BASQUIAT (1996) ¢ ¢ ¢
D: Julian Schnabel
Jefrey Wright, Benicio Del Toro, Dennis Hopper,
David Bowie, Claire Forlani, Gary Oldman,
Michael Wincott, Parker Posey, Christopher Walken,
Elina Lowensohn, Willem Dafoe, Courtney Love
The short life of Jean-Michel Basquiat, a painter and graffiti artist from Haiti who made his mark on the New York art scene as a protégé of Andy Warhol before dying from a heroin overdose at 28. It's episodic but not random, a portrait of the artist in brush strokes and swatches, a word or line here, a splash of paint there, and the finished product holds together surprisingly well. It's a knowing look at the art world and the kinds of people it attracts, with a charismatic performance by Jeffrey Wright as Basquiat and a lot of familiar faces in the supporting roles. David Bowie's effectively cast as Warhol, and you get a rare opportunity to hear what Dennis Hopper does with a French accent.
David Bowie
(1947-2016)
