Huncke and Louis (1998) is a very personal video documentary I've just completed on the lives of Beat storyteller Herbert Huncke and photographer Louis Cartwright. Herbert and Louis were close friends and roommates for more than 25 years. Having fled from their respective families, they became family to each other. Huncke was a key figure in the formation and sustenance of the Beat Generation. His books include Huncke's Journal, The Evening Sun Turned Crimson, and Guilty of Everything. In October of 1997, Morrow published The Herbert Huncke Reader, edited by my friend Ben Schafer. Louis Cartwright's photos were an integral part of Huncke's books.
In depth discussion of making the film
I
had videotaped some of Huncke's readings in the late 1980s and early 1990s, but
my concerted effort to document his life with Louis Cartwright commenced in the
fall of 1993 when the two were living on 7th Street between Avenues C and D in
New York. So the first part of my video reveals the domestic life shared
by these two old friends. In January of 1994, their domestic life was ruptured when Huncke was hospitalized with a broken shoulder and pneumonia. While Herbert convalesced with friends in the Chelsea Hotel, Louis lost his ballast and began a descent in addiction and paranoia, fueled by his fear that his older friend would die and leave him alone. The second part of my video chronicles Herbert's recovery and Louis's downward spiral.
Huncke never resettled into the 7th Street basement apartment, which became a drug den in his absence. Because of nonpayment of rent, Cartwright was evicted in late May of 1994. Early on the morning of June 6, Louis Cartwright was stabbed to death by an unknown assailant on Second Avenue, near the Kiev Restaurant.
Thanks to the efforts of Jeremiah Newton, Louis was buried in Cavalry Cemetery in Queens. Herbert was understandably too distraught to attend his friend's funeral.
Later in the summer of 1994, Herbert Huncke relocated to the Chelsea Hotel, where he would spend his final two years. Herbert revealed his resilience by continuing to write, to share his midnight stories. He recorded a CD ("From Dream To Dream") in Belgium and enjoyed successful European reading tours. Back home, he thrived in the company of many young friends and admirers. The final part of my video documents Herbert's creative life in the Chelsea, which lasted until his death, at the age of 81, on August 8, 1996.
I will announce screening dates of Huncke and Louis at a later date. Look for it at video festivals near you. A ten-minute 'trailer' has been screened at The Whitney Museum, The Venice Biennale, The San Francisco Art Institute, and The Cinema de Balie in Amsterdam.
Useful Links
Literary Kicks Home Page
Literary Kicks Herbert Huncke Biography
Beat Generation FAQ and Resources
Cosmic Baseball Association's Huncke Page
Amazon.com Online Bookstore for ordering The Herbert Huncke Reader
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