IMDb RATING
6.9/10
1.7K
YOUR RATING
After being released from the hospital, the artist Jean Michel Basquiat wanders around Manhattan trying to sell art to make money and find a place to stay.After being released from the hospital, the artist Jean Michel Basquiat wanders around Manhattan trying to sell art to make money and find a place to stay.After being released from the hospital, the artist Jean Michel Basquiat wanders around Manhattan trying to sell art to make money and find a place to stay.
- Awards
- 3 nominations total
Jean Michel Basquiat
- Jean
- (archive footage)
John Lurie
- Self
- (uncredited)
Giorgio Gomelsky
- Landlord
- (as Giorgio Giomelsky)
- Director
- Writer
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaSince 1981, Glenn O'Brien had possession of all of the live musical performance recordings. Unfortunately, the original voice soundtrack was lost in Italy by the film storage vault. The producers were able to get most of the original cast to re-dub their dialogue. But Jean Michel Basquiat died in 1988. So Saul Williams was hired to dub Basquiat's dialogue.
- Quotes
Jean Michel Basquiat: I'm an artist. When you tell people that they usually say, 'what's your medium?' I usually say, 'extra large.'
- Alternate versionsIn the 2001 version, Downtown 81, Saul Williams does the voiceover for Jean-Michel Basquiat's character.
- ConnectionsFeatured in Basquiat (1996)
- SoundtracksPalabras Con Ritmo
Written by Jean Michel Basquiat and Coati Mundi
Performed by Coati Mundi
Courtesy of Coati Mundi Productions
Featured review
For anybody born after 1990 that ever wondered what the 1980's was all about,this film may (or may not)answer a few questions. Jean Michelle Basquiat stars as himself,in a "day in the life" of a graffiti artist who is trying to raise some money to pay his rent. Along the way, he meets up with one interesting character after another. This film also features performances by some of the era's proto punk/New Wave/No Wave/Hip Hop/etc. musical acts (including out of towner's,Tuxedomoon,in what looks like a very hip music video that MTV would never even consider airing). This started out as 'Glenn O'Brien's New York Beat Movie'(O'Brien co-wrote the screenplay),but was shelved,due to a lack of finances before it was finished filming. The film was directed by Edo Bertoglio, has only directed one other film ('Face Addict'),like 'Beat Movie',dealt with the New York uptown/downtown art scene . The fact that over the years,the soundtrack became lost to time only made matters worse. In the late 1990's,however, the original 16mm negative was found (sans soundtrack),a new soundtrack was made up (using a brand new soundtrack,including a replacement voice over dub for Basquiat,who, had died in 1988),and the film was finally given a limited "art house" release in 2000,under the new title,'Downtown 81'. Not the best film depicting the 1980's,but certainly not the worst. Not rated,but contains some rude language.
- druid333-2
- Jul 1, 2009
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Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Language
- Also known as
- Glenn O'Brien's New York Beat Movie
- Production company
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Gross US & Canada
- $231,445
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $11,436
- Jul 15, 2001
- Gross worldwide
- $231,445
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