Dream Cast Tapped for Howl
David Strathairn by Jason Kempin/WireImage.com and Mary Louise Parker by Ron Galella/WireImage.com
An A-List dream gaggle of actors, including
David Strathairn,
Alan Alda,
Jeff Daniels,
Mary-Louise Parker and
Paul Rudd, are attached to join
James Franco as Allen Ginsberg in the beatnik biopic
Howl.
The 1950s-era tale - that hopefully will feature lots of tight black clothes, berets and drum-beating - will focus on the obscenity trial to censor Ginsberg's progressive and controversial book-length poem. The project was pitched by the Allen Ginsberg Trust as a commemoration of the 50th anniversary of
Howl, says
The Hollywood Reporter.
Gus Van Sant (
Good Will Hunting) will executive produce the project that will highlight real-life characters, including prosecuting attorney Ralph McIntosh (Strathairn), Judge Clayton Horn (Alda), prosecution witness Professor David Kirk (Daniels), radio personality and prosecution witness Gail Potter (Parker), and literary critic and defense witness Luther Nichols (Rudd).
Telling Pictures documentarians Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman will make their narrative writing, producing and directing debut with
Howl.
What do you think of this movie casting news? Do we hear Oscar-buzz in the air already? -
Erin Fox
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