Synopses & Reviews
"An astonishing discovery was recently made among the Kerouac archives; that he had written a screenplay, a script for a motion picture based on his classic novel, Doctor Sax - the only known existing screenplay to have been written by one of America's most renown and influential authors. Kerouac's imagination runs wild in this screenplay, which cleverly combines child-like fantasies with true recollections of his childhood growing up in the industrial mill town of Lowell, Massachusetts in the 1930s. A time when things like the Merrimack River, abandoned buildings, religious memorials, and strange noises in the night ignited the unique talent of one of the great writers of the twentieth century. Welcome to the world of 11-year-old Jacky Duluoz; a world of sinister plots, mischievous, youthful antics, underworld evildoers, colorful neighborhood characters and childhood chums. "Gallery Six is honored to introduce this Collectable Special Edition in its original form with over 70 illustrations by Richard Sala, and includes audio readings by celebrated writers, poets and recording artists with an original music score by John Medeski.THE PACKAGE: Gallery Six has created an exciting and attractive multimedia package: 2 audio CDs and illustrated book packaged together in an 8-panel fully-illustrated folding 'digipak' measuring roughly 7 1/2" in. high X 5 1/2" wide. The CDs sit in disc trays and the book fits into a panel pocket. The outside cover of the digipak has the appearance of a classic cloth-bound hardcover novel that will fit comfortably on a bookshelf.THE AUDIO: The spoken word version of the screenplay is produced in a style reminiscent of the 1930's radio show, "The Shadow. Thereaders, all literary and entertainment greats, include Jim Carroll (Basketball Diaries), Robert Creeley, Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Robert Hunter (of The Grateful Dead), and Graham Parker, winner of Publishers Weekly 1996 Best Dramatic Reading for his work on the Jack Kerouac audio book "Visions of Cody. John Medeski, of Medeski Martin and Wood, one of the foremost jazz groups in the world, has created a score that lifts Kerouac's prose off the page. Produced by Jim Sampas (Badlands: A Tribute to Bruce Springsteen's Nebraska, From A Window: Lost Songs of Lennon & McCartney).THE BOOK: The book is the unabridged, illustrated version of the manuscript, printed in the form of a screenplay. It consists of 74 pages of text as originally laid out and created by Kerouac. Accompanying nearly every page of text are 72 superb illustrations created by Richard Sala (www.richardsala.com), one of today's most highly regarded Illustrators/Artists. The illustrations are in the style of a 1930's mystery novel and/or classic horror comic book. Introduction by renowned historian Douglas Brinkley.
Synopsis
Jack Kerouac gives free reign to the powers of his soaring imagination in this previously unpublished screenplay adaptation of his mystical, vision-novel
Doctor Sax. Basing the haunting tale in true reflections of his 1930's childhood growing up in the industrial milltown of Lowell, Massachusetts. Kerouac spins out a dark cosmology as "concentrations of evil" gather vampires, gnomes, spiders, werewolves of the soul, "leerers at the glad heart of others" aspiring to destroy mankind. Doctor Sax alchemist of the night and friend of the children is the caped crusader who stands against the darkness.
Come along on an audio adventure, as young Jacky Duluoz leads you on an apocalyptic journey to confront the Wizard and the Great World Snake.
Special Multi-Media Edition includes:
- 2 CDS audio version of screenplay
- Unabridged original screenplay text
- 74 illustrations by Richard Sala
- Readers Include:
- Jim Carroll
- Graham Parker
- Ellis Paul
- Lawrence Ferlinghetti
- Kate Pierson
- Bill Janovitz
- Robert Creeley
- Robert Hunter
Music by Blue Note recording artist John Medeski