The Source (1999)
The Source (1999), directed by Chuck Workman, starring Johnny Depp and Dennis Hopper.
score
Synopsis
Traces the Beats from Allen Ginsberg and Jack Kerouac's meeting in 1944 at Columbia University to the deaths of Ginsberg and William S. Burroughs in 1997. Three actors provide dramatic interpretations of the work of these three writers, and the film chronicles their friendships, their arrival into American consciousness, their travels, frequent parodies, Kerouac's death, and Ginsberg's politicization. Their movement connects with bebop, John Cage's music, abstract expressionism, and living theater. In recent interviews, Ginsberg, Burroughs, Kesey, Ferlinghetti, Mailer, Jerry Garcia, Tom Hayden, Gary Snyder, Ed Sanders, and others measure the Beats' meaning and impact.
- Chuck WorkmanDirector
About the film
The Source is a 1999 documentary film directed by Chuck Workman.
Read the full article (3k characters)
The Source is a 1999 documentary film directed by Chuck Workman.
Summary
The film is about the Beat Generation (which originated in the 1940s) and its impact on the counterculture movements from the 1960s-70s onwards. It features appearances by Johnny Depp (dressed as Jack Kerouac reciting excerpts from On the Road), Dennis Hopper (dressed as William S. Burroughs reciting excerpts from Naked Lunch) and John Turturro (dressed as Allen Ginsberg reciting excerpts from Howl) intermixed with archival stock footage and excerpts from various films and shows like Jeopardy (where an entire category is dedicated to the Beats) and Saturday Night Live.
Many poets and writers of the era appear on camera, including Ginsberg, Burroughs, Gary Snyder, Gregory Corso, Ken Kesey, Robert Creeley, Michael McClure, Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Timothy Leary, Diane DiPrima, Ed Sanders, David Amram, Jack Micheline and Herbert Huncke. Contemporary artists who admire and were influenced by the Beats also are interviewed and/or perform poetry, including Jerry Garcia, Henry Rollins, Robert Motherwell, Norman Mailer, Terry Southern, Paul Krassner, Philip Glass, Joan Baez, Jim Carroll, Lydia Lunch, Ann Charters and Jack Kerouac's daughter, Jan Kerouac.
Because of the large amount of film and music clips used, more than three years elapsed between the completion of the film and its release in order to obtain the vast number of copyrights. In the interim, Ginsberg, Burroughs, Huncke, Micheline, Leary, Southern, Garcia and Jan Kerouac all died.
Reception
The film received positive acclaim with an 88% on Rotten Tomatoes.
Janet Maslin of The New York Times praised the film, stating:
"A stirring, kaleidoscopic documentary about the Beat generation and its legacy... spans from the exultant 1940s photo of the young friends of Jack Kerouac, Allen Ginsberg, and William Burroughs to the Jeopardy show on which contestants could win money by asking 'Who were the Beats?'" 'It's eternity all the time, so there's no point being nostalgic for eternity,' Ginsberg is heard saying. But that wisdom runs counter to the moving experience of watching this film unfold."
Gary Morris of Bright Lights Journal, however, states that the "intriguing yet shallow" documentary is less a linear biography of the movement than a kind of "Beat chic" sampler.
See also
Howl, a 2010 film starring James Franco as Allen Ginsberg
United States in the 1950s
On the Road, a 2012 adaptation of Kerouac's magnum opus
References
External links
The Source at IMDb
Text from The Source (1999 film) on Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Source_(1999_film)
Trivia
- It grossed US$ 360.895 worldwide.
- It premiered on January 23, 1999, a Saturday.
- It runs 1h28 — a typical feature length.
- This film's quiz has 10 questions — enough to play more than once without repeats.
Production
- StudiosCalliope Films, Thirteen
- CountriesUnited States
- LanguagesEnglish
- Box officeUS$ 360,895
- StatusReleased
Photos
Cast
-
Johnny Depp
Jack Kerouac -
Dennis Hopper
William S. Burroughs -
John Turturro
Allen Ginsberg -
Allen Ginsberg
Self (archive footage) -
William S. Burroughs
Self (archive footage) -
Philip Glass
Self - Robert Creeley Self
- Ann Charters Self
- George Steade Self
-
David Amram
Self -
Ed Sanders
Self - Gregory Corso Self
- Kyle Roderick Self
- Lawrence Ferlinghetti Self
-
Ken Kesey
Self -
Gary Snyder
Self -
Jerry Garcia
Self - Jack Micheline Self
- Michael McClure Self
- Stephen Ronan Self
Quiz about this movie
Questions from the whole catalogue.
Play nowIf you liked this one
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Supersonic
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Ser James Bond
7.8
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11 de Setembro: No Gabinete de Crise do Presidente
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Everybody’s Everything
8.4
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As Ondas Sonoras
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Gilbert
6.7
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The Bee Gees: How Can You Mend a Broken Heart
7.6
Tags
Crew
- Chuck Workman Director
Questions about this film
What is The Source about?
The Source: Traces the Beats from Allen Ginsberg and Jack Kerouac's meeting in 1944 at Columbia University to the deaths of Ginsberg and William S. Burroughs in 1997. Three actors provide dramatic interpretations of the work of these three writers, and the film chronicles their friendships, their arrival into American consciousne…
Who directed The Source?
The Source was directed by Chuck Workman in 1999.
Who stars in The Source?
The cast of The Source includes Johnny Depp, Dennis Hopper, John Turturro, Allen Ginsberg and William S. Burroughs.
How long is The Source?
The Source runs for 88 minutes, or 1h28.
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Page updated on 09/12/2026.
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