'' is a 1989
Film written and directed by
Gus Van Sant .
Matt Dillon stars in the title role.
Kelly Lynch and
Heather Graham are also featured. ''Drugstore Cowboy'' was mainly filmed around
Portland, Oregon .
The story follows Bob (Dillon) and his "family" of
Drug Addicts as they travel across the Pacific Northwest in the early 1970s, supporting their habit by robbing pharmacies and hospitals. A highlight of the film is an appearance by the original "junky"
William S. Burroughs as Tom, a defrocked
Priest who lectures Bob on the dangers of temptation. After a tragedy strikes the "family" Bob decides to try to "go straight" but finds that there is more to extricating himself from the drug user's lifestyle than just giving up drugs.
Van Sant's screenplay is based on the then-unpublished novel by
James Fogle . The novel was published in
1990 (ISBN 038530224X), by which time Fogle was released from prison - Fogle, like the characters in his story, was a long-time drug user and dealer.
Drugstore Cowboy was listed on the top ten list of both
Gene Siskel and
Roger Ebert for films released in 1989.
