The Film
James Franco has really transformed himself into a diverse leading man. If you thought that he was versatile as Aron Ralston in 127 Hours or even as his pillow-loving self on 30 Rock, you have to check out Howl.
Howl is based on the Allen Ginsberg poem of the same name. The film intertwines that poem, the obscenity trial inspired by that poem, and bits of the writer's life. Franco plays the infamous Beat Poet, adding another notch to his acting belt. The directing team of Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman use Ginsberg's poem, transcripts and interviews to piece together an interesting look at a legend.
Of course, it's also a bit manic. At times, it feels like Howl is actually three films running simultaneously, which may drain on a few viewers. There's also animation, which is very reminiscent of Pink Floyd's The Wall, in that it's sort of creepy, confusing and also added major WTF to the whole plotline.
A Ginsberg biopic or documentary would be an interesting film, but Howl is not offering that. Instead, it plays like one of Ginsberg's poems, a mishmash of art, interviews, and real-life events. That's not to say that it's not interesting. However, like the poet, Howl is certainly not for everyone.
The Picture
Because Howl is set up like multiple movies in one, it offers a variety of imagery. Ginsberg reads his poem in black and white, which includes great blacks and a sharp picture overall. Once inside the courtroom, there's a nice burst of color, with rich tones and nice textures. The sheen on the judge's chair and the wood paneling really pop. Despite those strong features, however, many of the colors seem oversaturated. It's like some of the actors (Jon Hamm and David Strathairn in particular) were hitting the tanning booths a little too hard. Some of the best colors come from the interview portions of the film, with Ginsberg just kicking back on his couch. Again, colors are a bit strong, but most of the scenes have a gorgeous blue tint.
Last, but certainly not least, there's the animation. Naturally, you shouldn't expect Pixar quality. The muted tones here do complement the imagery. And although those images have a certain amount of pop, it's more due to the subject matter than the actual look of the animation. Despite being a good-looking movie from an art standpoint, Howl is far from being an exceptional looking Blu-ray.
The Sound
Howl does not howl from an audio standpoint. Instead, it's pretty darn quiet. Expect to crank up your volume a bit because the film is filled with low-talkers. From there, the DTS-HD Master Audio track does a fine job with the dialogue. There are a lot of club readings, courtroom scenes, and even the film's bold soundtrack pops up periodically. All of those moments are certainly opportunities to get the entire soundfield involved -- however, they are missed opportunities. Instead, all of that audio sticks close to the front speakers.
The Extras
Howl has quite an excellent collection of extras. A making-of featurette titled, "Holy! Holy! Holy! The Making of Howl," is a full 40 minutes, but also viewable as individual shorts. The topics range from Ginsberg and his story to cinematography and locations to the animation used in the film and its dual directors. Using interviews with cast, crew, and Ginsberg collaborators, it provides an in-depth overview of the movie and its many facets. It's also a nice departure from the typical, fluffy promotional piece.
For an even more in-depth peek at Ginsberg himself, there is another lengthy collection under "Directors' Research Tapes." This is a total of 28 minutes of interviews with people that have a lot to say about the subject matter, including Howl animation designer Eric Drooker, Ginsberg's life partner Peter Orlovsky, poet/musician Tuli Kupferberg, Howl publisher Lawrence Ferlinghetti, and Ginsberg's musical collaborator Steven Taylor. There's also 22 minutes of Q&A with directors Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman, at the Provincetown Film Festival.
If it's not enough to hear about the man, you can hear from the man himself. This release includes never-before-seen excerpts from Ginsberg's 1995 appearance at the Knitting Factory. Watch as he reads "Howl," "Sunflower Sutra," and "Pull My Daisy." It's really wonderful to watch, and a slight step-up from Franco's reading, which only features audio.
Final Thoughts
Howl packs an unbelievable amount of content, as well as a ton of great performances, into its 84-minute runtime. It's not the best Blu-ray, but the movie does offer a unique look at a unique figure. Of course, the maniac pace may lose a few viewers, but everyone should be able to agree that if it weren't for 127 Hours, this would be the James Franco performance people would be talking about this year.
Product Details
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