Basquiat (1996)

Director:

Julian Schnabel

Writers:

Lech Majewski (story) and
John Bowe (short story) ...
(more)

Release Date:

9 August 1996 (USA)

Genre:

Biography | Drama

Tagline:

In 1981, A Nineteen-Year-Old Unknown Graffiti Writer Took The New York Art World By Storm. The Rest Is Art History.

Plot:

Basquiat tells the story of the meteoric rise of youthful artist Jean-Michel Basquiat. Starting out as a street artist...

Plot Keywords:

Artist | Friendship | Street Artist | Art | Andy Warhol

Awards:

2 wins & 3 nominations

Cast

Jeffrey Wright	...	Jean Michel Basquiat
Michael Wincott	...	Rene Ricard
Benicio Del Toro	...	Benny Dalmau
Claire Forlani	...	Gina Cardinale
David Bowie	...	Andy Warhol
Dennis Hopper	...	Bruno Bischofberger
Gary Oldman	...	Albert Milo
Christopher Walken	...	The Interviewer
Willem Dafoe	...	The Electrician
Jean-Claude La Marre	...	Shenge (as Jean Claude LaMarre)
Parker Posey	...	Mary Boone
Elina Löwensohn	...	Annina Nosei
Paul Bartel	...	Henry Geldzahler
Courtney Love	...	Big Pink
Tatum O'Neal	...	Cynthia Kruger
Chuck Pfeiffer	...	Tom Kruger (as Chuck Pfeifer)
Rockets Redglare	...	Rockets
Esther G. Schnabel	...	Esther Milo
Jack Schnabel	...	Jack Milo
Lola Schnabel	...	Jacqueline Milo
Peter McGough	...	Peter McGough
David McDermott	...	David McDermott
Michael Chow	...	Mr. Chow
Stella Schnabel	...	Stella
Steven Randazzo	...	Maitre' d at Ballato's
Michael Badalucco	...	Counterman at Deli
Francis Dumaurier	...	Giorgio
Joseph R. Gannascoli	...	Guard at Hospital
Hope Clarke	...	Matilde
Brian Wright	...	Young Jean Michel
Tarmo Urb	...	Lech
Denise Burse	...	Mary on TV
Robert Alexander	...	Band Guy
Vincent Laresca	...	Vincent
Nemo	...	Nemo
Leonard Jackson	...	Jean Michel's Father
David Shelley	...	Photographer (as Dave Shelley)
Frederick Weller	...	Frank
Rene Rivera	...	Juan
Sam Rockwell	...	Thug
Ron Brice	...	Thug
William Seymour	...	Mr. Chow's Maitre' d
Richard E. Butler	...	Medieval Villager (as Richard Butler)
Joe Glasco	...	Medieval Villager
Steven Parenago	...	Medieval Villager
Vladamir Parenago	...	Medieval Villager
José Luis Ferrer	...	Medieval Villager (as Jose Luis Ferrer)
Irene Kiss	...	Medieval Villager
Richard the Ox	...	Medieval Villager
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Julie Araskog	...	Julie (uncredited)
Vincent Gallo	...	Himself / Party Guest (uncredited)
Melody Krell	...	Waitress (uncredited)
Linda Larkin	...	Fan (uncredited)
Olatz López Garmendia	...	Christine (uncredited)
Jennifer Miro	...	Soho Art Gallery Guest (uncredited)
Paul Outlaw	...	Paul (uncredited)
Thomas Urb	...	Chef at Leshko's Restaurant (uncredited)

Directed by
Julian Schnabel

Writing credits
Lech Majewski		story (as Lech J. Majewski) and
John Bowe		short story (as John F. Bowe)
Julian Schnabel		(written by)
Michael Holman		story development (as Michael Thomas Holman)

Produced by
Joseph Allen	....	executive producer
Peter Brant	....	executive producer
Jon Kilik	....	producer
Lech Majewski	....	co-producer (as Lech J. Majewski)
Randy Ostrow	....	producer
Sigurjon Sighvatsson	....	producer
Michiyo Yoshizaki	....	executive producer

Original Music by
John Cale
Julian Schnabel

Cinematography by
Ron Fortunato

Film Editing by
Michael Berenbaum

Casting by
Sheila Jaffe
Georgianne Walken

Production Design by
Dan Leigh

Art Direction by
C.J. Simpson

Set Decoration by
Susan Bode

Costume Design by
John A. Dunn		(as John Dunn)

Makeup Department
Jennifer Aspinall	....	key makeup artist
Mary A. D'Angelo	....	additional hair stylist (as Mary D'Angelo)
Wayne Herndon	....	key hair stylist
Nina Port	....	additional makeup artist
Yuseff	....	hair consultant
Linda Grimes	....	makeup artist (uncredited)

Production Management
Adam Brightman	....	unit production manager
Michael Jackman	....	post-production supervisor (as Michael A. Jackman)
Desirée Jellerette	....	post-production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Michael Holman	....	second unit director
Lisa Janowski	....	second assistant director
Jonathan Starch	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Nelson Belen	....	art production assistant
Doug Bleier	....	carpenter
Greg Bogin	....	fine art coordinator
Glen Bowen	....	third construction grip (as Glenn Bowen)
Marshall Carbee	....	scenic
Rossana Fiore	....	on-set scenic
Christine Frankeberger	....	additional set decorator (as Chris Frankenberger)
Gary Grill	....	construction foreman
Joanna Hartell	....	shop manager
Eryka Seimona Henderson	....	art department coordinator
Eugene J. Hines	....	carpenter (as Eugene Hines)
Helen Imatome	....	art department intern
Dominique Joseph	....	art department intern
Nancy Karp	....	art department intern
Ruth Katz	....	lead set dresser
Tyler Kim	....	property master (as Tyler H. Kim)
Gordon Krause	....	shop foreman
Victor Littlejohn	....	set dresser
Brick Mason	....	storyboard artist
Lou Miller	....	carpenter
Nick Miller	....	construction coordinator
Cho Moon	....	art department intern (as Moon Cho)
Christine Moosher	....	assistant property master
Jimmy Mulligan	....	art department intern
Rex North	....	second construction grip
Sean O'Brien	....	key construction grip (as Sean O'Brian)
Gregg Pallini	....	art department intern
Willie Roache	....	set dresser (as Willie Vee Roache)
Eric Stepper	....	property master
Michael Stockton	....	scenic charge (as Michael Wright Stockton)
Anne Wenniger	....	assistant property master

Sound Department
Ed Barteski	....	assistant sound editor (as Ed Barteski Jr.)
Louis Bertini	....	dialogue editor
David Boulton	....	adr engineer (as David Bolton)
Allan Byer	....	sound mixer
Bradford L. Hohle	....	stereo sound consultant: Dolby
George A. Lara	....	foley recordist
Linda Murphy	....	boom operator
Tom Nelson	....	additional sound mixer
Bitty O'Sullivan-Smith	....	dialogue editor
John Poyner	....	adr editor: UK
Ira Spiegel	....	supervising sound editor
Dominick Tavella	....	sound re-recording mixer
Brian Vancho	....	foley artist
Randy Vandegrift	....	adr editor: Los Angeles (as Randy Vandergrift)
Peter Waggoner	....	adr engineer
John Wall	....	sound recording engineer
Tim J. Carroll	....	stereo sound consultant: Dolby (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Randall Balsmeyer	....	visual effects supervisor (as Randy Balsmeyer)
Janos Pilenyi	....	titles and optical effects (as Janos O. Pilenyi)

Stunts
Jeff Ward	....	stunt coordinator
Richard E. Butler	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Myles Aronowitz	....	still photographer
Beverly Cable	....	generator operator (as Beverly Jones)
Andrew Casey	....	Steadicam operator (as Andrew W. Casey)
Andrew Casey	....	camera operator (as Andrew W. Casey)
John Ford	....	grip
Thomas Ford	....	best boy electric (as Tom Ford)
Joseph E. Gallagher	....	first assistant camera
Haddon Hufford	....	dolly grip
Robert Ippolito	....	best boy grip (as Robert J. Ippolito)
Lindsay Jamieson	....	second assistant camera (as E. Lindsay Jamieson)
Eric M. Klein	....	grip (as Eric Klein)
Eric Liebowitz	....	still photographer (as Eric S. Liebowitz)
Dave Lowry	....	key grip (as David Lowry)
Gerry Lowry	....	rigging grip (as Jerry Lowry)
Robert Merk	....	third electrician (as Rob Merk)
John Mitchell	....	fourth electrician
Trip Morey III	....	camera production assistant (as Trip Morey)
Joseph Sciretta	....	electrician
Robert Sciretta	....	gaffer
Prashant Gupta	....	still photographer (uncredited)

Casting Department
Byron Crystal	....	extras casting
Karen E. Etcoff	....	extras casting
David H. Kramer	....	adr voice casting (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Mark Burchard	....	wardrobe supervisor
Anne Disano	....	assistant to costume designer
Anne Gorman	....	wardrobe
Barrett Hong	....	wardrobe supervisor
Laura R. Solin	....	costumer

Editorial Department
Nick Dibeneditto	....	negative cutter: N & D Film & Video (as Nick DiBeneditto)
Earl Dittebrandt	....	first assistant editor
Vida Fitzgerald	....	apprentice editor
Jay Kessel	....	additional assistant editor
Nancy Novack	....	additional assistant editor
John J. Richardson III	....	apprentice editor
Tom Salvatore	....	color timer
Seth I. Shire	....	assistant post-production supervisor (as Seth Shire)
John Dowdell	....	hd colorist (uncredited)

Music Department
Susan Jacobs	....	music supervisor
Michael Lang	....	music consultant
Bill Laswell	....	composer: additional music
Jim Leavitt	....	music researcher
Patrick Mullins	....	music editor
Dave Soldier	....	music arranger (as David Soldier)
Paul Boschi	....	soundtrack coordinator (uncredited)
Brian Eno	....	soundtrack album producer (uncredited)
Joe Strummer	....	soundtrack producer (uncredited)

Transportation Department
John Buchman	....	driver (as John Buckman)
Jim Clark	....	driver
Richard Hubca	....	driver
Paul Kane	....	driver
John Miale	....	driver (as John J. Miale)
Jimmy Nugent	....	transportation captain (as Jim Nugent)
Charles White	....	driver
Erik W. Wickstrom	....	driver

Other crew
Ernest Arbucci	....	production intern
Adrienne Asterita	....	production intern
Timothy Aten	....	production intern (as Tim Aten)
Sirad Balducci	....	production coordinator
Teresa Bianchi	....	production intern
Dan Bollinger	....	assistant post-production accountant
Shannon Bowen	....	location assistant
Maximillian Chow	....	production intern
Lisa Cofini	....	post-production accountant
Cydney Cort	....	assistant: Mr. Schnabel
Joe Dapello	....	legal services: Frankfurt, Garbus, Klein & Selz (as Joseph Dapello esq.)
Valerie Darmour	....	production intern
Mary Gambardella	....	script supervisor
Robert Garlock	....	publicist: PMK Public Relations
Hal Gross	....	assistant auditor
Lys Hopper	....	location manager
Judy Janelli	....	craft service
Lauren Klain	....	location intern
Zoe Kohlmayer	....	production intern
Dylan Korelich	....	set production assistant
Isabelle Kostic Crosley	....	location scout
Susan Labunski	....	key set production assistant
Nectarios Leonidas	....	location intern
Jane Marshall	....	script review: Marshall/Plumb Research
Dean McCann	....	set production assistant
Ross Miller	....	insurance carrier: Disc Insurance
Kay O'Connell	....	accounting production assistant
Linda Perkins	....	set production assistant
Jeremy D. Pratt	....	set production assistant (as Jeremy Pratt)
Sacha Quarles	....	office production assistant
Terry 't-bone' Rhodes	....	assistant location manager (as Terry Rhodes)
Dawn Murphy Riley	....	production coordinator
Allison Russo	....	set production assistant (as Alison Russo)
Adrian Sas	....	location intern
Greg Schnabel	....	location coordinator
Amy Shultz	....	insurance carrier: Disc Insurance
Lois Smith	....	publicist: PMK Public Relations
Peter Soldinger	....	production intern
Chris Tarantino	....	location intern
Elizabeth Zagrany	....	auditor (as Beth Zagrany)

Thanks
Joe Glasco	....	dedicatee

Production Companies

• Eleventh Street Production
• Jon Kilik
• Miramax Films

Distributors

• RCV Film Distribution (1997) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• RCV Film Distribution (1997) (Netherlands) (video)
• Ace Pictures
• Kinowelt Filmverleih (Germany)
• Miramax Films
• New Films International
• PlayArte Home Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)
• RCV Film Distribution (Belgium)
• RCV Film Distribution (Luxembourg)

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated R for drug use and strong language

Runtime:

108 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Spanish

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Canada:18A (Ontario) | South Korea:18 | Australia:M (DVD rating) | Australia:MA | Finland:K-16 | Norway:15 | Portugal:M/16 | Spain:13 | Sweden:11 | UK:15 | USA:R | Germany:12 | Iceland:L

Filming Locations:

New York, USA

Company:

Eleventh Street Production

Trivia:

The estate of Jean-Michel Basquiat refused to allow his works to be used, so the director, Julian Schnabel, personally painted the reproductions which are used throughout the film.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: Several cars in the background are from the '90s when the date of the activity is early-'80s.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Rene:Everybody wants to get on the Van Gogh boat. There's no trip so horrible that someone won't take it. The idea of the unrecognized genius slaving away in a garot is deliciously foolish one. We must credit the life of Vincent Van Gogh for really sending this myth into orbit...
[...]

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Mystery Science Theater 3000: Werewolf (#10.4)" (1998)

Soundtrack:

Girlfriend

Genius or exploitation?

"Basquiat" is a film with an agenda. Far from being a neutral stage upon which the life and emotion of the artist is played out for us to observe, this film wants to make a point about the art world, casting Basquiat as Oliver Twist. If you are looking to find out what drives an artist you are not going to find it here - unless the answer is money. The filmmakers did not go very far into the head of their subject - either that or he was a very shallow and vapid person. I did not get the feeling from this film that Basquiat was a true artist; rather, he came off as an opportunist who figured out how to capture the mechanics of bad abstract impressionism and pass himself off as one. Then a lucky break, combined with silly art collectors who have way too much money and not enough of their own thought processes, multiplied by a guilt ridden population of white people flush with 1980's cash, combine to equal the phenomenon of Basquiat.

I am not saying that this is (or is not) the truth. In the world of art there are no truths anyway. What I am saying is that this is not a neutral biography. It may pay to do a little bit of research into Basquiat before watching the film. As for myself, I admit to watching it only because I was bored and nothing else was on. I knew vaguely the story, and who Basquiat was, but had no opinions of and no real knowledge about him. Since I am not the type of person who forms his opinions on any subject based on information from only one source, I did some research into Basquiat after the film before coming to any sort of conclusions. What those conclusions were are irrelevant as far as this review is concerned - but what does concern me are the many people who undoubtedly had their opinion about Basquiat fed to them by this film and who now consider themselves educated on the subject.

As far as the film itself, it is not bad. Not great, but not bad. It had a certain feeling to it. But it is hard to get beyond its portrayal of the subject, as he is the reason for the film. As noted, Basquiat comes off as an empty headed and shallow individual without a lot of talent or original thought who likes to use drugs and drink a lot. The film's Basquiat seemed not to care much about art, that it was an afterthought to him. He was shown as a dabbler - dabbling in music too but not doing much or giving it much effort. Perhaps that is the truth, I don't know, because overall the film is more a study of art and what constitutes it and gives it value than a biography of an artist - and postulates that today's art is more about the name than the actual piece. The same thing that is given away for free by a homeless man who lives in a box can be worth six figures if the right people decide that it should. I also felt that he filmmakers relied on cliché' a bit too much for my liking. The scene that sticks out in my mind is the one where Basquiat was on a schoolyard basketball court with his buddy, who was trying to get him to play. Basquiat was totally inept at the game and had no desire to play whatsoever. The filmmakers were obviously trying to demonstrate either one or both of two things - that Basquiat was so much of a cerebral artist that he was incapable of physical sport, or that Basquiat was a black man who could not play basketball. Whatever the case, the scene was painful to watch. It was ham-fisted imagery at its worst. A well done scene with some good conversation and emotion could have sent the same message intended in the schoolyard - actually could have done it better because as blockheaded as the schoolyard scene was, it still did not send a clear and defined message.

The acting in Basquiat was for the most part serviceable, with David Bowie turning in the most inspired performance as Andy Warhol. Bowie brought a subtle warmth and humanity to a person who is often portrayed as a cold cartoon character. Although Warhol was clearly intended to be an exploiter in the film, Bowie managed to show him as a person who felt that Basquiat was a true friend and not just a paycheck. This is an Andy Warhol who cared about people, and who could have his feelings hurt just like anyone else. This is not the stereotypical movie Warhol, playing with people like the proverbial chess pieces. This Warhol genuinely admired the work of his protégés. And David Bowie would know, wouldn't he? He was there. I got the feeling that Bowie took the part to make a statement about Warhol - as if he was annoyed by younger filmmakers using the stereotypical Warhol image in an exploitative way. I felt that he was subversively reading the lines between the lines. Good for him.

This film is more a commentary on the art world, on racism, and on exploitation than it is a biography. I would say that it is better to look at it this way, for as a biography it is biased and somewhat mean-spirited. Remember the first line of this review? It seemed to me that the filmmakers were saying that Basquiat was bereft of talent and inspiration - that he was a bum and a drug abuser who got lucky. Perhaps he was, but I'd prefer to make up my own mind. So it would pay to know a bit about the subject before watching - this Basquiat is a light dessert, not the main course.