Arena Season 1, Episode 198

Burroughs · BBC Four · Tuesday, February 22

Widely regarded as one of the greatest literary figures of the century, William Burroughs has perfected a unique and terrifying vision of the world. He is, most notably, a savage satirist and a revolutionary stylist and his ideas and experiments with language have had effects far beyond the world of literature. Born into a wealthy family in St Louis, Missouri, he abandoned his background for another kind of life - the central theme of his work comes from his experiences as a heroin addict and a homosexual outlaw. Filmed over five years, tonight's programme is an intimate portrait of this elegant, witty and often shocking man. The film features him reading from his own work, unique footage of his family and his son, William Burroughs Jr , his Beat Generation collaborators Allen Ginsberg and Brion Gysin , younger admirers Terry Southern, Frank Zappa , Laurie Anderson and the great painter Francis Bacon.