DVD -27 Screen Edge/mvd   Depending on what you think of William S. ...

Screen Edge/mvd

Depending on what you think of William S. Burroughs, this hour-long documentary from 1986 may be baffling, frustrating or essential viewing. The bulk of the film consists of interview footage, during which Burroughs gives thumbnail sketches of some of his basic ideas concerning language, literature, cut-up theory and American culture. If you're a longtime fan, it'll be old hat. If you aren't familiar with his work already, you'll likely have no idea what the hell he's talking about.

What makes the film worthwhile even for the well-versed is the collection of performance and archival footage—including his last reading in Berlin and clips from various film appearances (Drugstore Cowboy and Thanksgiving Prayer, both by Gus Van Sant).

In the end, it's like an introduction to an introduction to Burroughs' thought. It's very brief, preventing any one subject from being discussed in much depth. Not helping matters here is a German interviewer, apparently coming into the interview cold, who keeps interrupting the old man. For my money, archival footage aside, it can't really hold a candle to Howard Brookner's much livelier biographical documentary, which came out three years later.

Jim Knipfel