BARFLY: THE CONTINUING SAGA OF HENRY CHINASKI - INSCRIBED TO SEAN PENN & MADONNA
Sutton West & Santa Barbara: The Paget Press, 1984. First Edition. Bukowski's script commissioned by director Barbet Schroeder, filmed with Mickey Rourke and Faye Dunaway and released in 1987. A superb association copy inscribed to Bukowski's long-time friend, American actor and film director Sean Penn, and his wife Madonna. In a December 8, 1992 letter to Teresea Leo, Bukowski explains the predicament he found himself in prior to Schroeder's filming of Barfly, as well as his thoughts on the finished product: "I preferred Sean Penn to Mickey Rourke. Sean was willing to work (do the whole thing) for a dollar but he wanted his own director, Dennis Hopper and I had to stick with Barbet Schroeder, so that didn't work out. Sean, at least, drinks. Mickey doesn't. And Sean is far the better actor. Fay Dunaway? Well, I think we could have done better. She really didn't play it insane enough. But I had very little input once the film got going. Some of the scenes I didn't think fit the reality enough, others worked. But to hell with the writer, it's just his baby" (Reach For The Sun, pp.264-265). Bukowski's illustrations which were used here were not included in the 1987 Black Sparrow Press edition. Provenance: From the estate of Dennis Hopper (1936-2010). Krumhansl 90a. Item #6065
First Printing, wrappered issue. Octavo (23cm); original printed card wrappers; [8],9-161,[11]pp, with title page vignette and black & white illustrations by the author throughout. Inscribed by the author on the title page: "For Sean Penn and Madonna / Hank / Charles Bukowski." Modest wear to wrapper extremities, gentle sunning to spine, faint foxing to upper edge of textblock, with a small splash mark to lower right margin of half-title page, affecting the corresponding area on the opposing front endpaper; Very Good+.
Price: $3,750.00