Things got a little crazy over the holidays and among many other things we forgot to mention Patti Smith‘s 64th birthday on December 30th, same day as Paul Bowles! Happy Birthday Patti! The New York Times have also given Janine Pommy Vega a decent obituary – that appeared in yesterday’s edition – we’re happy they deem her important enough to report on! The Woodstock Times [2019 update -regrettably The Woodstock Times obit is no longer available] however has a much better, more thorough, one.
Certainly the big news on the Ginsberg front is the US January 4th (that’s tomorrow!) release of the Howl Blu-Ray/DVD release, with heaps of extras including interviews with Peter Orlovksy, Tuli Kupferberg, Lawrence Ferlinghetti and Steven Taylor, as well as discussions between directors Rob Epstein & Jeffrey Friedman and cast including James Franco, Treat Williams, Bob Balaban and Jon Hamm. It should now be widely available in video shops and distribution points around the nation.
We should also mention that Howl has received the NBR’s (National Board of Review) Freedom of Expression Award, alongside films Fair Game and Conviction. Huge congrats to everyone who worked so hard to make this film a reality.