James Franco, the Frank Ginsberg

The scenes depicting Ginsberg at the Six Gallery Reading are perhaps the truest in the film. James Franco fully embraces his character and reads Howl with Ginsberg's slow and rhythmic pace. In comparison to recordings of Ginsberg reciting his poem, Franco is able to recreate the Voice of the Beat generation. The black and white scenes showing the readings is like a poetry slam with modern day hipsters who nod their heads and shout in agreement to the poetry being read. Its significance is that it contrasts the color scenes of the trial. Although the trial scenes are in color, the reading scenes are more vibrant and lively. There is a whole room of people in the Gallery who find Howl meaningful as opposed to the few at the trial who cannot understand its value.