I picked up a biopic the other day called "Basquiat"... I'd wanted to see it for a while. I remember when it first came out, hearing that Bowie's portrayal of Warhol was spot on, and Jeffrey Wright's Basquiat was superb. Time hasn't judged it so kindly, however. Turns out the film's director Julian Schnabel was another of the art movement at the time, and while he knew Basquiat, his film was more self-indulgent than a faithful to the subject... The surfing imagery injected was Schnabel's fascination, for instance -- not Basquiat's, and it was said that Basquiat was far more fierce and dangerous a character than the soft persona shown here.
Having seen some documentaries, Bowie's Warhol was, in fact, pretty dead on... But I think Guy Pearce's version in "Factory Girl" (the story of Edie Sedgwick) was a shade closer, though admittedly, he had more time to play him and display his apparent indifference to those nearest him.
Still, part of me wishes I could show this film to my clients -- that, and have it mean something. So many of my kids are from the streets, and looking for something -- some of them to art -- to make something of themselves... But besides the "R" rating that legally prohibits me from showing them language they've already used and drugs they've already used or sold, Wright's portrayal of Basquiat's mannerisms are effeminate (a big problem for my muy macho adolescents), and the artist ultimately dies of a heroin overdose.
It's tough finding role models for them to relate to -- Basquiat was a grafitti artist who hit the big time, but the rest of his story was too sad and too short, and my guys model that picture enough themselves.
Having seen some documentaries, Bowie's Warhol was, in fact, pretty dead on... But I think Guy Pearce's version in "Factory Girl" (the story of Edie Sedgwick) was a shade closer, though admittedly, he had more time to play him and display his apparent indifference to those nearest him.
Still, part of me wishes I could show this film to my clients -- that, and have it mean something. So many of my kids are from the streets, and looking for something -- some of them to art -- to make something of themselves... But besides the "R" rating that legally prohibits me from showing them language they've already used and drugs they've already used or sold, Wright's portrayal of Basquiat's mannerisms are effeminate (a big problem for my muy macho adolescents), and the artist ultimately dies of a heroin overdose.
It's tough finding role models for them to relate to -- Basquiat was a grafitti artist who hit the big time, but the rest of his story was too sad and too short, and my guys model that picture enough themselves.
