Has the landrush to make movies based on the Beat Generation actually amount to anything? Last year, Walter Salles‘ star-laden “On The Road” barely made a dent, while the forthcoming “Kill Your Darlings” boasting an equally compelling ensemble — Daniel Radcliffe, Elizabeth Olsen, Ben Foster, David Cross, Michael C. Hall, Jennifer Jason Leigh — certainly can’t do worse. But whether or not it takes off, enthusiasts of the Beats will keep having more movies to choose from as “Big Sur” is also the way.
Like “Kill Your Darlings,” it also debuted earlier this year at the Sundance Film Festival and at the time, unveiled a pretty lovely teaser. This much more official spot leans toward the conventional but if does have one distinct characteristic over the previous movies dealing with the same subjects: this isn’t the tale of the young and wild Kerouac. Instead, the story here centers on his post-“On The Road” struggle with fame, drugs and his relationship with Neal Cassady’s mistress. Directed by Michael Polish, it’s certainly a visual different take on the era too, one filled with much more melancholy that jazz fuelled hijinks.
Starring Jean-Marc Barr, Josh Lucas, Kate Bosworth, Anthony Edwards, Radha Mitchell, Balthazar Getty and Henry Thomas, “Big Sur” opens on November 1st. Check out the trailer below along with some new pics.
