William S. Burroughs: A Man Within - DVD

Film: With novels like Naked Lunch or Junkie William S. Burroughs (1914 - 1997) next to his companion Allen Ginsberg (Howl) to the leading figure of the Beat Generation and is considered today as one of the most important American writers of the second half of the 2nd century. But Burroughs had and has not only admirers, but also sharp critics, who were not only hard on his artistic work, but also on William S. Burroughs as a person. No wonder, since the artist offered enough projection surface for criticism and hostility with his openly lived out drug addiction, his homosexuality or the accidental shooting of his wife during the re-enactment of the famous apple scene from William Tell. But as controversial as William S. Burroughs may have been, his lasting influence on literature, film, and music is undeniable.

In the documentary William S. Burroughs: A Man Within, filmmaker Yony Leyser attempts to get to the bottom of the William S. Burroughs phenomenon. In doing so, he doesn't simply trace his resume, but also delves into aspects of his character, such as his passion for firearms. With the help of numerous interviews with friends, companions and colleagues such as Patti Smith, Gus van Sant, David Cronenberg, Iggy Pop and John Waters, a gripping portrait has been created which, with numerous, in part very private archive recordings, does more than just scratch the surface of this exceptional artist. Whether talking to Allen Ginsberg, dining with Andy Warhol, or engaging in extensive target practice, Leyser's documentary does a first-rate job of giving viewers an unexpectedly intimate glimpse into the world of a man who has, at times, been as disturbing yet fascinating as the works that have sprung from his mind.

William S. Burroughs: A Man Within is a great example of what good documentaries should be: layered, entertaining, enlightening, surprising, and fascinating. Even if you're not familiar with the work of this American icon, there's not a second of boredom here. So if you're interested in first-rate portraits of artists and cultural documents of the times, you should definitely put this DVD on your shelf. Worth seeing!

Picture + Sound: Since the documentary often uses archival footage, the picture quality turns out accordingly sometimes more, sometimes less convincing. In the more recent interviews, the picture is overall very clean and the sharpness is on a good level. The conversations also set the tone for the sound, which is why the stereo mix is perfectly adequate here. Good!

Extras: The DVD has a handsome 78 minutes of bonus material to offer. In addition to three additional scenes, the extras include rare archival footage and home movies to discover, excerpts of which were already featured in the documentary. There's also an excerpt (in very poor picture quality) from a reading Burroughs gave in Münster in 1980, footage from Naked Lunch's 50th anniversary celebration, and director Yony Leyser's first short film. Except for the excerpt from the reading and the footage from the anniversary celebration, all of the extras are optionally subtitled in German.

Conclusion: William S. Burroughs: A Man Within is an interesting and insightful documentary about a very complex personality. In particular, the impact that Burroughs` work had on film, music and literature, and his position within the Beat Generation are all brought out here in a very engaging way, with the help of a great deal of archive material. The extensive bonus material also draws from this, making this DVD a real recommendation for anyone interested in the writer, recent American literary history or entertaining documentaries in general. Recommended!!!

An article by Frankfurt-Tipp