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New York Beat Movie (1981)
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Overview
User Rating:
Release Date:
14 March 2001 (France) morePlot:
The film is a day in the life of a young artist, Jean Michel Basquiat, who needs to raise money to reclaim... more | add synopsisAwards:
1 nomination moreUser Comments:
A snapshot of 1981 Post-Punk, New-Wave Manhattan moreCast
(Credited cast)| Ted Bafaloukos | ... | Junk Dealer | |
| Tom Baker | ... | Go-Go Bar Patron | |
| Eszter Balint | ... | Herself | |
| Jean Michel Basquiat | ... | Himself | |
| Roberta Bayley | ... | Street Girl | |
| Snooky Bellomo | ... | Manic Panic Girl | |
| Tish Bellomo | ... | Manic Panic Girl | |
| Bemshi | ... | Dancer | |
| Victor Bockris | ... | Conversationalist at Mudd Club | |
| Byron Bowie | ... | Himself | |
| Joe Bowie | ... | Himself - Trombonist, James White & The Blacks | |
| Diane Brill | ... | Kid Creole Announcer | |
| John Browner | ... | Go-Go Bar Patron | |
| Steven Brown | ... | Himself | |
| Clem Burke | ... | The Felons band member | |
| Anne Carlisle | ... | Fashion Show Model (as Ann Carlyle) | |
| James Chance | ... | James White | |
| Ma Chang | ... | Himself | |
| Marshall Chess | ... | Thief | |
| Mickey Clean | ... | Pot Dealer | |
| Carol Coleman | ... | Herself | |
| Diego Cortez | ... | Fist-fighter at the Mudd Club | |
| Kid Creole | (as August Darnell) | ||
| Ronnie Cutrone | ... | Go-Go Bar Patron | |
| Jimmy Destri | ... | Taxi Driver | |
| Tomas Doncker | ... | Himself - Guitarist, James White & The Blacks | |
| George Dubose | ... | Go-Go Bar Patron | |
| Lori Eastside | ... | Herself | |
| Barbara Egan | ... | Fashion Show Model | |
| Fab 5 Freddy | ... | Graffiti Artist | |
| Tav Falco | ... | Conversationalist at Mudd Club | |
| Lenny Ferrari | ... | Himself | |
| Bradley Field | ... | Studio Manager | |
| Vincent Gallo | ... | Himself | |
| Karen Geniece | ... | Herself - Guitarist, Walter Steding & The Dragon People | |
| Patrick Geooffrois | ... | Conversationalist at Mudd Club | |
| Giorgio Gomelsky | ... | The Landlord | |
| Winston Grennan | ... | Himself - Drummer, Kid Creole & The Coconuts | |
| Ronnie Griffith | ... | Herself | |
| Bobby Grossman | ... | East Village Junkie | |
| Vinnie Grouppi | ... | Conversationalist at Mudd Club | |
| Richie Harrison | ... | Himself | |
| Deborah Harry | ... | Fairy Godmother | |
| Kristian Hoffman | ... | A&R Person | |
| Michael Holman | ... | Michael | |
| Adriana Kaegi | ... | Herself | |
| Patrice Kamins | ... | Fashion Show Model | |
| Arto Lindsay | ... | Himself | |
| Andrew Lloyd | ... | Himself | |
| Lucille | ... | Fashion Show Model | |
| Hal Ludacer | ... | Fashion Show Model | |
| John Lurie | ... | Himself | |
| Compton Maddux | ... | Limo Driver | |
| Cherie Marilyn | ... | Dancer | |
| Maripol | ... | Fashion Designer | |
| Steve Mass | ... | Drunk at the Go-Go Bar | |
| Debi Mazar | ... | Peppermint Lounge Dancer | |
| Mark Mazur | ... | Himself | |
| David McDermott | |||
| Mitsuru | ... | Make-up Artist | |
| Haoui Montaug | ... | Club Doorman | |
| Daniela Morera | ... | Mrs. Cavalcanti | |
| Ikue Mori | ... | Herself | |
| John Morton | ... | Peppermint Lounge Doorman | |
| Olivier Mosset | ... | Bike Rider | |
| Cookie Mueller | ... | 2nd Go-Go Dancer | |
| Coati Mundi | ... | Himself | |
| Elliott Murphy | ... | Rock Star | |
| Chica Nakanishi | ... | Herself - Vocalist, The Plastics | |
| Toshio Nakanishi | ... | Himself | |
| Bern Nix | ... | Himself | |
| Glenn O'Brien | ... | Neil Barlowe | |
| Vicki Pedersen | ... | Dresser | |
| Amos Poe | ... | Conversationalist at Mudd Club | |
| Cheryl Poirier | ... | Herself | |
| Peter Principle | ... | Himself | |
| 'Lee' George Quinones | ... | Graffiti Artist | |
| Catherine Rebennack | ... | 1st Go-Go Dancer | |
| Blaine Reininger | ... | Himself | |
| Danny Rosen | ... | Danny | |
| Lisa Rosen | ... | The Maid | |
| Steve Sabato | ... | Car Seller | |
| Anita Sarko | ... | D.J. | |
| Ernest Scaglione | ... | Go-Go Bar Manager | |
| Cyndy Schneidau | ... | Nurse | |
| Millie Schneidau | ... | Nurse | |
| Peter Schott | ... | Himself | |
| Anna Schroeder | ... | The Love Interest | |
| Takemi Shima | ... | Himself - Drummer, The Plastics | |
| Benedicte Siroux | ... | Fashion Show Model | |
| Larry 'Ratso' Sloman | ... | Go-Go Bar Patron | |
| Lindzee Smith | ... | Club Owner | |
| Steven Z. Soszynski | ... | Grocer | |
| Walter Steding | ... | Himself | |
| Chris Stein | ... | The Felons band member | |
| Dave Street | ... | Musician | |
| Michael Sullivan | ... | Himself - Maracasist, The Felons | |
| Claudia Summers | ... | Friend in Park | |
| Betsy Sussler | ... | Conversationalist at Mudd Club | |
| Hajime Tachibana | ... | Himself | |
| Snuky Tate | ... | Himself | |
| Marty Thau | ... | Record Mogul | |
| Colin Wade | ... | Himself | |
| Richard Weigand | ... | Doctor | |
| Saul Williams | ... | Jean-Michel Basquiat (voice) | |
| Tim Wright | ... | Himself |
Additional Details
Also Known As:
Downtown 81 (USA) (recut version)Glenn O'Brien's New York Beat Movie (USA) (complete title)
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Parents Guide:
Add content advisory for parentsRuntime:
France:73 min | Japan:75 min | USA:72 minCountry:
USALanguage:
EnglishColor:
ColorAspect Ratio:
1.66 : 1 moreSound Mix:
DolbyCertification:
France:UFun Stuff
Trivia:
In 1981, financial problems prevented the post-production and release of the film. Subsequently, parts of the film became lost over the years. After much searching, the missing materials were located in 1998. Finally, post production began in 1999 and the film was released in 2000. moreQuotes:
Jean Michel Basquiat: I'm an artist. When you tell people that they usually say, 'what's your medium?' I usually say, 'extra large.' moreSoundtrack:
Drum Mode moreFAQ
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Usually referred to by its original title "DOWNTOWN 81", the film gives a snapshot of life in run-down Lower East Side Manhattan in the early '80s. Shot in 1981, the film portrays the day-to-day routine of Jean-Michel Basquiat, "graffiti"-artist, musician, or perhaps more accurately, artist in general, as he tries to survive amidst rappers, junkies, strippers, models and uptown art-lovers. Due to financial difficulties, the film apparently got lost, but part of the original material was recovered in 1998 and was finally released in the year 2000. The original soundtrack remained lost, so Basquiat's voice had to be dubbed.
It's an interesting time-capsule of Post-Punk, New-Wave New York, with a sometimes fascinating compilation of interesting vignettes from the scene, but as a movie, it's less rewarding. The story is practically non-existent and there is no acting really, as everybody play themselves. There's much resemblance to the experimental films Andy Warhol made about the New York art scene. It's a typical example of a "fiction" film with a very lose story line combined with mostly real-life characters from the period, like Deborah Harry, Fab Five Freddy, the music of Kid Creole and the Coconuts, Tuxemodoon, The Plastics, DNA, The Lounge Lizards and Basquiat himself with his own band, Gray. A long segment in the film is reserved for a live performance of Kid Creole and the Coconuts. If you're a fan, it's great fun.
In the end a mixed bag, a film mainly of interest for fans of Basquiat and the music of the era. So, if you like the period, it's definitely worth checking out.
Camera Obscura --- 7/10