|
Event
DOWNTOWN 81 Starring Jean-Michel Basquiat
The Picture Show presents, DOWNTOWN 81 in a six night run, May 17, 18, 22, 23, 24, 25
MAY 17th, OPENING NIGHT - Walter Steding is present for the film and will perform.
MAY 18th, Walter Steding is present and will perform
Downtown 81 is a milestone of New York culture and history, vividly depicting the explosive downtown art and music scene of 1980-1981, through the eyes of the radical artist Jean Michel Basquiat.
Somewhere between a direct documentation of the new wave / graffiti scene, and an exaggerated fictional romanticism of the city how-it-was, the film casts its own New York legends to play the parts of not-so-fictional characters, including Jean Michel Basquiat and Deborah Harry, leading bands of the era including Kid Creole and the Coconuts, James White and the Blacks, DNA, Tuxedo Moon, the Plastics, Walter Steding and the Dragon People.
What results is a surreal/close-to-real account of a day in the life of one young artist, who wanders the war zone electric streets of raw Manhattan, in order to sell his painting, get back his apartment, and find the girl! In the meantime, he meets with a cast of lively characters, and uses his wit and absolute cool to float on by.
Jean Michel Basquiat (1960-1988) was only 19 years old when he played the lead in this film, and already a notorious graffiti artist, poet, and musician. In just a few short years, he would become part of the canon of American art, exhibiting his work in the infamous 1980 "Times Square Show," followed by P.S.1 Institute of Art, and then a meteoric rise to international recognition. He died in 1988 after trying to kick his drug habit.
Originally titled "New York Beat," Downtown 81 was written and co-produced by Glenn O'Brien (TV Party), produced by Maripol (photographer, and stylist for artists such as Madonna, Cher, and Elton John), and directed by Edo Bertoglio (photographer for such magazines as Interview, Italian Vogue, GQ, Vanity, among others), all of whom were themselves deeply involved in the art, music and fashion scenes of the time, making the scene as they were shooting the scene.
In 1981, financial problems interrupted the completion of the film, then in post-production, and parts of the film were lost in Europe. Post-production was begun again almost two decades later, and the film was finally completed in 2000, after the missing materials were located. Because the narration was never recorded by Basquiat, poet and actor Saul Williams was brought in to narrate the voice of the artist, almost 11 years after his death.
The film's soundtrack is in itself a canon, featuring music created by Jean Michel Basquiat with his band Gray, and a long list of notorious movers and shakers of the music scene then.
"The film is not a documentary, but presents a slightly exaggerated, romantic and magical version of the reality of the time." We hope you join us for this ride.
|
|
 |
LocationThe Picture Show (View)
226 Green St.
Brooklyn, NY 11222
United States
Categories
| Kid Friendly: No |
| Dog Friendly: No |
|
Contact
|
