Monday, March 12, 2007

BEATNIK POETRY



Sorry to put up more YouTube videos. I really am overdoing it. I'll return to mostly print, I promise. Anyway, here's the poem that opens up the film, "Trainspotting." It's actually a good poem, or at least it seems that way when given the star treatment that the filmmaker gave it. Technically it's a punk poem rather than a beatnik poem but the beatnik pedigree is pretty obvious when you hear it.





This is an awful poem but it's too funny to exclude. Were beatniks really like this?

19 comments:

I.D.R.C. said...

We can cough blood on the moon soon.

Why don't torpedo bras come back?

Sean Worsham said...

You put the second one up because she looked hot Eddie :). But then again who can blame ya? At least you can stare at her and turn the poetry off in your head :).

William said...

I'm gonna remarket torpedo bras, call 'em "gladiatora boob sheaths". Make millions, I will.

Hey Eddie, if you haven't already, you should see this movie Idiocracy, from Mike Judge. Not only is it hilarious, but as far as the decline of civilization is concerned it's a must see- and realistic, to boot.

Sean Worsham said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Sean Worsham said...

Idiocracy was fantastic. I just got that on dvd. I should go out and do some R-rated beatnik poetry and see if I can make millions. I'll call it "Street Poetry." Oh wait it's called Gangsta Rap.

Damnit all the good ideas are taken!

Paul Caron said...

And uncle fester from the addams family on piano.

Reg Keyhoe

crsP said...

And how much more effort would it really have taken her to do her 'piece' in a bikini? Silently.

Jennifer said...

BWA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA! That second poem was so bad it was good. What made it even better is the upbeat jazz interludes in between the poetry. They should put that act on American Idol.

Whit said...

Dig that scornful eyeball dagger shot from the head waiter by the door! If he could just talk some sense into that crazy chick, this world would be the right kind of place. Hollywood never understood the counterculture, in any form, after WWII.

Anonymous said...

"Harriet.
Sweet Harriet.
Hard-hearted harbinger of haggus.

Beautiful, bemused, belicose butcher.

So knowing, so trusting, so lov-ed.

He wants you back he screams into the night air,
like a fireman going to a window that has no fire,
‘cept the passion of his heart.

I am lonely,
It’s really hard.

This poem sucks."

Lester Hunt said...

I'm from the wrong generation to understand the beats. We were hippies. From armor-piercing bullet-bras to no bras, in one generation. That's progress!

William said...

"Judy! Judy! Josie and your sweet pussy cats-

you make me horny, saturday morny, girls of cartoons, will leave you in ruins;
I want to be Betty's Barney-

Jane, get me off this crazy thing.

...called love."

Unknown said...

no one's commenting on the goodish poem. Not even me!

In the bad poem scene i think the director made the audience laugh at non-funny things so as to make it look like beatniks are all snobbier and smarter than "us regular folks." IN FACT, I'm a smart snob and i barely found any of it funny in an intentional way.

Anonymous said...

A Post-The Kid/pre-Festor Jackie Coogan on piano!
It's not even bebop or progressive jazz they're playing but something that sounds like Dixieland...which makes it funnier. ALmost a Henny Youngman delivery.

Remember that Happy Days beatnik episode?
"Little Bird with your beak pressed-up against the Pet SHop window,
There is no bird seed for you today,
Only.......DEATH!"

Eddie Fitzgerald said...

Anon: "Little Bird" is the best poem of all! Thanks!

Kali Fontecchio said...

High School Confidential! I guess that's where Clowes got the ides for Art School Confidential!

Beatniks are such a drag, man.

Anonymous said...

Nice, daddy-o.

I like the Jerry Lee Lewis part best. His live version is alot better, though, because it's really fierce.

I never thought I'd hear the words "DYI" on Eddie Fitgzerald's blog. What next, John K writing a post about the creation of emo in the 80s? Mike F. extolling the virtues of the Bad Brains?

Oh yeah, The Simpsons had an episode making fun of beatniks.

Radiant cool, crazy nightmare

Zen New Jersey nowhere...



How now, brown bureaucrat?

David Germain said...

Aw, too bad you couldn't find any clips of Mike Myers doing beatnik poetry from So I Married an Axe Murderer. I just now tried to find some on both Youtube and Dailymotion. No luck. Aw well.

Anonymous said...

There's a great move from the beatnik era called "Bucket of Blood". Lots of funny poetry and a hilarious murder/sculpting spree!
One of Roger Corman's first films!