Much of the film was shot on locations that the real William S Burroughs would have known including many locations in Tangiers and outside his London apartment.
Kiki, the 6 foot bartender, is a homage to classic 'men in suits' practical effects. Inside the suit is actor Oliver Dench and the voice is provided by Kenny Baker in what would be his last film work.
The singer songwriter Peter Doherty was in discussions for what became the role of The Student. The discussions ended when Doherty was sentenced to a prison term for possession of a Class A drug. The role was significantly rewritten after Doherty was unavailable.