Ginsberg, the most talented of the Beats, I don't really care for--but one cannot gainsay his his importance to literary history. This, then, made me a little sad, especially as I just saw the exhibition of his photographs on display at the National Gallery and read about the death of his partner Peter Orlovsky--a couple months back, I think. I don't think he will be at all well served by James Franco in an upcoming biopic, to put it charitably. Oh well--at least there is some renewed attention in an important poet.
UPDATE: I still think James Franco sucks (and will be terrible in Howl), but it might not matter too much. The movie, based on this account by Stanley Fish, sounds far better (or at least interesting) than I expected.
UPDATE: I still think James Franco sucks (and will be terrible in Howl), but it might not matter too much. The movie, based on this account by Stanley Fish, sounds far better (or at least interesting) than I expected.
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