William S. Burroughs Movie Trailers

Decoder Trailer (1984)

19 February 1984

F.M. discovers that different sonic frequencies induce different patterns of behaviour in listeners, first in his own studio but later in the local "H-Burger" restaurant where the passive muzak appears to be wiping people's emotions.

This Song for Jack Trailer (1983)

01 October 1983

In 1982, Robert Frank was on hand at the Naropa Institute in Boulder, Colorado, to film the Jack Kerouac Conference, a 25th-anniversary commemoration of On the Road in which poignantly aging Beats and fellow-traveling authors, activists, and composers (Allen Ginsberg, William Burroughs, Gregory Corso, Michael McClure, Herbert Huncke, Anne Waldman, Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Ken Kesey, Abbie Hoffman, David Amram) gathered on a rain-swept Chautauqua porch to recite poetry and raise a glass to their patron saint.

Naked Making Lunch Trailer (1992)

29 December 1992

A 1992 documentary about the making of Naked Lunch.

For No Good Reason Trailer (2012)

12 October 2012

For No Good Reason a film about Ralph Steadman. Johnny Depp guides the visually stunning journey, smashing narrative conventions, moving seamlessly from interview to animation and in the finest Gonzo tradition questions of witness and authenticity are challenged.

William S. Burroughs in the Dreamachine Trailer (2015)

14 April 2015

Jon Aes-Nihil's experimental documentary about iconic Beat author William S. Burroughs' experiences using a stroboscopic device, known as the dream machine, which simulates the electric pulses of the human brain to elicit hallucinations and dream-like imagery while the user's eyes are closed.

Chappaqua Trailer (1966)

30 August 1966

Semi-autobiographical story of Conrad Rooks, who travels to France to undergo a drug-withdrawal cure.

William S. Burroughs: A Man Within Trailer (2010)

05 November 2010

A riveting and emotional journey into the world of writer William S. Burroughs, a man considered as cold as an iceberg on a winter night.

Chelsea Hotel Trailer (1981)

03 January 1981

This TV documentary shows some of the colourful residents of and people connected with the New York Chelsea Hotel.

Let It Come Down: The Life of Paul Bowles Trailer (1999)

01 April 1999

One of the most enigmatic artists of the 20th century, writer, composer and wanderer Paul Bowles (1910-1999) is profiled by a filmmaker who has been obsessed with his genius since age nineteen.

The Ballad of Genesis and Lady Jaye Trailer (2012)

08 March 2012

An intimate, affecting portrait of the life and work of ground-breaking performance artist and music pioneer Genesis Breyer P-Orridge (Throbbing Gristle, Psychic TV +) and their wife and collaborator, Lady Jaye, centered around the daring sexual transformations the pair underwent for their 'Pandrogyne' project.

Nova '78 Trailer (2025)

08 August 2025

Resurrected through UK-led archival restoration NOVA 78' shows never-before-seen footage of the legendary Nova Convention where William Burroughs, Patti Smith, Zappa, Ginsberg and more collided in an explosion of ideas, art and rebellion.

Bill and Tony Trailer (1972)

07 February 1972

Experimental film by William S. Burroughs and Antony Balch

It Don't Pay to Be an Honest Citizen Trailer (1985)

01 February 1985

An ironic New York City thriller involving a mafioso and a restless, witty lawyer.

Thot-Fal'N Trailer (1978)

27 June 1978

This film describes a psychological state "kin to moonstruck, its images emblems (not quite symbols) of suspension-of-self within consciousness and then that feeling of falling away from conscious thought.

Energy and How to Get It Trailer (1981)

10 August 1981

Filmed in Wendover, Nevada, in early 1981, Energy and How to Get It combines documentary and fictional ideas.

Gang of Souls: A Generation of Beat Poets Trailer (1989)

01 January 1989

Maria Beatty's documentary exploring the insights and influences of the American Beat Poets. The film conveys their consciousness and sensibility through interviews with William Burroughs, Allen Ginsberg, Diane Di Prima, among others.

Wax, or The Discovery of Television Among the Bees Trailer (1991)

21 October 1991

Computer programmer/beekeeper Jacob gets a "television" implanted in his brain by a race of telekinetic bees, which causes him to experience severe hallucinations.

The Making of Drugstore Cowboy Trailer (1999)

26 October 1999

Portland, 1988. Filmmaker Gus Van Sant shoots Drugstore Cowboy, the project that will bring he and his collaborators a formidable burst of mainstream attention.

The Last Words of Dutch Schultz Trailer (2001)

31 December 2001

The last words of the gangster Dutch Schultz form the starting point for this animated documentary. The FBI noted these words down on Schultz’ deathbed, in the hope he would betray his colleagues.

Witchcraft Through the Ages Trailer (1968)

03 January 1968

A seventy-six-minute version of Häxan, re-edited and re-released in the United States by Metro Pictures Corporation in 1968.

Fried Shoes Cooked Diamonds Trailer (1979)

01 October 1979

After World War II a group of young writers, outsiders and friends who were disillusioned by the pursuit of the American dream met in New York City.

The Black Rider Trailer (1990)

01 June 1990

A behind-the-scenes documentary of "The Black Rider/Der schwarze Reiter" or "The Black Rider: The Casting of the Magic Bullets" a "musical fable" in the avant-garde tradition created through the collaboration of theatre director Robert Wilson, musician Tom Waits, and writer William S.

Pirates: William Burroughs in London Trailer (1982)

01 January 1982

William S. Burroughs' disembodied statement "Boys, school showers, and swimming pools," repeats over and over again.

Coda I Trailer (2013)

01 January 2013

Peter Gidal’s starting point for his 16mm film was a soundtrack that consists of three lines from a 1,000 word story written by Gidal in 1971, read by William Burroughs.

Coda II Trailer (2013)