Please post your reactions to the film as comments to this thread. I've decided to bump the deadline back a little, so let's say no later than 5:00 PM on Saturday. If you're not signed in through OpenID to comment, or if your identity isn't clear from your username, please make sure that you give your name with your comment.
Also, if you have any questions regarding the final essays, please feel free to e-mail me. While I'll be away this weekend, I'll try to respond as quickly as possible.
In my opinion, Gregory Corso is the most comic and entertaining member of the Beat Generation. This movie shows the colorful side of Corso in his younger and older days. Throughout the movie Corso shows his humor and perseverance as he retraces The Beats early days, talks of his younger life, and reunites with his mother who abandoned him at a very young age.
ReplyDeleteI feel that this movie did a great job of telling the story of Gregory Corso. After being abandoned by both his mother and father, Corso had to persevere through a lot in his life to become the person he was. Besides being abandoned, Corso also was placed in the Clinton Correctional Facility. I thought the movie did a great job of showing how Corso had battled through this part of his life. I also enjoyed how they showed Corso talking to current prisoners at the facility. In my opinion, this is what makes Corso one of the greatest poets of all time. He never really needed anyone in his life and he did just fine.
The other part of the movie I really enjoyed was when Corso was reunited with his mother. After being abandoned at a young age, he vowed not to return to her gravesite if it was found. However, she was found to be living in New Jersey. This was one of the best parts of the movie. If I was in Corso’s shoes I doubt I could go visit my mother who left me and never visited me throughout my life. Corso showed a lot of courage by visiting his mother. One part I didn’t like in the movie was at the end of Corso’s life when his mother came to visit him in the hospital. She repeatedly asked him if he know that she loved him. I thought she was trying to make herself feel better for not being around in his younger days. However, Corso showed a lot of strength and courage to visit his mother and I think this was a great decision as he said it helped his soul.
Overall, I think this was a great movie. It showed the humorous and colorful side of Gregory Corso. It also showed how he came from nothing to become one of the most popular poets of all time.
We know from our readings that Gregory Corso was the funny-man of the beats, the one focused on beauty and influenced by classical texts. What Corso: The Last Beat showed was this, the real man behind the fame and the title. The cinematography of the beautiful ancient Roman buildings, landscapes, and Venetian architecture and sculpture (of which could be argued is based off of antiquity as well, since some of it was created during the Renaissance) I feel is a tribute to Coro’s idea of what beauty is, as well as an insight to the world that initially inspired him to write in the style that he became known for. He was shown to have a desire to become part of the great pantheon of poets that resided there, which I felt explained just how much he truly admired these men and their work.
ReplyDeleteThe film gave us a personal view of Corso, whose approach to serious subject matter in his poetry made us laugh. He was even more jovial and full of vitality than I expected. As Kerouac would put it: he was mad for life, even in his old age. Even in the most serious of situations, Corso would cut the tension with a good laugh using “humor [a]s the divine butcher”. Ginsberg described his fellow beats as “angelheaded hipsters” in his poem, Howl. Corso is the embodiment of this idea, I have come to believe, after watching this. He spends time at his old jail, telling the inmates his story, telling them that there is hope! After all of the pain and suffering of his mother’s abandonment caused, when he finally meets her he acts as if nothing happened! I couldn’t believe it. How could he be so forgiving after all that he’d been through? My conclusion had to be that the man was a living saint, who seemed to find something to laugh about in every situation.
I found the sections where the snapshots and clips were presented in rapid succession overlaid either with a reading of a poem or someone speaking about Corso, or the beats in general, to be an inventive and aesthetically pleasing solution to the question of how to tell the story of those people up until the point where there was more footage available.
I very much enjoyed having the opportunity to be witness to this.
Lauren Post:
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful man Corso was. The epitome of beauty and positivity, really, and Gustave Reininger did such an amazing job showing his fans just that. Corso: The Last Beat not only aided Corso in becoming a poet king, it was also a starting/inspiration point for all young writers and artists to begin. Gustave made Gregory real. His followers until this film had only gotten a glimpse into his life through his writings and what few readings had been recorded, and what a shame that is. Regardless, the film was inspirational and certainly the few people who’ve seen it left the viewing (most likely in tears) wanting to create, wanting to succeed, wanting to be enlightened, and even yearning for the muse that Corso was so passionate about.
Corso: The Last Beat was a successful film because it seemed to be made effortlessly. The cinematography was simple, and that’s exactly the way it needed to be. No fuss. No high contrast black and white shots. No Spike Lee angles. Gustave was smart to shoot the film the way he did. Certainly, he’s capable of an artistic approach to filming, but would Corso have wanted that? No way. Not for him, at least. It all goes back to the film giving a real glimpse into Gregory’s life. One could even picture him discussing with Gustave what he did and did not want the film to show.
What made the film so tragically uplifting was the (what seemed to be) unintentional storyline- the search for Gregory’s mother. How beautiful it was that he found her so close to the end of his life, and the outcome of it all! Corso handled meeting his mother with such grace, and Gustave did an excellent job treading lightly on such a heavy topic. While most would be filled with anger and hatred, Gregory just let it go. It was a Ginsbergian (or Buddhist) moment, really.
The end of the film, and the end of Gregory Corso’s life was almost appropriate. Corso: The Last Beat gave Gregory the opportunity to explore the world one last time, finally meet his mother, and also show the world how much happiness creativity can bring. That is what people should get out of this film. Don’t stop. Keep searching for inspiration. It may come from the Greek poets, or it may come from a quiet spot in the park. That may sound cheesy or cliché, but that was what Corso and ALL of the Beats were gripping tightly to with both hands. Corso passed the torch with the help of Gustave Reininger, and for that he deserves a million thank yous. Sadly, all of the beats are gone, but that’s okay. It is time for a new generation, and it’s safe to say, we’ll give them a run for their money or really their women, Benzedrine, weed, or typewriters.
Hannah Moore:
ReplyDeleteCorso: The Last Beat
In the film Corso: The Last Beat produced in 2009 was an excellent representation of the entire Beat Generation. As the film starts off, the term: “Beatnik” is described as a hip, artistic, nonchalant, way of living all together. Several beats such as: William Burroughs, Jack Kerouac, Gregory Corso, Allen Ginsberg, were all described as the main Beats in the 1950s. This film has been in the works since the mid 90s. The entire film crew seemed to be following Corso just about in all places he went. The film progresses while the camera is shot wherever Gregory Corso goes and has a story to tell. He starts with the exact corner he was born on to the jail cell he has seen too many of times. Corso continues explaining his tremendous life story where his mother left him as well as his father. He goes on explaining in the movie his experiences sleeping on rooftops in the summer and spring and breaking into buildings in the cold winters. Not only is it hard to imagine what that could possibly feel like, the way the film was shot, it was easier to picture exactly what this phenomenal man has gone through.
As the end of the movie comes about, a dear friend and Corso sit at table, drink wine, eat pasta, and venture to find his mother. Corso believing his mother was dead and finds her in an old house in the middle of New Jersey. Here, he confesses his undying love for his own abandoning mother. With this taking place, the film ends with Corso on his deathbed surrounded by the people he wanted to see last. Overall, this moving film has given me a whole new perspective about life itself, but the overwhelming factors that go with death. This tear-jerking masterpiece of Corso himself was a beautiful representation of the works of the famous Beat generation all together.
The beat generation was a whirlwind of new ideals and practices that defined American counterculture. The books we have read were glimpses of these artists in their youth. The documentary “Corso: The Last Beat” was a different glimpse into the lives of these writers. We think of them as immortal through their books, but in reality are just humans. The film about Corso, one of the last beat writers at the time, was very showing to the true life of these literary heroes.
ReplyDeleteThe most interesting aspect of the movie was Corso’s past life. He grew up in foster care homes after his mother abandoned him early on in life. Soon he was on the streets. We had been arrested in his youth and the authorities but him into adult prison. I was moved about how these stints in jail inspired him to devour knowledge. Corso went from nothing to become a famous writer, this is very inspiring.
Another moving aspect of the film was Corso’s trips to Europe, finding his birth mother,and his eventually sickness. Seeing Corso visit the graves of those authors he loved so much reminded me how short life can be. How thoroughly he enjoyed seeing the sites of his youth was moving. I couldn’t believe that he was able to find his mother! That’s the point I realized that these great artists came from backgrounds of diversity.
These experiences have accumulated into their amazing books. Thank you for allowing us watch your wonderful movie and giving us a look into the real lives of these generation defining artists.
Corso: The Last Beat was a wonderful documentary that I feel privileged to have been able to watch. Gregory Corso was the “funny man” out of all of the beats and this documentary portrayed this characteristic of him very well. Not only did it show his personality, it gave his life story in a touching way. I learned a lot about who Corso was. He was not just an amazing poet; he had an amazing story as well. The documentary tracked Corso’s poetic life and his friendships with other beat writers, such as Allen Ginsberg. It also showed the saddening story of his relationship with his mother. His whole life Corso thought that his mother had abandoned him and that she did not care for him. Reininger helps locate Corso’s mother and reunites the pair after many decades. It was truly touching to watch this reunion and to show how Corso just wanted to have love from his mother his whole life.
ReplyDeleteReininger did an amazing job at directing this documentary. He truly captured the essence of Corso and his struggles. When I read Corso’s work now, I feel like I know more about where he is coming from and why he wrote the way he did and about the stuff that he did. I feel like I can understand Corso’s decisions in life and I feel like I can relate to him. Corso was never my favorite of the beat generation writers but after watching this documentary he soared to the top of the list. I would recommend anyone interested in the beat generation to see this documentary if they are lucky enough to get the chance someday.
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ReplyDeleteGregory Corso had a serious effect on the beat movement, no matter how famous he is. While Kerouac, Ginsberg, and Burroughs took much of the spotlight, Corso was there as an influential poet. Corso: The Last Beat (Reininger, 2009) took a look at some of Corso’s life, especially his late years leading to his death. Through this documentary, the viewer is lucky to become more acquainted with Corso and see not only his comic, witty side, but also his vulnerable, wounded side. While the film itself gave some great insight into Gregory Corso, it also had some awkward production choices that made the documentary feel true, but somewhat unpleasant.
ReplyDeleteFollowing Gregory Corso for so long, and through so many journeys, Reininger showed the audience just what it is like to be around Corso, and it is a lot of fun. He is witty, racy, and overall intelligent. One cannot let his vernacular fool them, because his knowledge on many different topics, and his witty sense of humor argue otherwise. It is sad (or possibly fortunate) that Corso did not get more spot light in the height of the Beat Movement since he has a personality like no other. Reininger does a great job of covering the many sides of Corso, some, even, that few have probably seen. In one scene he walks through a cemetery cracking jokes and causing the audience to laugh as hard as the film crew. Another scene tells of the pain Corso stills holds because of his mother. The documentary takes a very dynamic view on Corso and shows his different sides well.
The film itself makes odd transitions from scene to scene. In one, it seems the film uses home videos. The next seems to be shot with an expensive camera and crane then back to home video. It left me confused and uneasy since I could never really tell what I was looking at. I couldn’t decide if the film had the mark of Reininger, or if it was something dug out of Corso’s attic. While the story is powerful, the technical aspects have some inconsistencies that might leave the audience confused as to where this footage came from, and wonder whose vision they are watching.
One who loves Corso should see this movie. It gives a strong insight into Corso’s later years as well as his life as a whole. If one looks through some awkward technical decisions, they see the gem that is Gregory Corso.
The film Corso: the Last Beat, the director of the movie brought the audience into Gregory Corso’s life. Corso’s bases for his writings was to take what seems to be painful and difficult and turn it into beauty and sometimes humor. His style of writing seemed to match the style of the movie. For instance, Corso had lived a life searching for his mother and it tormented him but from those feelings he took them turned it into one of the best poems of that era. Corso wouldn’t have even started to write poetry and teaching himself what others were learning in school if it wasn’t for his mothers abandonment. Granted this abandonment led to being in prison for his adolescent years but Corso, in the film is quite thankful for prison because he wouldn’t have ever started to read and write such great works. The movie follows Corso throughout the streets of Rome and France to relive and remember the things that insprired him and the people that had impacted his writing. Corso talks about how he realizes this generation is over and refuses to be called a Beat writer since he didn’t ever directly label himself as one. Even with this refusal he still knows the influence he has had, like the influence on punk legend Patti Smith. In the movie Corso is still in deep desperation to find his mother, which eventually he gets reunited with. There is a scene in the movie that is both touching and hilarious, as Corso's mother quickly slides into the role of the smothering Italian "mama" with a man she has never known. After this reunion Corso’s health condition worsen and eventually he passes away. This film brought me closer to Corso and makes me understand his writing. The last of the Beats has perished but the writings will always been admired and will inspire generations to get lost in their culture.
ReplyDeleteComing into this class, I knew very little about the Beat generation. I had heard the name Kerouac once or twice in my life, but never really associated it with any literature or generation. After reading a variety of Beat authors, I decided that Corso and Cassady were, by far, my two favorite Beat generation writers. I felt a connection to their works and felt like I understood where they were coming from. The difference between my feelings towards Cassady and Corso was that when reading The Fifth Third, I had background knowledge on Neal Cassady. I knew why he wrote like he did because of his life story. I also understood why he was portrayed the way he was in other books because of the background knowledge I was given. With Corso, I didn’t know much of his life story, just what was evident in his poems. I believe that watch Corso: The Last Beat helped me to appreciate his work so much more because I then had a background on what exactly Corso was dealing with when he wrote his poetry. That helped me to connect to his situation and be more understanding of his poetry.
ReplyDeleteWhen I signed up for this class I had no idea what a Beat was. All I knew from the Beat Generation is what I learned through the books we read. At first it was difficult for me to relate and really understand where the authors were coming from, but the more I read and analyzed the text, I began to enjoy their writing.
ReplyDeleteThis movie was honestly in my opinion, beautiful. I almost got teary eyed in the end because his italian mother reminded me of my italian grandmother. haha. I wish we could have watched it more in the beginning of the quarter, it would of made me appreciate the authors, and their messages more. I thought the idea of the movie and how it was filmed touched on so many points about his life that we do not see in his writing. I think the style of the film related to the style of his writing. Corso is not the person I pictured in my head, he was so much more. So intelligent and individualistic. I loved how the film captured his humor. I laughed out loud numerous times. I also loved how throughout the film many of his poems were read and mentioned. I remember reading them in class. Hearing the poems being read and talked about by him created more of a connection for me to him, and his generation. I am not an original Beat lover, but after this class and especially this movie, I have so much more love and respect for Gregory Corso and his fellow, beats. Danielle Sprovieri
Before this movie, Gregory Corso kind of just blended into the beats. He was just another one of the authors that had a special skill with words and emotions, but other than that, nothing really stuck out. This movie truly changed my perspective of him. From his sense of humor, to his appreciation of the finer things in life, Corso definitely deserves more recognition for his work. The Last Beat opened my eyes not only to this generation in general, but also helped me to understand what these authors were thinking when they wrote their literary masterpieces. The fact that it even brought tears to my eyes proves that the beats were beautiful people. Also, I loved the way it was directed, going back and forth between narrator and live action Corso. Having done my presentation on a poem by Corso, I had a slight background of who he was. This movie, however, let me see into his heart. Corso loved his mother in a way that many of us can't imagine. When a person can have nothing but love, compassion, and forgiveness towards a person that abandoned them, they truly are people that we should look up to. The Last Beat was an amazing way to end the quarter for this class. It gave us insight into the relationships between the beats that even the literature couldn't show us. Overall, I loved the movie, and I feel really lucky that I'm one of the few people ever to see it. Hopefully someday this movie could perhaps be popularized into a more prominent documentary like it deserves.
ReplyDelete-Sunshine Bowman-Gibson
When the Beat Generation comes to my mind, I immediately jump to think about authors, Allen Ginsberg, Jack Kerouac and William Burroughs. Through analyzing the literature "Mindfield" and watching "Corso: The Last Beat," I now have a broader understanding and appreciation for Gregory Corso. At first, his character comes off as comedic and not serious about himself nor life, but watching "Corso: The Last Beat," I understand now what a great inspiring and intelligent author and person he was. I find it interesting that his journey to find his mother was the most influential for him to begin writing and I liked how the movie showed his journey through his life. The most interesting part of the movie to me was when it talked about what Corso was like as an older man, without his friends living. When Corso had to deal with all of his friends being gone and being the last beat author alive, he felt like the spirit had left him. I find it inspiring that Corso wanted to challenge himself when he first realized he was the last Beat author living by wanting to go on the road again, talking to the next generation of kids about his lifetime and wanted to go back and visit the places most influential to him. One of the places he visited which had a big impact on his life and writing was the prison he was sent to when he was 17. He said that his time in prison ended up being a blessing because he learned about himself and it influenced his writing. Overall, this documentary depicts Gregory Corso's life with great impact and enables someone who doesn't know much about Corso to learn about him and let them have a broader understanding of the beat authors and his character.
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