{"id":4005,"date":"2022-01-10T22:17:49","date_gmt":"2022-01-10T22:17:49","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/localhost:8000\/?page_id=4005"},"modified":"2023-03-22T00:46:28","modified_gmt":"2023-03-22T07:46:28","slug":"review-of-living-at-the-movies-by-gerard-malanga-jim-carroll-book-reviews-catholicboy-com","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.catholicboy.com\/WP\/research\/book-reviews\/review-of-living-at-the-movies-by-gerard-malanga-jim-carroll-book-reviews-catholicboy-com\/","title":{"rendered":"Review of Living at the Movies by Gerard Malanga – Jim Carroll Book Reviews – CatholicBoy.com"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n
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\nHome<\/a> > Research<\/a> > Book Reviews<\/a> > Review of Living at the Movies<\/i> by Gerard Malanga<\/span><\/p>\n

Traveling & Living<\/h2>\n

Review of Living at the Movies<\/i><\/span>
\nBy Gerard Malanga
\nPoetry<\/i> (1974), pp. 162-65<\/span><\/p>\n

Note: Malanga reviews both Carroll’s Living at the Movies<\/i> and Daniel Halpern’s Traveling on Credit<\/i>. I am including only the
\n review of Carroll’s book. –Webmaster<\/p>\n

The great
\n thing about the work of a genuine poet is the atmosphere which it creates in the mind of
\n the reader. This is as difficult to define as it is impossible to miss. It has a great
\n deal to do with the technique and with style, but only in so far as they are an integral
\n part of the feeling and thinking that go to make up a poet’s work. But it is as equally
\n difficult to fail to realize it, when a writer turns out to be a genuine poet. Jim Carroll
\n at twenty-five is a genuine poet just as surely as Rod McKuen and Rod Taylor are not. In
\n reading Jim Carroll’s first full-length book of poems Living at the Movies<\/i> it is
\n quite evident to me that he fully understands the nature of poetry because he perceives
\n and follows the nature of his own life, and with that recognition of his nature, he is
\n able to write about it.<\/p>\n

Mr. Carroll’s poems are populated with people he has loved and crowded with those who
\n love him. His poems are irrigated by friends, by his own kind and consanguinuity. He is
\n original without being unique. His technique, however, is in advance of his maturity. At
\n times he is capable of spoiling a good poem by a precious or very sentimental line or
\n phrase, like “and our life is that rusted bottle . . .pointing north,” in The
\n Distances<\/i>, but never of trying to make one out of any emotion that is not an integral
\n part of his own deep feeling.<\/p>\n

The poems seem roughly to group themselves into “general” poems, usually
\n longer, where a subject is viewed from many different angels and states of consciousness,
\n and the “specific,” whre something is seen whole in a flash as in A Fragment<\/i>:<\/p>\n

\n When I see a rabbit
\n Crushed by a moving van
\n I have dreams of maniac computers
\n pertinent to our lives\n <\/p><\/blockquote>\n

In them the vision is so strong that there is no craftiness and the medium of poetry
\n gives way to an idea that can’t wait for doctoring-up to be born a flawless declarative
\n sentence. That fast kind of poetry is always the best kind of writing. I think it’s
\n spiritual without being churchy as some of the longer poems seem.<\/p>\n

Literature is not a competition. Yet Jim Carroll will invariably be compared by some
\n critics both with some of his contemporaries and with their predecessor Frank O’Hara.
\n Carroll’s poems are not so perfect as O’Hara’s not is his vision so intense. While there’s
\n nothing extremely deep in the experimental and phenomenological sense, his range is wider
\n than O’Hara’s: his feelings not deeper, but made general, as in Silver Mirrors<\/i>:<\/p>\n

\n A horse moves
\n this weekend
\n into our living room<\/p>\n

he says, “Oh, quickly
\n form a ring around me
\n as to prevent the merciless
\n insane hounds form attacking
\n my weekened legs in attempt
\n to drag me back to the icy
\n palace in the wintry regions.”<\/p>\n

“Then you are the one they sent?”<\/p>\n

“yes”<\/p>\n

“Very clever, did you bring it?”<\/p>\n

“yes”\n <\/p><\/blockquote>\n

There is not one awkward word or tacky locution disturbing the exquisite poise and
\n flow. I’m reluctant to quote specific lines because when the poems are best they make such
\n complete sense that to quote excerpts merely cheapens the effect.<\/p>\n

On the whole Jim Carroll has the sure confidence of a true artist, meaning he is
\n confident about the right things. He is steeped in his craft. He has worked as only a man
\n of inspiration is capable of working, and his presence has added great dignity to the
\n generation of poets of the ‘seventies to which he belongs. His beginning is a triumph.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\n
\n\n<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Home > Research > Book Reviews > Review of Living at the Movies by Gerard Malanga Traveling & Living Review of Living at the Movies By Gerard Malanga Poetry (1974), pp. 162-65 Note: Malanga reviews both Carroll’s Living at the Movies and Daniel Halpern’s Traveling on Credit. I am including only the review of Carroll’s … Continue reading Review of Living at the Movies by Gerard Malanga – Jim Carroll Book Reviews – CatholicBoy.com<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"parent":3988,"menu_order":3,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"folder":[41],"class_list":["post-4005","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/P9VlUH-12B","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":9573,"url":"https:\/\/www.catholicboy.com\/WP\/background\/friends-influences\/important-people-in-carrolls-life-and-work\/artistic-influences-mentors-supporters\/warhol-and-entourage\/","url_meta":{"origin":4005,"position":0},"title":"Warhol & Entourage","author":"Cassie Carter","date":"May 21, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Andy Warhol (1928-1987) was an American artist and cultural icon. Best known for his pop art silkscreens such as the Campbell's Soup Cans and various portaits, Warhol was the center of a scene, a cultural moment. His studio, The Factory, was home to a crowd of counterculture Superstars as well\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.catholicboy.com\/WP\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/image-3.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.catholicboy.com\/WP\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/image-3.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.catholicboy.com\/WP\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/image-3.png?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.catholicboy.com\/WP\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/image-3.png?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.catholicboy.com\/WP\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/image-3.png?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.catholicboy.com\/WP\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/image-3.png?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":3988,"url":"https:\/\/www.catholicboy.com\/WP\/research\/book-reviews\/","url_meta":{"origin":4005,"position":1},"title":"Book Reviews","author":"catholicboy.com","date":"January 10, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Here you will find a few of the many reviews of Jim Carroll's books. Eventually I will add more, but for now you can check out the Bibliographies page for many others I have not yet added to the website. Reviews of The Petting Zoo (2010) View reader comments on\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":4258,"url":"https:\/\/www.catholicboy.com\/WP\/works\/literary-works\/diaries-and-fiction-by-jim-carroll\/forced-entries-the-downtown-diaries-jim-carroll\/","url_meta":{"origin":4005,"position":2},"title":"Forced Entries: The Downtown Diaries, 1971-1973","author":"catholicboy.com","date":"January 10, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Get this book on Amazon Forced Entries: The Downtown Diaries, 1971-1973Second EditionBy: Jim CarrollRepublished: 1998Publisher: PenguinFormat: PaperbackCover photo: Gerard MalangaCover design: Edward ODowd Forced Entries picks up Carroll's story on his twentieth birthday, just as he is entering New York's hip art scene. He rubs elbows with dozens of famous\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"Cover Art - Forced Entries: The Downtown Diaries, 1971-1973 (1997 edition) - by Jim Carroll","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.catholicboy.com\/WP\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/fe2.gif?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":10101,"url":"https:\/\/www.catholicboy.com\/WP\/research\/performance-reviews\/jim-carroll-at-the-cooler-2001-review\/","url_meta":{"origin":4005,"position":3},"title":"Jim Carroll at The Cooler 2001","author":"Cassie Carter","date":"June 4, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"The Cooler, NYC\u00a0New York, NY, 12 May 2001Review by Cassie CarterWow.\u00a0 It's 3:30am (5\/13\/01) and I just got home from the most amazing evening.\u00a0 I took a taxi downtown at around 10pm . . . the night began perfectly with a ride down Fifth Avenue with the breeze coming in\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.catholicboy.com\/WP\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/jc70ish-150x150.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":9348,"url":"https:\/\/www.catholicboy.com\/WP\/background\/friends-influences\/important-people-in-carrolls-life-and-work\/","url_meta":{"origin":4005,"position":4},"title":"Important people in Carroll\u2019s life and work","author":"Cassie Carter","date":"March 12, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Index: Artistic Influences, Mentors, & Supporters John Ashbery\u00a0|\u00a0Bill Berkson\u00a0|\u00a0Brigid Berlin\u00a0|\u00a0Ted Berrigan\u00a0|\u00a0William S. Burroughs\u00a0| Joseph Campbell | \u00a0Tom Clark\u00a0|\u00a0Kurt Cobain\u00a0|\u00a0Salvador Dali\u00a0|\u00a0Edwin Denby\u00a0|\u00a0Bob Dylan\u00a0|\u00a0Lawrence Ferlenghetti\u00a0|\u00a0Allen Ginsberg\u00a0|\u00a0John Giorno\u00a0|\u00a0Richard Hell\u00a0|\u00a0Lenny Kaye\u00a0|\u00a0Jack Kerouac\u00a0|\u00a0Gerard Malanga\u00a0|\u00a0Ray Manzarek\u00a0|\u00a0Robert Mapplethorpe\u00a0|\u00a0Michael McClure\u00a0|\u00a0Henry Miller\u00a0|\u00a0Paul Morrissey\u00a0|\u00a0Forrest \"Frosty\" Myers\u00a0|\u00a0Phil Ochs\u00a0|\u00a0Frank O'Hara\u00a0|\u00a0Peter Orlovsky\u00a0|\u00a0Lou Reed\u00a0|\u00a0Arthur Rimbaud\u00a0|\u00a0Larry Rivers\u00a0|\u00a0Patti Smith\u00a0|\u00a0Robert Smithson\u00a0|\u00a0Terry Southern\u00a0|\u00a0Velvet Undergound\u00a0|\u00a0Anne Waldman\u00a0|\u00a0Andrea Warhol\u00a0|\u00a0Andy Warhol\u00a0 Index:\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":4531,"url":"https:\/\/www.catholicboy.com\/WP\/works\/jim-carroll-in-photography\/","url_meta":{"origin":4005,"position":5},"title":"Jim Carroll in Photography","author":"Cassie Carter","date":"January 10, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"These are hard-to-find books that contain photos of Carroll. asdfgn Angels, Anarchists & GodsPublished:\u00a01998By:\u00a0Christopher FelverPublisher:\u00a0Louisiana State UniversityDescription:\u00a0I haven't seen this book, but Felver has shot many fantastic portraits of Jim, and this book contains at least one absolute classic. Get this book on Amazon.com\u00a0|\u00a0Sample Photo The Love BookPublished:\u00a01995By:\u00a0Robert RosenheckPublisher:\u00a0MacmillanDescription:\u00a0Rosenheck takes\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.catholicboy.com\/WP\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/angels-anarchists-gods.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.catholicboy.com\/WP\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/angels-anarchists-gods.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.catholicboy.com\/WP\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/angels-anarchists-gods.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.catholicboy.com\/WP\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/angels-anarchists-gods.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.catholicboy.com\/WP\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/angels-anarchists-gods.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.catholicboy.com\/WP\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/4005","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.catholicboy.com\/WP\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.catholicboy.com\/WP\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.catholicboy.com\/WP\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.catholicboy.com\/WP\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4005"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.catholicboy.com\/WP\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/4005\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5835,"href":"https:\/\/www.catholicboy.com\/WP\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/4005\/revisions\/5835"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.catholicboy.com\/WP\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3988"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.catholicboy.com\/WP\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4005"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"folder","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.catholicboy.com\/WP\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/folder?post=4005"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}