Basquiat *** (1996, David Bowie, Dennis Hopper, Gary Oldman, Jeffrey Wright, Benicio Del Toro, Michael Wincott, Courtney Love, Christopher Walken, Willem Dafoe) – Classic Movie Review 816

Artist Julian Schnabel’s 1996 portrait of the New York art scene of the 80s and Jean-Michel Basquiat in particular, who in 1981 is propelled from an unknown 19-year-old graffiti writer into a rich and much-courted famous name. Starting out as a street artist, living in Thompkins Square Park in a cardboard box, Basquiat is discovered by Andy Warhol and his coterie and becomes a star, taking the New York art world by storm.

Writer-director Schnabel’s Basquiat is definitely in the interesting category, though we learn too little of the process and mechanics of Basquiat’s fame and its dire consequences for him – having Andy Warhol as your only friend and dying of heroin at 27 in 1988. Theatre star Jeffrey Wright plays Basquiat. He’s good but he lacks sufficient charisma and power, or good lines to utter. And he’s upstaged while a series of unexpected though welcome guest stars pop in to do their turns – Gary Oldman (as Albert Milo), Dennis Hopper (as Bruno Bischofberger), Courtney Love, Christopher Walken and Willem Dafoe among them.

Diverting though they are, their thunder is stolen by David Bowie amusingly playing a decrepit Warhol in an extended cameo sketch. It’s the most entertaining thing in the movie  – he’s got the mannerisms and look down to a fine art.

The movie though needs more of a sense of authority, urgency, analysis and period detail that it largely lacks. And it’s unfortunately eclipsed by the similar I Shot Andy Warhol, also released in 1996.

What is art? Who are artists? Are these people depicted in the film charlatans or geniuses? We’ll never really know from this movie. But, again, the cast and subject are definitely in the interesting category. And the soundtrack is particularly peppy too.

How lucky is Oldman to be standing between Bowie and Hopper? Benicio Del Toro, Claire Forlani, Parker Posey, Michael Wincott, Tatum O’Neal, Elina Löwensohn and Paul Bartel are also in the astonishing cast.

It’s got two thumbs way up from the late Siskel and Ebert, and ‘one of the year’s best!’ on the box.

David Bowie died on 10 January 2015 at the age of 69 after an 18-month battle with cancer. The 1980s saw him combine his glittering pop career with appearances in films including Merry Christmas, Mr Lawrence and Absolute Beginners – as well as a memorable turn as the lead in the fantasy Labyrinth.

© Derek Winnert 2014 Classic Movie Review 816

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