Sure, you could expeÂriÂence the Beat senÂsiÂbilÂiÂty on film by watchÂing The Beat GenÂerÂaÂtion. But why setÂtle for that high-gloss Metro-GoldÂwyn-MayÂer feaÂture treatÂment when you can get an unadulÂterÂatÂed half-hour chunk of the real thing above, in Pull My Daisy? Both films came out in 1959, but only the latÂter comes from the lens of phoÂtogÂraÂphÂer Robert Frank, he of the famous phoÂtoÂbook The AmerÂiÂcans. And only the latÂter feaÂtures the unconÂvenÂtionÂal perÂformÂing talÂents of Allen GinsÂberg, David Amram, DelÂphine Seyrig, and Jack KerÂouac. That KerÂouac himÂself proÂvides all the narÂraÂtion assures us we’re watchÂing a movie fulÂly comÂmitÂted to the Beat mindÂset. “EarÂly mornÂing in the uniÂverse,” he says to set the openÂing scene. “The wife is getÂtin’ up, openin’ up the winÂdows, in this loft that’s in the BowÂery of the LowÂer East Side of New York. She’s a painter, and her husÂband’s a railÂroad brakeÂman, and he’s comin’ home in a couÂple hours, about five hours, from the local.”
KerÂouac’s ambling words seem at first like one improÂviÂsaÂtionÂal eleÂment of many. In fact, they proÂvidÂed the proÂducÂtion’s only eleÂment of improÂviÂsaÂtion: Frank and comÂpaÂny took pains to light, shoot, script, and rehearse with great delibÂerÂateÂness, albeit the kind of delibÂerÂateÂness meant to creÂate the impresÂsion of thrown-togethÂer, ramÂshackle sponÂtaneÂity. But if the kind of careÂful craft that made Pull My Daisy seems not to fit withÂin the anarÂchic subÂculÂturÂal colÂlecÂtive perÂsona of the Beats, sureÂly the premisÂes of its stoÂry and the conÂseÂquences thereÂof do. The aforeÂmenÂtioned brakeÂman brings a bishÂop home for dinÂner, but his exuÂberÂantÂly low-livÂing budÂdies decide they want in on the fun. Or if there’s no fun to be had, then, in keepÂing with what we might idenÂtiÂfy as Beat prinÂciÂples, they’ll creÂate some of their own. Or at least they’ll creÂate a disÂturÂbance, and where could a Beat posÂsiÂbly draw the line between disÂturÂbance and fun?
RelatÂed conÂtent:
Bob Dylan and Allen GinsÂberg VisÂit the Grave of Jack KerÂouac (1979)
Jack KerÂouac Reads from On the Road (1959)
Jack Kerouac’s Hand-Drawn CovÂer for On the Road (And More Great CulÂture from Around the Web)
ColÂin MarÂshall hosts and proÂduces NoteÂbook on Cities and CulÂture. FolÂlow him on TwitÂter at @colinmarshall.
Check out Pull My Daisy on the wonÂderÂful Allen GinsÂberg blog (The Allen GinsÂberg Project) and many more great (free!) Allen GinsÂberg StreamÂing Videos — http://ginsbergblog.blogspot.com/2011/05/pull-my-daisy.html
ImagÂine how great these guys would have been with someÂthing as tacky as an ediÂtor.
How about those Wyamine nasal inhalers these beat felÂlas’ usta score at ‑was it, “PeoÂple’s PharÂmaÂcy” on 50th on that short strip between Bdwy. and 7th? “500mg active ingreÂdiÂent mephrenterÂmine” on the nasal strip inside the plasÂtic inhaler.
Up, UP! an’ AWAY!!!! FOR DAZE…primitive NeanÂderthal cousin to the genÂteel DexÂamÂil spanÂsules of a latÂer day.
Beats were the first speed phreaks.
https://archive.org/details/BestOfBeatGeneration The Beat GenÂerÂaÂtion UltiÂmate SoundÂtrack to share free to any BeatÂiÂtude Lovers §:)
Robert Frank told me the audio soundÂtrack of Jack KerÂouac was recordÂed at lab screenÂing of editÂed Pull My Daisy for the purÂpose of sponÂtaÂneousÂly recordÂing Jack.
To conÂtend that Frank shootÂing & lightÂing & blockÂing was “not improÂviÂsaÂtionÂal” is wrong.
Frank improÂvised with lightÂing issues necÂesÂsary to process and print 1958 b/w Kodak film stock shot with 16mm camÂera in small spaces at that time.
EverÂthing was improÂviÂsaÂtionÂal. Frank’s underÂstandÂing of light is improÂviÂsaÂtionÂal. His skill with film capÂture — from CanÂdy MounÂtain to One Hour — is improÂviÂsaÂtionÂal with film forÂmat and camÂera techÂnolÂoÂgy availÂable at time of shootÂing. I ask Open CulÂture writer to reconÂsidÂer his flawed acaÂdÂeÂmÂic theÂsis by comÂparÂing the roots of Pull My Daisy (1959)improvisation with the makÂing of CockÂsuckÂer Blues with The Rolling Stones Exile on Main Street Tour, 12 years latÂer and One Hour — over 30 years latÂer — sinÂgle take for — one hour High‑8 video tape stock of earÂly 1990s.
Frank’s walkÂing into a room is improÂvisanÂtionÂal.