Director: Julian Schnabel
Starring: Jeffrey Wright, David Bowie, Dennis Hopper, Gary Oldman, Christopher Walken, Willem Dafoe, Courtney Love
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When brilliant American painter Jean-Michel Basquiat died of an overdose at
the age of 27 in 1988, fellow artist Julian Schnabel marked the moment by
scrawling, "JMB August 12th" on a 16-foot tarpaulin. Nearly ten years in the
making, Schnabel's latest work is Basquiat, a film of exhilarating verve
which casts an eclectic group of celebrity names into the New York arts
firmament in a portrayal of Basquiat's brief life.
But in this stellar company, which includes David Bowie, Dennis Hopper,
Christopher Walken and Courtney Love, it is newcomer Jeffrey Wright who
dazzles most as the art prodigy on a drugs-fuelled spiral of
self-destruction. Wright is a revelation as the eccentric junkie who became
the first black painter to make an impact on the myopic white art world. His
expressive features convey emotion and vitality more more eloquently than
words, and together with Schnabel Wright manages to portray the hitherto
unshown -- what it is that artists actually do. The scene of Basquiat
attacking a huge canvas on the floor with paintbrush, spray can, Magic
Marker and paint roller is riveting in its matter-of-factness and exquisite
in its creation.
Surprisingly Basquiat, a film about an artist by an artist, never loses
its sense of humanity. Schnabel understands how to tell a story and how to
create empathy. What's most interesting is that Basquiat belies Schnabel's
reputation as a monstrous egomaniac. Even though he casts Gary Oldman as his
on-screen alter ego alongside several members of his own family, his film is
filled with a generosity rarely found in the art world. You are charmed by
Basquiat's character, but feel for those -- not least the artist himself --
who suffer for his genius. Basquiat is not without its faults, however --
the soundtrack is ill-used and intrusive, David Bowie verges on the
ridiculous as Andy Warhol and Courtney Love's pointless debut is to strut
about like a deranged tranvestite, but then you can't have everything.
Wright is magic, and Clare Forlani, who plays the girlfriend he dumps when
fame comes calling, is heart-breakingly gorgeous.
Reviewed by Monika Maurer
Reader comments about Basquiat
Emily (lifestyle.consultants@virgin.net) writes:
I'm interested in one particular scene in the film where Jean-Michel is in a restaurant with his ex girlfriend and because there are others sitting at a table behind him and they're pointing him out he tells the waiter to put their tab on his bill.
What was the directors intent here?
Kate (Email address withheld) writes:
Emily-- I think the director's intent there was to show that Basquiat was classier than the bloated businessmen he treated to lunch. They were making fun of him, and of his disheveled appearance, and he was pissed off because they didn't know who he was, and wouldn't leave him alone. He paid for their meal to show (if only to himself) that he was better than them. Just my POV.
Apus (Email address withheld) writes:
Ok, love the artists paintings, but the film didn't seem to do anything, you can feel schnabels ego behind the camera, If he'd actually had regular contact with basquiat (which was invented for the film, to bolster schnabels opinion of himself, or to at least justify why he made the movie) he might have put a bit more factual substance in the film. It was ok to look at but just seems like schnabel trying to alleviate himself to the level of legend by digging up a real legend and parading his corpse around New York.
Luis Arturo Vargas (luisarturo@postmaster.co.uk) writes:
Basquiat is without a doubt my favorite movie of all time. Back in 1994 I did a piece about Basquiat in an art class, so when I heard that Schnabel had plans for this proyect I felt really happy but at the same time nervous because of how the film was going to treat Basquiat's life.
I'm glad to say that after I saw the movie all of my fears faded away, this movie is a gorgeous story about humanity, talent, and how fame could change everything.
Wright's performance is splendid, Gary Oldman in his best work yet; but all of the cast is quite impressive.
My favorite scene is the one when he's discovered by Rene Ricard (played by Michael Wincott), it's exactly the way I imagined it when I read about Jean-Michel's life.
But if anything's have to be said about this movie, is that is a very honest work, a work that if you really care to analyze the message that's giving you, it could change your life.
And also I think that all of the people that knew Basquiat were very happy on how Schnabel developed the artist's life.
10 to Julian Schnabel and all of the cast.
Katherine V. Fontana (kathy2223@hotmail.com) writes:
I shall say that I'm a Julian Schnabel's admirer of his works as well are many of Basquiat's. What I would like to know is if, Basquiat left some manuscripts, or some sort of personal writing/diary note and entries talking about his feelings, ideologies, views as a human being and his thoughts. Perhaps there was an unknown and deep of Jean Michel Basquiat, besides the image of being one of the most celebrated urban artists of his time.
leelee3 (leehentze@hotmail.com) writes:
does anyone know the piano piece that plays as basquiat hallucinates the tires as a tree in his apartment?
aliceliulondon (scrumptious_bookworm@hotmail.com) writes:
I had no idea the film existed until two nights ago when I accidentally came across it on TV. Now I can't seem to stop thinking about it. Art's been the most inspirational subject at school, and I had studied Basquiat's works. I suppose what gripped me in this film was the process of artistic creation that was recreated in the film, and Jeffrey Wright's performance. For me it was an emotional scene: it's some kind of statement on humanity, and on the importance of human expression. Oh yeah, one of my other favourite scenes is the one after Warhol's death when Basquiat aimlessly and soulessly wanders the streets in open pyjamas and those wooden slippers. Wright's performance was classic, credible and immensely disturbing. Loved it!
alex (Email address withheld) writes:
yeah seriously what is that piano piece? why the hell wouldnt they put that on the soundtrack?
relbo (Email address withheld) writes:
i`d love to know what the track is in the scene when he`s on his bike riding around in some park high on junk.if anyone knows please post thx
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