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Stan Brakhage

Stan Brakhage

Director · 1933–2003 · Kansas City, Missouri, USA

IMDb

Biography

Stan Brakhage (January 14, 1933 - March 9, 2003) is one of the most influential filmmakers in American avant-garde cinema, noted for his unflinching social commentaries and technical innovations. Over his nearly 40-year career, he has made over 200 films of varying length. He made his first film, Interim (1952) at age 18 after dropping out of college. Brakhage films seek to change the way we see. They encourage viewers to eschew traditional narrative structure in favor of pure visual perception that is not reliant on naming what is seen; rather his goal is to create a more visceral visual experience, for he believes that a "stream-of visual-consciousness could be nothing less than the pathway of the soul." To this end, his films are shot in highly sensual colors and utilize minimal soundtracks. His work can be divided into distinct periods. His first short films explored the properties and possibilities of light. In many of his experimental ventures, Brakhage has forgone traditional cinematography in favor of working directly with the film stock itself. He has occasionally painted, inked, scratched and dyed images onto it; he has also tried pasting organic objects on the film. His most famous example is the 1963 short Mothlight in which he glued moth wings onto the stock. Some of his early films were based on his most intimate experiences that included making love to his new bride--depicted on negative film--in Wedlock House: An Intercourse (1959), and an attempt to bring his dead dog back to life with a camera in Sirius Remembered (1959). During the 1960s, Brakhage's iconoclastic views were celebrated for their poetry, but during the '70s, his focus changed to social issues and he alienated many supporters with such disturbing film series as the "Pittsburgh documents" in which he presented many gruesome views of inner city life with films such as Act of Seeing with One's Own Eyes (1971) which was shot in a morgue. He also continued with autobiographical material with the "Sincerity/Duplicity series. During the 1980s, Brakhage's focus again changed--this time he became intrigued with creating truly "abstract" films such as Arabics (1982) which consists of brilliant bursts of colored light which he claims, represent "envisioned music." In addition to filmmaking, Brakhage also wrote books about films and filmmaking and also served as a teacher.

Directed 351

2010s

  1. 2012

    20 Little Films

    Director

  2. 2010

    By Brakhage: An Anthology, Volume Two

    Director

2000s

  1. 2003

    By Brakhage: An Anthology, Volume One

    Director

  2. Chinese Series

    Director

  3. 2002

    Panels for the Walls of Heaven

    Director

  4. Resurrectus Est

    Director

  5. SB

    Director

  6. Seasons...

    Director

  7. Ascension

    Director

  8. Song of the Mushroom

    Director

  9. Max

    Director

  10. 2001

    Persian Series #16

    Director

  11. Micro-Garden

    Director

  12. Garden Path

    Director

  13. Lovesong 5 & 6

    Director

  14. Dark Night of The Soul

    Director

  15. Lovesong 4

    Director

  16. Lovesong

    Director

  17. Lovesong 3

    Director

  18. Occam's Thread

    Director

  19. Rounds

    Director

  20. Very

    Director

  21. Night Mulch

    Director

  22. Lovesong 2

    Director

  23. 2000

    Jesus Trilogy and Coda

    Director

  24. Persian Series #11

    Director

  25. Persian Series #10

    Director

  26. The God of Day Had Gone Down Upon Him

    Director

  27. Water for Maya

    Director

  28. Persian Series #6

    Director

1990s

  1. 1999

    The Lion and the Zebra Make God's Raw Jewels

    Director

  2. Moilsome Toilsome

    Director

  3. Persian Series #1

    Director

  4. Persian Series #3

    Director

  5. Persian Series #2

    Director

  6. Persian Series #4

    Director

  7. Persian Series #5

    Director

  8. The Earth Song of the Cricket

    Director

  9. The Dark Tower

    Director

  10. The Birds Of Paradise

    Director

  11. Coupling

    Director

  12. Cloud Chamber

    Director

  13. Worm and Web Love

    Director

  14. Cricket Requiem

    Director

  15. 1998

    "..." Reel 3

    Director

  16. "..." Reel 5

    Director

  17. "..." Reel 4

    Director

  18. "..." Reel 2

    Director

  19. The Female Mystique and Spare Leaves (for Gordon)

    Director

  20. 1997

    Self Song & Death Song

    Director

  21. Yggdrasill: Whose Roots Are Stars in the Human Mind

    Director

  22. The Cat of the Worm's Green Realm

    Director

  23. Last Hymn to the Night - Novalis

    Director

  24. Divertimento

    Director

  25. 1996

    Comingled Containers

    Director

  26. Prelude 10

    Director

  27. Prelude 11

    Director

  28. Prelude 8

    Director

  29. Prelude 9

    Director

  30. Prelude 7

    Director

  31. Prelude 13

    Director

  32. Prelude 14

    Director

  33. Shockingly Hot

    Director

  34. Prelude 16

    Director

  35. Prelude 15

    Director

  36. Prelude 23

    Director

  37. Prelude 18

    Director

  38. Prelude 19

    Director

  39. Prelude 20

    Director

  40. Prelude 21

    Director

  41. Prelude 17

    Director

  42. Prelude 22

    Director

  43. Prelude 24

    Director

  44. Blue Value

    Director

  45. Sexual Saga

    Director

  46. Two Found Objects of Charles Boultenhouse

    Director

  47. Beautiful Funerals

    Director

  48. Polite Madness

    Director

  49. Concrescence

    Director

  50. The Fur of Home

    Director

  51. 1995

    I Take These Truths

    Director

  52. I...

    Director

  53. We Hold These

    Director

  54. The 'b' Series

    Director

  55. Prelude 2

    Director

  56. Prelude 4

    Director

  57. Prelude 3

    Director

  58. Prelude 1

    Director

  59. Prelude 5

    Director

  60. Prelude 6

    Director

  61. In Consideration of Pompeii

    Director

  62. Spring Cycle

    Director

  63. Paranoia Corridor

    Director

  64. The "Lost" Films

    Director

  65. Earthen Aerie

    Director

  66. 1994

    Black Ice

    Director

  67. From: First Hymn to the Night – Novalis

    Director

  68. Chartres Series

    Director

  69. The Mammals of Victoria

    Director

  70. Naughts

    Director

  71. Elementary Phrases

    Director

  72. Cannot Exist

    Director

  73. Cannot Not Exist

    Director

  74. 1993

    Stellar

    Director

  75. Study in Color and Black and White

    Director

  76. Autumnal

    Director

  77. Three Homerics

    Director

  78. The Harrowing

    Director

  79. Tryst Haunt

    Director

  80. Boulder Blues and Pearls and...

    Director

  81. Ephemeral Solidity

    Director

  82. Blossom-Gift/Favor

    Director

  83. 1992

    For Marilyn

    Director

  84. 1991

    Christ Mass Sex Dance

    Director

  85. Agnus Dei Kinder Synapse

    Director

  86. Delicacies of Molten Horror Synapse

    Director

  87. Crack Glass Eulogy

    Director

  88. A Child’s Garden and the Serious Sea

    Director

  89. 1990

    Passage Through: A Ritual

    Director

  90. Vision of the Fire Tree

    Director

  91. Glaze of Cathexis

    Director

  92. Visions in Meditation #4: D.H. Lawrence

    Director

  93. Visions in Meditation #3: Plato's Cave

    Director

  94. City Streaming

    Director

  95. Babylon Series #3

    Director

  96. Babylon Series #2

    Director

  97. The Thatch of Night

    Director

1980s

  1. 1989

    Babylon Series #1

    Director

  2. Faust IV

    Director

  3. Visions in Meditation #1

    Director

  4. Visions in Meditation #2: Mesa Verde

    Director

  5. 1988

    I... Dreaming

    Director

  6. Faust 3: Candida Albacore

    Director

  7. Faust's Other: An Idyll

    Director

  8. Rage Net

    Director

  9. Marilyn's Window

    Director

  10. Matins

    Director

  11. 1987

    The Dante Quartet

    Director

  12. Loud Visual Noises

    Director

  13. Faustfilm: An Opera

    Director

  14. Kindering

    Director

  15. 1986

    The Loom

    Director

  16. Dance Shadows by Danelle Helander

    Director

  17. Fireloop

    Director

  18. Night Music

    Director

  19. Confession

    Director

  20. The Aerodyne

    Director

  21. 1985

    Jane

    Director

  22. 1984

    Tortured Dust

    Director

  23. Tortured Dust Part 2

    Director

  24. Tortured Dust Part 4

    Director

  25. Tortured Dust Part 1

    Director

  26. Tortured Dust Part 3

    Director

  27. Egyptian Series

    Director

  28. 1983

    Hell Spit Flexion

    Director

  29. 1982

    Arabic Numeral Series 18

    Director

  30. Arabic Numeral Series 14

    Director

  31. Arabic Numeral Series 15

    Director

  32. Arabic Numeral Series 17

    Director

  33. Arabic Numeral Series 16

    Director

  34. Arabic Numeral Series 19

    Director

  35. 1981

    Nodes

    Director

  36. Unconscious London Strata

    Director

  37. Made Manifest

    Director

  38. Aftermath

    Director

  39. Arabic Numeral Series 12

    Director

  40. Arabic Numeral Series 9

    Director

  41. Arabic Numeral Series 8

    Director

  42. Arabic Numeral Series 11

    Director

  43. Arabic Numeral Series 7

    Director

  44. Arabic Numeral Series 0 + 10

    Director

  45. Arabic Numeral Series 13

    Director

  46. Arabic Numeral Series 4

    Director

  47. Arabic Numeral Series 1

    Director

  48. Arabic Numeral Series 2

    Director

  49. Arabic Numeral Series 3

    Director

  50. Arabic Numeral Series 5

    Director

  51. Arabic Numeral Series 6

    Director

  52. The Garden of Earthly Delights

    Director

  53. RR

    Director

  54. 1980

    Murder Psalm

    Director

  55. Duplicity III

    Director

  56. Roman Numeral: VI

    Director

  57. Roman Numeral: V

    Director

  58. Roman Numeral: VII

    Director

  59. Roman Numeral: IV

    Director

  60. Roman Numeral: IX

    Director

  61. Roman Numeral: VIII

    Director

  62. Sincerity V

    Director

  63. Other

    Director

  64. Salome

    Director

1970s

  1. 1979

    @

    Director

  2. Roman Numeral: I

    Director

  3. Roman Numeral: II

    Director

  4. Sincerity IV

    Director

  5. Creation

    Director

  6. Roman Numeral: III

    Director

  7. 1978

    Burial Path

    Director

  8. Thot-Fal'N

    Director

  9. Bird

    Director

  10. Centre

    Director

  11. Nightmare Series

    Director

  12. Sluice

    Director

  13. Duplicity I

    Director

  14. Sincerity III

    Director

  15. Purity and After

    Director

  16. Duplicity II

    Director

  17. 1977

    Tragoedia

    Director

  18. Soldiers and Other Cosmic Objects

    Director

  19. The Domain of the Moment

    Director

  20. 1976

    Absence

    Director

  21. The Dream, N.Y.C., The Return, The Flower

    Director

  22. Desert

    Director

  23. Highs

    Director

  24. Rembrandt, Etc., and Jane

    Director

  25. Trio

    Director

  26. Window

    Director

  27. Airs

    Director

  28. Short Films 1976

    Director

  29. 1975

    Short Films 1975: #1 (Jane’s Memory)

    Director

  30. Short Films 1975: #2 (Dante’s Styx)

    Director

  31. Short Films 1975: #5 (Niagara Falls)

    Director

  32. Short Films 1975: #4 (Lady in Glass)

    Director

  33. Short Films 1975: #3 (Hollis Frampton)

    Director

  34. Short Films 1975: #6 (Stars, Chickens, Eyes, Candles)

    Director

  35. Short Films 1975: #8 (Small Town Streets)

    Director

  36. Short Films 1975: #7 (Turning the Raccoon Loose)

    Director

  37. Short Films 1975

    Director

  38. Sincerity II

    Director

  39. Short Films 1975: #10 (Painted Lightning)

    Director

  40. Short Films 1975: #9 (Forest Love Scene)

    Director

  41. 1974

    The Stars Are Beautiful

    Director

  42. The Text of Light

    Director

  43. Hymn to Her

    Director

  44. Star Garden

    Director

  45. Aquarien

    Director

  46. Skein

    Director

  47. Clancy

    Director

  48. Flight

    Director

  49. “He was born, he suffered, he died.”

    Director

  50. Sol

    Director

  51. Dominion

    Director

  52. 1973

    Sincerity I

    Director

  53. Sexual Meditation: Open Field

    Director

  54. The Women

    Director

  55. 1972

    The Process

    Director

  56. The Riddle of Lumen

    Director

  57. Sexual Meditation: Faun's Room, Yale

    Director

  58. Sexual Meditation: Office Suite

    Director

  59. The Act of Seeing with One's Own Eyes

    Director

  60. The Wold-Shadow

    Director

  61. Sexual Meditation: Hotel

    Director

  62. The Shores of Phos: A Fable

    Director

  63. Eye Myth Educational

    Director

  64. The Presence

    Director

  65. 1971

    Fox Fire Child Watch

    Director

  66. The Trip to Door

    Director

  67. Western History

    Director

  68. Sexual Meditation: Room with View

    Director

  69. Door

    Director

  70. The Peaceable Kingdom

    Director

  71. Angels'

    Director

  72. 1970

    Eyes

    Director

  73. The Machine of Eden

    Director

  74. The Animals of Eden and After

    Director

  75. The Weir-Falcon Saga

    Director

  76. Scenes from Under Childhood

    Director

  77. Scenes from Under Childhood, Section Four

    Director

  78. Sexual Meditation #1: Motel

    Director

1960s

  1. 1969

    Scenes from Under Childhood, Section Three

    Director

  2. Scenes from Under Childhood, Section Two

    Director

  3. My Mtn. Song 27 Part II: Rivers

    Director

  4. Song 28

    Director

  5. Song 29

    Director

  6. American 30s Song

    Director

  7. Window Suite of Children's Songs

    Director

  8. 1968

    Scenes from Under Childhood, Section One

    Director

  9. The Horseman, the Woman, and the Moth

    Director

  10. Lovemaking

    Director

  11. Song 26

    Director

  12. My Mountain: Song 27

    Director

  13. 1967

    Eye Myth

    Director

  14. Song 24

    Director

  15. Song 25

    Director

  16. For Life, Against the War

    Director

  17. 23rd Psalm Branch

    Director

  18. 23rd Psalm Branch: Part I

    Director

  19. 23rd Psalm Branch: Part II

    Director

  20. 1966

    Song 18

    Director

  21. Song 19

    Director

  22. Song 21

    Director

  23. Song 22

    Director

  24. Song 20

    Director

  25. Song 16

    Director

  26. Song 17

    Director

  27. Pasht

    Director

  28. 1965

    Two: Creeley/McClure

    Director

  29. Fire of Waters

    Director

  30. Three Films: Blue White/Blood's Tone/Vein

    Director

  31. Song 14

    Director

  32. Song 12

    Director

  33. Song 13

    Director

  34. Song 11

    Director

  35. Black Vision

    Director

  36. The Art of Vision

    Director

  37. Song 9

    Director

  38. Song 10

    Director

  39. Dog Star Man

    Director

  40. 1964

    Dog Star Man: Part IV

    Director

  41. Dog Star Man: Part II

    Director

  42. Dog Star Man: Part III

    Director

  43. Song 1

    Director

  44. Song 6

    Director

  45. Song 7

    Director

  46. Song 2

    Director

  47. Song 3

    Director

  48. Song 4

    Director

  49. Song 5

    Director

  50. Song 8

    Director

  51. 1963

    Mothlight

    Director

  52. Oh Life - a Woe Story - the A Test News

    Director

  53. Dog Star Man: Part I

    Director

  54. 1962

    Blue Moses

    Director

  55. 1961

    Thigh Line Lyre Triangular

    Director

  56. Prelude: Dog Star Man

    Director

  57. Sartre's Nausea

    Director

  58. Films by Stan Brakhage: An Avant-Garde Home Movie

    Director

  59. Ballad of the Colorado Ute

    Director

  60. 1960

    The Dead

    Director

  61. Colorado Legend

    Director

1950s

  1. 1959

    Sirius Remembered

    Director

  2. Window Water Baby Moving

    Director

  3. Wedlock House: An Intercourse

    Director

  4. Cat's Cradle

    Director

  5. 1958

    Anticipation of the Night

    Director

  6. 1957

    Loving

    Director

  7. Daybreak and Whiteye

    Director

  8. 1956

    Flesh of Morning

    Director

  9. Nightcats

    Director

  10. Zone Moment

    Director

  11. 1955

    The Wonder Ring

    Director

  12. Centuries of June

    Director

  13. In Between

    Director

  14. 1954

    The Extraordinary Child

    Director

  15. Desistfilm

    Director

  16. 1953

    Unglassed Windows Cast a Terrible Reflection

    Director

  17. 1952

    Interim

    Director

No release date

  1. Visions in Meditation

    Director

  2. Arabic Numeral Series

    Director

  3. Persian Series

    Director

  4. Songs

    Director

Acted in 28

2010s

  1. 2011

    Cyclopean 3D: Life with a Beautiful Woman

    Movie

  2. 2010

    By Brakhage: An Anthology, Volume Two

    Movie

2000s

  1. 2008

    Dinner with Brakhage and Gamow

    Movie

  2. 2006

    A Visit to Stan Brakhage

    Movie

  3. 2004

    Preserving Cultural Traditions in a Period of Instability

    Voice

  4. 2003

    By Brakhage: An Anthology, Volume One

    Movie

  5. Keeping an Eye on Stan

    Movie

  6. 2001

    Garden Path

    Movie

1990s

  1. 1997

    Stan Brakhage on Gregory Markopoulos

    Movie

  2. Stan Brakhage on Jim Davis

    Movie

  3. 1996

1980s

  1. 1988

    I... Dreaming

    Movie

  2. Faust's Other: An Idyll

    Movie

  3. 1984

    Tortured Dust

    Movie

1970s

  1. 1973

    Notes on the Buffalo Conference: “Autobiography in American Independent Cinema”

    Movie

1960s

  1. 1965

    The Art of Vision

    Man

  2. Dog Star Man

    Movie

  3. 1964

    Dog Star Man: Part IV

    Movie

  4. Dog Star Man: Part III

    Movie

  5. Dog Star Man: Part II

    Movie

  6. Song 1

    Movie

  7. 1963

    Dog Star Man: Part I

    Movie

  8. 1961

    Prelude: Dog Star Man

    Movie

1950s

  1. 1959

    Wedlock House: An Intercourse

    Movie

  2. 1956

    Flesh of Morning

    Movie

  3. Trumpit

    Movie

  4. The One Romantic Venture of Edward

    Movie

  5. 1954

    The Extraordinary Child

    Movie

Other crew 22

2010s

  1. 2011

    Drawings by Billy and His Friends

    In Memory Of

1990s

  1. 1990

    Passage Through: A Ritual

    Cinematography

1970s

  1. 1978

    Thot-Fal'N

    Cinematography

  2. 1976

    Trio

    Cinematography

  3. 1974

    The Stars Are Beautiful

    Cinematography

1960s

  1. 1967

    23rd Psalm Branch: Part II

    Cinematography

  2. 1965

    The Art of Vision

    Cinematography

  3. 1964

    Song 1

    Cinematography

  4. Song 5

    Cinematography

  5. 1962

    Blue Moses

    Cinematography

  6. 1961

    Thigh Line Lyre Triangular

    Cinematography

  7. Ballad of the Colorado Ute

    Cinematography

  8. 1960

    Colorado Legend

    Cinematography

1950s

  1. 1959

    Pittsburgh

    Cinematography

  2. 1958

    Anticipation of the Night

    Cinematography

  3. 1955

    The Wonder Ring

    Cinematography

  4. In Between

    Cinematography

  5. 1954

    The Extraordinary Child

    Cinematography

  6. Desistfilm

    Cinematography

  7. 1953

    Unglassed Windows Cast a Terrible Reflection

    Cinematography

  8. 1952

    Interim

    Cinematography

No release date

  1. Songs

    Cinematography

Edited 22

1990s

  1. 1990

    Passage Through: A Ritual

    Editor

1980s

  1. 1985

    Jane

    Editor

1970s

  1. 1978

    Thot-Fal'N

    Editor

  2. 1974

    The Stars Are Beautiful

    Editor

  3. 1972

    The Act of Seeing with One's Own Eyes

    Editor

1960s

  1. 1967

    23rd Psalm Branch: Part II

    Editor

  2. 1965

    The Art of Vision

    Editor

  3. Dog Star Man

    Editor

  4. 1964

    Song 5

    Editor

  5. Song 1

    Editor

  6. 1962

    Blue Moses

    Editor

  7. 1961

    Thigh Line Lyre Triangular

    Editor

  8. Ballad of the Colorado Ute

    Editor

  9. 1960

    Colorado Legend

    Editor

1950s

  1. 1959

    Window Water Baby Moving

    Editor

  2. 1955

    The Wonder Ring

    Editor

  3. In Between

    Editor

  4. 1954

    The Extraordinary Child

    Editor

  5. Desistfilm

    Editor

  6. 1953

    Unglassed Windows Cast a Terrible Reflection

    Editor

  7. 1952

    Interim

    Editor

No release date

  1. Songs

    Editor

Wrote 14

2010s

  1. 2010

    By Brakhage: An Anthology, Volume Two

    Writer

2000s

  1. 2003

    By Brakhage: An Anthology, Volume One

    Writer

1990s

  1. 1990

    Passage Through: A Ritual

    Writer

1970s

  1. 1974

    The Stars Are Beautiful

    Writer

  2. 1972

    Eye Myth Educational

    Writer

1960s

  1. 1965

    The Art of Vision

    Writer

  2. Dog Star Man

    Writer

  3. 1962

    Blue Moses

    Writer

1950s

  1. 1955

    In Between

    Writer

  2. 1954

    The Extraordinary Child

    Writer

  3. Desistfilm

    Writer

  4. 1953

    Unglassed Windows Cast a Terrible Reflection

    Writer

  5. 1952

    Interim

    Writer

No release date

  1. Songs

    Writer

Camera 6

1980s

  1. 1985

    Jane

    Director of Photography

1970s

  1. 1974

    The Text of Light

    Director of Photography

  2. 1972

    The Act of Seeing with One's Own Eyes

    Director of Photography

1960s

  1. 1965

    Dog Star Man

    Director of Photography

  2. 1960

    Colorado Legend

    Director of Photography

1950s

  1. 1959

    Window Water Baby Moving

    Director of Photography

Produced 1

1960s

  1. 1965

    The Art of Vision

    Producer

Visual effects 1

2020s

  1. 2025

    Derealization

    Visual Effects

Appearances31

2020s

  1. 2025

    Brakhage on Brakhage

    Self

2010s

  1. 2016

    Brakhage by Mothlight

    Self (voice)

  2. 2011

    Free Radicals: A History of Experimental Film

    Himself

2000s

  1. 2009

    For Stan

    Himself

  2. 2006

    Brakhage Crosses Central Park

    Self

  3. 2003

    Sonic Youth: Koncertas Stan Brakhage Prisiminimui (April 12, 2003)

    Self (archive footage)

  4. Encomium

    Self

  5. 2002

    Stan Brakhage Exits the Cinema and Enters the Light of Day

    Himself

  6. In the Mirror of Maya Deren

    Himself

  7. 2000

    As I Was Moving Ahead Occasionally I Saw Brief Glimpses of Beauty

    Self

  8. Looking at Forest of Bliss

    Himself

1990s

  1. 1998

    Brakhage

    Self

  2. 1997

    Birth of a Nation

    Self

  3. 1994

    Jonas in the Desert

    Self

  4. 1993

    Abstract Cinema

    Himself

  5. 1991

    Joseph Cornell: Worlds in a Box

    Self

1980s

  1. 1987

    Doodlin': Impressions Of Len Lye

    Self

  2. 1986

    Invocation: Maya Deren

    Himself

  3. 1985

    Reflecting Thought: Stan Brakhage

    Self

  4. 1981

    Stan & Jane Brakhage

    Self

1970s

  1. 1979

    Grand Opera: An Historical Romance

    Himself (voice)

  2. 1974

    The Stars Are Beautiful

    Narrator (voice)

  3. 1972
  4. Reality's Invisible

    Self

1960s

  1. 1969

    Filmmakers

    Himself

  2. Legendary Epics Yarns and Fables Part 2: Stan Brakhage

    Himself

  3. 1968

    Diaries, Notes, and Sketches

    Self

  4. 1965

    The Making of an Underground Film

    Self

1950s

  1. 1959

    Window Water Baby Moving

    Self (uncredited)

  2. Cat's Cradle

    Self

No release date

  1. Songs

    Self (Uncredited)

Thanked in the credits2

2000s

  1. 2009

    Sweetgrass

    Thanks

1990s

  1. 1994

    The Life and Times of Allen Ginsberg

    Thanks