The Stories about Art Films: 25. Downtown 81 (2000), ACJ Movie Academy

 

 

Basic Info

Title: Downtown 81

Genre: Drama

Country: United States

Language: English

Running time: 72 minutes

Release date: 2000

Staff

Director: Edo Bertoglio

Produced by: Glenn O'Brien

Screenplay: Glenn O'Brien

Cinematography: John McNulty

Music: Vincent Gallo

Editor: Pamela French

Cast

Jean Michel Basquiat as Jean

Anna Schroeder as Béatrice

Anne Carlisle as Fashion Show Model

Debbie Harry as Fairy Godmother

Kid Creole as Self

Eszter Balint as Fashion Show Model

Elliott Murphy as Rock Star

Fab 5 Freddy as Graffiti Artist

Summary

"Downtown 81" is a 2000 American film, which was shot in 1980-1981.

Directed by Edo Bertoglio and written and produced by Glenn O'Brien, the film shows a rare real-life snapshot of ultra-hip subculture during the post-punk era in Manhattan, starring famous artist Jean-Michel Basquiat.

The film begins with Jean (Basquiat) in a hospital due to illness. After checking out the hospital, he meets Beatrice (Anna Schroeder), a mysterious woman who drives around in a convertible. Jean arrives at his apartment, but discovers that his landlord, played by former Yardbirds manager Giorgio Gomelsky, is trying to get him out.

Afterwards, trying to sell his art work, he encounters many New York characters such as musician Arto Lindsay and his band DNA, David McDermott, and graffiti artists Lee Quiñones and Fab Five Freddy. 

Jean eventually sells some of his art work to a wealthy middle-aged woman who is interested in more than just his art, but she pays for the work with a check. As the film progresses, he wanders the streets of New York City in search of Beatrice. He sees performances by Kid Creole and the Coconuts and James White and the Blacks. 

Finally, he meets a woman (Debbie Harry) who turns into a princess when he kisses her, and she gives him a stack of cash as a reward.

Movie Review

“A portrait of a lost time”

“A snapshot of 1981 Post-Punk, New-Wave Manhattan”

“Absolutely fascinating”

“Great Film for Those of Would Care”

Interesting stories about the film

1. Since 1981, Glenn O'Brien had possession of all of the live musical performance recordings in the film, but unfortunately the original voice soundtrack was lost in Italy. The producers were able to re-dub most of the original cast. However, because Jean Michel Basquiat died in 1988, Saul Williams dubbed Basquiat's dialogue instead.

2. In 1981, the post-production and release of the film was banned due to a political scandal that affected the Italian production company. After that, after trying many petitions to the Italian courts, post-production finally began in 1999 and made its debut at the 2000 Cannes Film Festival.

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The Stories about Art Films: 22. Basquiat (1996), ACJ Movie Academy

Basic Info

Title: Basquiat
Genre: Drama
Country: United States
Language: English, Spanish
Running time: 106 minutes
Release date: August 9, 1996

Staff

Director: Julian Schnabel
Produced by: Joseph Allen, Peter Brant
Screenplay: Julian Schnabel
Cinematography: Ron Fortunato
Music: John Cale, Julian Schnabel
Editor: Michael Berenbaum

Cast

Jeffrey Wright as Jean-Michel Basquiat
David Bowie as Andy Warhol
Benicio del Toro as Benny Dalmau
Dennis Hopper as Bruno Bischofberger
Gary Oldman as Albert Milo
Michael Wincott as René Ricard
Claire Forlani as Gina Cardinale
Parker Posey as Mary Boone
Courtney Love as Big Pink

Summary

“Basquiat” is a 1996 American biographical drama film, which is the feature directorial debut of Julian Schnabel. The film is based on the life of Jean-Michel Basquiat, an American postmodernist and neo expressionist artist. Born in Brooklyn, Basquiat used his graffiti roots, as the basis to create collage-style paintings on canvas. In the film, Jeffrey Wright portrays Basquiat, and David Bowie plays Basquiat's friend and mentor Andy Warhol.

Plot

This film tells partly fictionalized Basquiat's life. Initially a struggling artist living in a cardboard box in Tompkins Square Park, Basquiat was recognized by the New York art scene in the 1980s due to his association with Andy Warhol, the art dealer Bruno Bischofberger, poet and critic René Ricard and fellow artist Albert Milo.

Along with the development of his artistic career, the film also follows the turbulent relationship between Basquiat and Gina, an ambitious fellow artist, whom he meets while she is working as a waitress at a diner he frequents with his friend Benny. However, their romance is influenced by Basquiat's affair with the so-called "Big Pink", a woman he brought from the street and his habitual abuse of heroin. Eventually, Basquiat finds himself isolated by his fame, Andy Warhol's death and his drug use. The film ends with a title card informing the audience that Jean-Michel Basquiat died of a heroin overdose on August 12, 1988 at the age of 27.

Movie Review

“Interesting Film about the Art World”
“I think this film is great”
“Fascinating look at New York art world”
“Great Films”
“One of my favorite movies”

Interesting stories about the film

1. In the film, David Bowie actually wore the wig worn by the real Andy Warhol.
2. Director Julian Schnabel personally painted the reproductions of Basquiat which are used throughout the film because the owner of Basquiat’s works refused to use his works in the film.
3. Albert Milo, the character of Gary Oldman, is not a real person, but it is actually an ironic self-portrait of writer and director Julian Schnabel. Stella, Milo's daughter, was played by Stella Schnabel, the real daughter of Schnabel.
4. Chris Rock was considered to be Basquiat's role. According to Rock, he wasn't interested in the role because he didn't know who Basquiat was at the time.

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