As I delved into the enigmatic world of William S. Burroughs through Luca Guadagnino’s adaptation of “Queer,” I was captivated by the raw, unfiltered portrayal of a man consumed by his own demons and tormented past. The film is not just an adaptation but a distillation of Burroughs’ spirit – a haunting, challenging, and endlessly fascinating journey into the heart of darkness.
Spoiler Alert: Spoilers follow for Queer
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- ‘Queer’ Is Fictionalized, But Rooted in Truth
- Burroughs’ Ghost Looms Large Over ‘Queer’
- ‘Queer’ Is More a Distillation of Burroughs Than an Adaptation
Daniel Craig’s performance as James Bond has consistently been exceptional, and the recent release of “Queer” may have solidified his status as the greatest Bond actor yet. Directed by Luca Guadagnino of Challengers, this film marks a departure for Craig, who takes on an unconventional role. Based on a novella penned by Beat Generation author William S. Burroughs, Craig portrays Lee, an American expatriate in Mexico City, who develops a romantic bond with former Navy officer Allerton (Drew Starkey).
Currently, Craig’s performance in the film is generating Oscar discussions due to its authenticity, and indeed, he skillfully avoids the usual suaveness of Bond, portraying Lee with a profoundly emotional vulnerability that can be quite moving. Moreover, the movie has attracted notice for the direct connections it makes to Burroughs’ life. As an author, Burroughs was known to incorporate his personal experiences and traumas into his works, frequently using his characters as reflections of himself. Given these striking similarities in the film, one can’t help but question — is Queer inspired by real events?
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‘Queer’ Is Fictionalized, But Rooted in Truth
The story is largely influenced by William S. Burroughs’ real-life events, yet it doesn’t strictly follow a biographical format. Instead, it isn’t shy about bending truths when needed. For instance, the more symbolic second half and especially the conclusion deviate significantly from the original work, which was exclusively created for the film by Luca Guadanino and screenwriter Justin Kuritzkes.
In essence, “Queer” assumes that viewers are aware of some crucial aspects of Burroughs’ background. Born into affluence, Burroughs developed a drug problem in his late twenties, initially with morphine and then escalating to heroin addiction. One fateful night in 1950, his car was stopped by police who discovered evidence of cannabis sales. A subsequent raid on his home uncovered a vast cache of drugs and firearms. To evade arrest, Burroughs decamped to Mexico City, where he resided for at least a couple of years.
It’s clear that these events echo Lee’s background as portrayed in Queer, and this correlation is quite apparent. In truth, Lee left for Mexico for the same reasons Burroughs did, and the character’s life primarily revolves around drug addiction. His nights are either spent using drugs or socializing at bars, seeking companionship with younger men to combat his solitude. Craig went to great lengths to make sure the film’s softer moments were impactful.
In reality, Burroughs was often thought to be gay or bisexual, and several of his stories were influenced by his male relationships. However, Burroughs himself rejected this label, and some within the LGBTQ+ community have been hesitant to categorize his works as queer literature. Yet, it’s challenging to overlook the similarities between his writing and his life experiences. As such, it could be said that Queer is just another one of his novels: partially autobiographical in nature, using his personal life as a foundation to narrate a broader, more relatable tale.
Burroughs’ Ghost Looms Large Over ‘Queer’
However, one significant incident from William S. Burroughs’ life cast a long shadow over his entire professional journey, including his work on “Queer.” In 1951, during their time in Mexico City, Burroughs and his wife, Joan Vollmer, consumed alcohol together. In an unfortunate turn of events, he asked her to participate in a “William Tell act” (a dangerous stunt involving shooting an object from someone’s head). Unfortunately, she agreed, placing a shot glass on her head, but Burroughs accidentally discharged the gun, striking and fatally wounding his wife. He later explained that he had unintentionally dropped the firearm, causing it to go off.
Initially, Burroughs faced trial swiftly, yet it was marked by persistent postponements. Seeking refuge, he returned to the United States where he was found guilty of manslaughter and was given a two-year suspended sentence. This distressing incident lingered in his mind for the remainder of his life, and he asserted that confronting his inner struggles was what sparked his literary career. In the preface of Queer, he stated, “I’ve come to the dismaying realization that I wouldn’t have become a writer without Joan’s death, and I understand how profoundly this event influenced and shaped my writing. I live in constant fear of possession, and an unrelenting desire to escape from possession, from Control.
In Mexico City, while he was awaiting trial, Lee penned the novel “Queer.” Although the actual murder isn’t shown in the novella, Lee’s personal turmoil is palpable throughout the narrative, casting a shadow over the story. The character of Lee is portrayed as a self-destructive individual, deeply drawn to Allerton yet haunted by the fear that he might hurt those he cares about (all portrayed vividly by Craig). Furthermore, the character of Allerton was modeled after Lewis Marker, a former Navy officer who had seen Joan’s accidental death and had a short romantic encounter with Burroughs. They even embarked on a journey to South America together, mirroring events from the story.
The final 20 minutes of Queer, written specifically for the film, sees Burroughs’ trauma get an explicit reference. In the epilogue, Lee hallucinates accidentally shooting Allerton in the head in the same way as Joan Vollmer. In an interview with IndieWire, Guadagnino confirmed that he knew this traumatic event was the heart of Burroughs’ story and thus sought to find a new way to adapt it, wishing to illustrate Lee’s self-destructiveness: “He [Burroughs] kills the wife. Each man kills the things he loves. He loves Allerton. She asks willfully to fire. He [Allerton] asks him [Lee] willfully to fire in a dream.”
‘Queer’ Is More a Distillation of Burroughs Than an Adaptation
This enigmatic closing section serves to underscore that Queer isn’t merely a faithful representation of Burroughs’ work, but rather a capturing of his essence. In much the same way, David Cronenberg achieved something similar with Naked Lunch. Although the personal elements within the narrative are evident, the concluding scenes, reminiscent of 2001: A Space Odyssey in portraying Lee as an elderly man nearing death, transcend the boundaries of a straightforward adaptation or biopic.
The movie “Queer,” currently showing in theaters across the country, demonstrates Guadagnino and particularly Craig’s strong desire to accurately portray Burroughs’ emotional essence over anything else, resulting in a thought-provoking and intriguing cinematic experience.
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2024-12-14 02:01