1914: William S. Burroughs - The Wild Boys: A Book of the Dead
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1edwinbcn
The Wild Boys: A Book of the Dead is a science-fiction novel, set in the late Twentieth century. It sparked inspiration with several artists particularly in the field of pop music, notably David Bowie and Duran Duran.
2edwinbcn
The wild boys. A book of the dead
Finished reading: 10 September 2011
Perhaps this short novel by William S. Burroughs should not be taken too seriously. It was a joy to read this orgiastic, erotic, playful and sometimes hard to follow story. The troupe of rebellious wild boys, defeating the CIA and army attack, cannot be accepted but with a smile. There is a lot that defies understanding, perhaps one should not try to understand everything.
This naughty novel was written as early as 1969, but was not surprisingly not published until 1980. Pure madness and joy.
Finished reading: 10 September 2011
Perhaps this short novel by William S. Burroughs should not be taken too seriously. It was a joy to read this orgiastic, erotic, playful and sometimes hard to follow story. The troupe of rebellious wild boys, defeating the CIA and army attack, cannot be accepted but with a smile. There is a lot that defies understanding, perhaps one should not try to understand everything.
This naughty novel was written as early as 1969, but was not surprisingly not published until 1980. Pure madness and joy.
3StevenTX
The Wild Boys: A Book of the Dead by William S. Burroughs
Written 1969
First published 1971
In a near future setting, with the world already in chaos and decline, an ever growing movement of young homosexual men called the "Wild Boys" brings down the vestiges of the old establishment in an orgy of sex and violence. It takes about half of this short novel, however, for this to emerge as the dominant theme. Typical of Burroughs's writing, The Wild Boys is a collage of scenes, some unrelated to the rest and some out of chronological order. Some of the prose is also comprised of seemingly random streams of words and phrases.
Burroughs wrote The Wild Boys at a time when he was experimenting with various other media, and he would soon write a screenplay based on the novel. Some chapters of the book itself are written as set directions. Other passages, including the opening chapter, depict apparently real events until we finally step back and see that we have been watching the filming of a movie scene. Some scenes are repeated over and over with minor variations like multiple takes of a film. I found I could better understand the novel if I imagined it as a conceptualization of a film.
When Burroughs wrote this book in 1969 there had recently been student riots in many parts of the world, some of them put down violently. The Wild Boys reflects the anti-establishment attitude of its time. "The young are an alien species," says one of his characters, an American army officer. Their difference is emphasized by their homosexuality as well as various modifications the Wild Boys make to their bodies as though trying to become a new species.
The Wild Boys is full of explicit sex, drug use and gratuitous violence, and it is written in experimental forms--all typical of William S. Burroughs. It's certainly not for everyone, but those who lived through the 1960s will know where its rage, frustration and daring are coming from.
Written 1969
First published 1971
In a near future setting, with the world already in chaos and decline, an ever growing movement of young homosexual men called the "Wild Boys" brings down the vestiges of the old establishment in an orgy of sex and violence. It takes about half of this short novel, however, for this to emerge as the dominant theme. Typical of Burroughs's writing, The Wild Boys is a collage of scenes, some unrelated to the rest and some out of chronological order. Some of the prose is also comprised of seemingly random streams of words and phrases.
Burroughs wrote The Wild Boys at a time when he was experimenting with various other media, and he would soon write a screenplay based on the novel. Some chapters of the book itself are written as set directions. Other passages, including the opening chapter, depict apparently real events until we finally step back and see that we have been watching the filming of a movie scene. Some scenes are repeated over and over with minor variations like multiple takes of a film. I found I could better understand the novel if I imagined it as a conceptualization of a film.
When Burroughs wrote this book in 1969 there had recently been student riots in many parts of the world, some of them put down violently. The Wild Boys reflects the anti-establishment attitude of its time. "The young are an alien species," says one of his characters, an American army officer. Their difference is emphasized by their homosexuality as well as various modifications the Wild Boys make to their bodies as though trying to become a new species.
The Wild Boys is full of explicit sex, drug use and gratuitous violence, and it is written in experimental forms--all typical of William S. Burroughs. It's certainly not for everyone, but those who lived through the 1960s will know where its rage, frustration and daring are coming from.
4elenchus
Not one of WSB's titles I've read, though I'll get to it eventually.
I must ask: anyone confirm this is or is not an inspiration for Duran Duran's infamous song? Yes, I could look it up online myself, but I find the responses (and occasionally: ensuing discussion) to be much more rewarding.
I must ask: anyone confirm this is or is not an inspiration for Duran Duran's infamous song? Yes, I could look it up online myself, but I find the responses (and occasionally: ensuing discussion) to be much more rewarding.
5DuncanHill
@elenchus yes, it did inspire the Duran Duran song. They had been working with Russell Mulcahy, the video director. He wanted to make a film of The Wild Boys, and explained his vision of it to the band. They then wrote the song, and he made the video as a kind of showcase of his ideas for the film.
I loved the video when it came out (I was about 14 at the time), and it turned me on to Burroughs.
Mulcahy never got to make the movie -perhaps just as well ss it's hard to imagine Hollywood letting him realise his vision. It'd probably have been cut to pieces by the studio.
I loved the video when it came out (I was about 14 at the time), and it turned me on to Burroughs.
Mulcahy never got to make the movie -perhaps just as well ss it's hard to imagine Hollywood letting him realise his vision. It'd probably have been cut to pieces by the studio.
6elenchus
... trundles off to YouTube to reacqaint himself with the video
Well, it wasn't Hollywood, but Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome was released in 1985 and looks an awful lot like Mulcahey's vision in "Wild Boys". Interestingly both George Miller and Mulcahy are Aussies.
I found Thunderdome the weakest of the Mad Max trilogy, and a lot has to do with those production values. Probably need to re-visit and gauge my interest on it as a story and a movie, separate from production.
As for Mulcahey, I'll credit him with devising a stylised vision, enduring though not one I particularly admire. How well did his vision match yours when reading WSB?
Well, it wasn't Hollywood, but Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome was released in 1985 and looks an awful lot like Mulcahey's vision in "Wild Boys". Interestingly both George Miller and Mulcahy are Aussies.
I found Thunderdome the weakest of the Mad Max trilogy, and a lot has to do with those production values. Probably need to re-visit and gauge my interest on it as a story and a movie, separate from production.
As for Mulcahey, I'll credit him with devising a stylised vision, enduring though not one I particularly admire. How well did his vision match yours when reading WSB?
7DuncanHill
God it's years since I watched Beyond Thunderdome.
Of course I came to Burroughs with Mulcahy's Wild Boys in my mind already, so I think my own mental imagery of Burroughs has always had elements of his within it. I think as an attempt to film the unfilmable he did rather well - and even after all these years I still enjoy and appreciate the video.
By the way, according to Barry Miles William S. Burroughs: A Life, The Wild Boys was first published in 1971, not 1980.
Of course I came to Burroughs with Mulcahy's Wild Boys in my mind already, so I think my own mental imagery of Burroughs has always had elements of his within it. I think as an attempt to film the unfilmable he did rather well - and even after all these years I still enjoy and appreciate the video.
By the way, according to Barry Miles William S. Burroughs: A Life, The Wild Boys was first published in 1971, not 1980.
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