directed by Luca Guadagnino (Challengers) and was released on December 13. Though it largely restrained itself to the original text, Queer abandons the novella to showcase Burrough's real-world fate in its finale.
In an interview with Screen Rant, writer Justin Kuritzkes reflects on why he and Guadagnino decided to extend beyond the borders of the book. Knowing that the book is "unfinished," they elected to consider the appendices and essays at the end since Burroughs added more to Queer before its long-delayed publication. Check out his full explanation below:
It was really important, not just to me but to Luca too, that we have a distinction between William S. Burroughs the man and William Lee the character, because I think there's a persona of Burroughs that's been projected into culture, which is very gruff and austere and macho.
When I read the book, I was really surprised to find that Lee was very tender at times and very embarrassing. He often didn't know what to say, or he would say the wrong thing and didn't know when to shut up. That was a really surprising version of Burroughs' alter ego to me, and one that I felt I could connect with and one I knew how to write for.
I think when it came to choosing what kind of external stuff from Burroughs' life or other writings that I was going to bring into the script, Queer is a very particular novel in that it's in some ways unfinished. It's really hard to say where the main text of the novel ends and where Burroughs' life or the rest of his work begins. So, it felt only natural that in adapting the book, you'd have to bring in stuff from other sources. Even when you read the book, there's the appendices and essays, some of which are written by Burroughs, that contextualize the book. You can never really say, "This is the text of Queer," so the epilogue just felt like an outgrowth of what the project was.
What The Epilogue Means For Queer
Critics Have Been Loving The Conclusion
Queer was published over 30 years after its companion novel, Junkie: Confessions of an Unredeemed Drug Addict. The delay came largely because of negative public opinion about LGBTQ+ texts, and it meant that Burroughs was unable to fully showcase its story until just 15 years before his 1997 death. With so much time between its development and publication, Burroughs' life changed dramatically. He went from awaiting sentencing in a Mexico City prison after killing Joan Vollmer, his wife, to living as a man on the run. Ending the movie without showcasing that delay would be a disservice.
Where To Watch Queer On Streaming
Daniel Craig teams up with Luca Guadagnino in the hit 2024 A24 movie, and Queer can now be streamed, rented, and purchased on several platforms.
Generally, critics have agreed with the conclusion. Many of Queer's reviews reflect positively on the entire production, calling it one of Craig's best works. While there is a 60% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, which barely allows the movie to retain Fresh status, the critics have been far more favorable. The movie ended with a 77% Tomatometer score, which is already Certified Fresh at 149 reviews at the time of writing.
Our Take On Queer's Ending
It Helps To Flesh Out Queer's Tragic Ending
Having Queer fully encapsulate Burroughs' life is a natural step for this movie. After all, its entire story is little more than an allusion to Burroughs' adventures. Though it does not include Vollmer directly, his connection with Adelbert Lewis Marker likely inspired the book. This is not as much of a fictional adventure as it is a full-fledged showcasing of Burroughs' perspective on the world. While not many people will see Queer due to its limited availability in theaters, failing to showcase Burroughs' ending would be dissatisfying. Ending the movie with an aged Craig was the best possible step.
Queer
- Release Date
- November 27, 2024
- Runtime
- 135 Minutes
- Director
- Luca Guadagnino
Cast
William Lee
Drew StarkeyEugene Allerton
WHERE TO WATCH
Queer chronicles the life of American expat William Lee in 1950s Mexico City. His solitary existence changes with the arrival of Eugene Allerton, a young student, sparking a profound connection and altering Lee's interactions within a small American community.
- Writers
- William S. Burroughs, Justin Kuritzkes
- Main Genre
- Drama
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