Barfly is a 1987 American film which is a semi-autobiography of poet/author Charles Bukowski during the time he spent drinking heavily in Los Angeles. The screenplay by Bukowski was commissioned by the French film director Barbet Schroeder – it was published, with illustrations by the author, in 1984 when film production was still pending. Barfly stars Mickey Rourke and Faye Dunaway, with direction by Schroeder, and was presented by Francis Ford Coppola. The movie also features a silent cameo appearance by Bukowski himself. The Kino Flo light, now a ubiquitous tool in the film industry,... was specially created by Robby Muller's electrical crew for a scene in this film which would have been difficult to light using the conventional lampheads available at the time. The film was entered into the 1987 Cannes Film Festival. During the day, Henry Chinaski writes poetry and short stories, which he submits to literary magazines. Drinking and fighting is how he spends his nights. He gets into several altercations with the bartender Eddie, whom he despises, and finds out that his girlfriend Wanda slept with Eddie.
more