Bukowski: Born into This backdrop
DOCUMENTARY . 2003 . 1h 55m . 6.7/10

Bukowski: Born into This_

Director John Dullaghan’s biographical documentary about infamous poet Charles Bukowski, Bukowski: Born Into This, is as much a touching portrait of the author as it is an exposé of his sordid lifestyle. Interspersed between ample vintage footage of Bukowski’s poetry readings are interviews with the poet’s fans including such legendary figures such as Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Joyce Fante (wife of John), Bono, and Harry Dean Stanton. Filmed in grainy black and white by Bukowski’s friend, Taylor Hackford, due to lack of funding, the old films edited into this movie paint Bukowski’s life of boozing and brawling romantically, securing Bukowski’s legendary status.

Starring Charles Bukowski, Harry Dean Stanton, Sean Penn
6.7/10
Rating
1h 55m
Runtime
2003
Year
Updated Feb 16, 2026
Bukowski: Born into This poster

Director John Dullaghan’s biographical documentary about infamous poet Charles Bukowski, Bukowski: Born Into This, is as much a touching portrait of the author as it is an exposé of his sordid lifestyle. Interspersed between ample vintage footage of Bukowski’s poetry readings are interviews with the poet’s fans including such legendary figures such as Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Joyce Fante (wife of John), Bono, and Harry Dean Stanton. Filmed in grainy black and white by Bukowski’s friend, Taylor Hackford, due to lack of funding, the old films edited into this movie paint Bukowski’s life of boozing and brawling romantically, securing Bukowski’s legendary status.

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DROPTHE_ GOSSIP

Cast
Charles Bukowski stars as Self in Bukowski: Born into This.
Charles Bukowski →
Year context
Bukowski: Born into This was released 23 years ago in 2003.
Overview
Director John Dullaghan’s biographical documentary about infamous poet Charles Bukowski, Bukowski: Born Into This, is as much a touching portrait of the auth...
Bukowski: Born into This is a Documentary film with a runtime of 1h 55m.

CAST (14)

Charles Bukowski
Charles Bukowski
Self
Harry Dean Stanton
Harry Dean Stanton
Self
Sean Penn
Sean Penn
Self
Bono
Bono
Self
Linda Bukowski
Linda Bukowski
Self
PM
Pam Miller
Self
Taylor Hackford
Taylor Hackford
Self
Barbet Schroeder
Barbet Schroeder
Self
Tom Waits
Tom Waits
Self
MD
Michael D. Meloan
Self
MB
Marina Bukowski
daughter of Charles and Frances Smith
NC
Neeli Cherkovski
Self
JF
Joyce Fante
Self
F
FrancEyE
a.k.a. Frances Smith

DETAILS

Release
Status
Released
Runtime
115 min (1h 55m)
Country
Rating
6.7/10 (51 votes)

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What is Bukowski: Born into This about?
Director John Dullaghan’s biographical documentary about infamous poet Charles Bukowski, Bukowski: Born Into This, is as much a touching portrait of the author as it is an exposé of his sordid lifestyle. Interspersed between ample vintage footage of Bukowski’s poetry readings are interviews with the poet’s fans including such legendary figures such as Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Joyce Fante (wife of John), Bono, and Harry Dean Stanton. Filmed in grainy black and white by Bukowski’s friend, Taylor Hackford, due to lack of funding, the old films edited into this movie paint Bukowski’s life of boozing and brawling romantically, securing Bukowski’s legendary status.
How long is Bukowski: Born into This?
Bukowski: Born into This has a runtime of 115 minutes (1h 55m).
Who stars in Bukowski: Born into This?
The cast of Bukowski: Born into This includes Charles Bukowski, Harry Dean Stanton, Sean Penn, Bono, Linda Bukowski.
What is the rating of Bukowski: Born into This?
Bukowski: Born into This has a rating of 6.7 out of 10 based on 51 votes on TMDB.

GENRES (1)

Documentary
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