This strange and ugly film about a catatonic schizophrenic starts out with Orlovsky, playing himself, being released from the hospital. Because of his real-life condition, however, Orlovsky was eventually replaced by Chaikin in the role. The film incorporates into it the subject's brother
and a few of the Beat Generation poets (Ginsberg and Corso being the most notable), as it meanders about looking at the subject's life. He is recruited for a film about homosexuals, gets lost in San Francisco, and is finally reinstitutionalized. After being subjected to Thorazine and electroshock,
he is finally released once more to the care of his brother (Peter Orlovsky). Using ...
Released:
1969
Rated:
NR
Length:
95 mins