Howl
“The Obscenity Trial That Started a Revolution. The Poem That Rocked a Generation.”
Synopsis
It's San Francisco in 1957, and an American masterpiece is put on trial. Howl, the film, recounts this dark moment using three interwoven threads: the tumultuous life events that led a young Allen Ginsberg to find his true voice as an artist, society's reaction (the obscenity trial), and mind-expanding animation that echoes the startling originality of the poem itself. All three coalesce in a genre-bending hybrid that brilliantly captures a pivotal moment-the birth of a counterculture.
Trailers, Teasers & Extra Featurettes
Official promotional previews, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive clips.
Official Theatrical TrailerOfficial
Type: Trailer • Published 2010-07-15
Top Cast
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James Franco
Allen Ginsberg
Todd Rotondi
Jack Kerouac
Jon Prescott
Neal Cassady
Aaron Tveit
Peter Orlovsky
David Strathairn
Ralph McIntosh
Jon Hamm
Jake Ehrlich
Andrew Rogers
Lawrence Ferlinghetti
Bob Balaban
Judge Clayton Horn
Mary-Louise Parker
Gail Potter
Treat Williams
Mark Schorer
Jeff Daniels
Professor David Kirk
Alessandro Nivola
Luther Nichols
Allen Ginsberg
Self
Sean Patrick Reilly
Six Gallery
Alex Emanuel
Six Gallery
Cecilia Foss
Beatnik Poet
Release History & Theatrical Window
Berlin International Film Festival
Festival / Special Debut
September 24, 2010
Wide Cinema Exhibition
June 17, 2011
Physical Home Media
Financials & Box Office Performance
Production Budget
$5M
Filming & production cost
Worldwide Gross
$1.2M
Total global ticket sales
Box Office Return
0.24x
-$3.8M deficit
Theatrical Status
Budget Return
Box office tier
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Rob Epstein, Jeffrey Friedman
- Screenplay & Story
- Jeffrey Friedman, Rob Epstein
- Original Score
- Carter Burwell
- Original Title
- Howl
- Country of Origin
- United States of America
- Spoken Languages
- English
- Runtime
- 1h 24m
- Production Budget
- $5M
- Worldwide Gross
- $1.2M
- Production Studios
- Rabbit Bandini Productions, Werc Werk Works, Oscilloscope
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Rob Epstein, Jeffrey Friedman
Jeffrey Friedman, Rob Epstein
Carter Burwell
Edward Lachman
Jake Pushinsky
Rob Epstein, Jeffrey Friedman, Jawal Nga, Elizabeth Redleaf, Gus Van Sant
Department Leadership Roster
Rob Epstein
Director
Jeffrey Friedman
Director
Jeffrey Friedman
Writer
Rob Epstein
Writer
Kurt Swanson
Costume Design
Bart Mueller
Costume Design
Rob Epstein
Producer
Jeffrey Friedman
Producer
Elizabeth Redleaf
Producer
Christine K. Walker
Producer
Thérèse DePrez
Production Design
Edward Lachman
Director of Photography
Jake Pushinsky
Editor
Carter Burwell
Original Music Composer
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
R: Restricted — Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.
International Certification Matrix
Restricted — Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for Howl.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring Howl.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Howl
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is Howl about?
It's San Francisco in 1957, and an American masterpiece is put on trial. Howl, the film, recounts this dark moment using three interwoven threads: the tumultuous life events that led a young Allen Ginsberg to find his true voice as an artist, society's reaction (the obscenity trial), and mind-expanding animation that echoes the startling originality of the poem itself. All three coalesce in a genre-bending hybrid that brilliantly captures a pivotal moment-the birth of a counterculture.
Who directed Howl?
Howl was directed by Rob Epstein, Jeffrey Friedman.
Who stars in Howl?
The principal cast of Howl includes James Franco, Todd Rotondi, Jon Prescott, Aaron Tveit, David Strathairn.
When was Howl released and how long is it?
Howl was released in 2010 with a total runtime of 1h 24m.
What was the box office and production budget of Howl?
Howl had a reported production budget of $5M and grossed $1.2M at the worldwide box office (0.24 return on budget, classified as a underperformed).
Who composed the musical score for Howl?
The original motion picture soundtrack for Howl was composed by Carter Burwell.
What is the age rating and content advisory for Howl?
Howl holds official age classifications: US: R (Restricted — Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.).