Basquiat
1996
In 1981, Jean-Michel Basquiat catapulted from being an unknown nineteen-year-old graffiti writer to becoming one of the most successful, controversial, glamorous artists in the world. His shows were anticipated as the big events of the New York season, and his paintings were bought by the most powerful collectors and museums. .. Read more
| Starring | Jeffrey Wright, David Bowie, Dennis Hopper, Gary Oldman |
|---|---|
| Director | Julian Schnabel |
| Genres | Drama |
loading...
Basquiat
In 1981, Jean-Michel Basquiat catapulted from being an unknown nineteen-year-old graffiti writer to becoming one of the most successful, controversial, glamorous artists in the world. His shows were anticipated as the big events of the New York season, and his paintings were bought by the most powerful collectors and museums. Every aspect of his life became a subject for the media. By 1988, he was dead at the age of 27. Basquiat was described by The New York Times as the art world's closest equivalent to James Dean. In spite of his success, this turbulent and talented young painter was also plagued by loneliness, self-destruction and the belief that people really did not accept him for who he was. As the first black contemporary artist to really succeed in the powerful white art world, his early death shows that he was a casualty as well as a phenomenal success.
| Starring | Jeffrey Wright, David Bowie, Dennis Hopper, Gary Oldman, Michael Wincott, Benicio Del Toro, Courtney Love, Parker Posey, Paul Bartel, Tatum O'Neal, Claire Forlani, Christopher Walken, Willem Dafoe, Jean Cla |
|---|---|
| Director | Julian Schnabel |
| Studio | PATHE DISTRIBUTION |
| Run time | DVD: 1 hr 46 mins |
| Certificate | |
| Genres | Drama |
| Language | DVD: English |
| Released | DVD: 30 Jun 2003 Production year: 1996 |
| Format | DVD |
-
Critics' reviews (3)
View all -
This is the true story of black artist Jean-Michel Basquiat (Jeffrey Wright) as told by his friend and contemporary, director Julian Schnabel. Basquiat went from being an angry graffiti artist to one of Andy Warhol's close circle before overdosing on heroin in the late 1980s. Schnabel's aim is to show how the man, reputedly the self-destructive James Dean of the art world, was uncomfortable being lionised by the bourgeoisie he so despised. But Basquiat comes off more as a tiresome antihero in this well-meaning biopic, which fails to reveal why he's more deserving of remembrance than any other Warhol satellite. Part of the problem is that Wright doesn't have the compelling quality to match the artist's reputation. Benicio Del Toro is good as Basquiat's put-upon best friend and David Bowie even better as Warhol in this self-serving tale of tortured genius.
-
Biopic of Jean-Michel Basquiat, who died in 1988 at the age of 27; it has its moments, yet the story is told in a cautious manner, and displays little insight into his extraordinary career and the environment which nurtured and, possibly, destroyed him.
-
Most helpful member's review
View all -
8 out of 11 people found this review helpful
[Highly rated reviewer]
Samo?
I rented this film mainly to because of the buzz surrounding Schnabel's forthcoming the Diving Bell and the Butterfly...
It's not a bad biopic by any means, with strong performances from the majority of the cast (although I wasn't really convinced by Bowie's Andy Warhol) and a genuinely exciting visual flair in representing Basquiat's work. However, Schnabel's handling of the biopic format is occasionally a little too conventional (given the subject matter here) and stumbles into cliche with some of the 'life-story' milestones - encountering death, fame, love, and friendship without actually drawing a great deal of emotive power from them.
Worth a watch though if you have any interest in the artist. -
Most recent members' review
View all -
6 out of 6 people found this review helpful
Really cool, quirky film
I loved this film, the characters were really cool and interesting, the acting was great. There was so many nice little parts to this film, I'm definatley going to buy this for my collection. If you like quirky films, then I would really recommend this.
-
News and features
View all
Cadillac Records
- 16 Feb 2009
“It feels like I met myself for the first time,” marvels McKinley Morganfield, after Alan Lomax plays back his field recording of McKinley playing the blues. The year is 1941, and within ten years, this southern sharecropper’s son will be at the wheel of his own brand new Cadillac, a first generation pop star, of sorts, courtesy of Polish immigrant Leonard Chess and his company, Chess Records. That would be under his stage name: Muddy Waters. Played by Jeffrey Wright –... Read more
-
More like this
View all
