Hollywood by Charles Bukowski – Reviewed by Guy Portman
This is a fictionalisation of Bukowski’s semi-autobiographical novel Barfly being turned into a movie. The film sees the future famous poet and writer’s younger self frequenting bars and getting into fights. Today, the author’s barely disguised alter ego Henry Chinaski is an old man with an insatiable thirst and a penchant for betting on horse races. This is a happy time in his life. He has means, a young wife, and has forged a successful writing career.
There are numerous problems with the film project, primarily over financing and the demands of its stakeholders. The book’s larger-than-life movie personnel specialise in drama and histrionics. Chinaski meanwhile drinks non-stop, wine mostly. His deadpan humour is on display throughout.
The writing is at its most engaging when reflecting on the past. The story has elements of a roman à clef, as some of the characters are based on real Hollywood celebrities from the era in which it was written (1989).
This somewhat jaded and tepid offering compares poorly to Bukowski’s seminal work, Post Office. In this reader’s opinion, the paltry content does not justify being a novel.
