Downtown 81 (a. k. a New York Beat Movie) is a film that was shot in 1980-1981. Year 1980 ( MCMLXXX) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1980 Gregorian calendar) Year 1981 ( MCMLXXXI) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link displays the 1981
This film, directed by Edo Bertoglio, written by Glenn O'Brien and produced by O'Brien and Maripol, is a rare real-life snapshot of ultra-hip subculture of post-punk era Manhattan. Edo Bertoglio (born 1951 in Lugano) is a Swiss photographer and film director Glenn O'Brien is primarily a writer of non-fiction articles largely on the subjects of music and fashion Maripol was brought up in France before moving to New York, USA in 1976 Starring renowned artist Jean-Michel Basquiat and featuring such early Village hipsters as James Chance, Amos Poe, Walter Steding, and Tav Falco, the film is a bizarre elliptical urban fairytale. Jean-Michel Basquiat ( December 22 1960 - August 12, 1988) was an American Artist. James Chance, also known as James White (born April 20, 1953 as James Siegfried in Milwaukee Wisconsin) is an American Amos Poe is a New York City filmmaker He has been considered one of the first punk filmmakers and his film The Blank Generation (1976 Tav Falco is an American -born musical performer, Performance artist, Actor, Filmmaker, and Photographer.
Contents |
Synopsis
The film opens with Jean (Basquiat) in the hospital with an undisclosed ailment. After checking out, he happens upon an enigmatic woman, Beatrice (Anna Schroeder), who drives around in a convertible. He arrives at his apartment only to discover that his landlord, played by former Yardbirds manager Giorgio Giomelsky, is evicting him.
Later, while trying to sell his art work, he encounters many downtown New York characters, from musician Arto Lindsay and his band DNA to David McDermott to graffiti artists Lee Quinones and Fab Five Freddy. Arto Lindsay (born May 28, 1953, Richmond, Virginia) is an American Guitarist, Singer, record producer and experimental DNA were formed in 1978 by Guitarist Arto Lindsay and keyboardist Robin Crutchfield. Lee Quiñones, born 1960 in Ponce Puerto Rico and raised in New York, is one of the most important Graffiti artists Some of his paintings This article is on the Yo! MTV Raps host For the NHL player see Fred Brathwaite. Jean eventually does manage to sell some of his art work to a rich middle-aged woman who is interested in more than just his art, but she pays with a check. As the film progresses, he wanders the streets of New York City, looking for Beatrice. The City of New York He catches performances by Kid Creole and the Coconuts and James White and the Blacks. Kid Creole and the Coconuts is an American musical group created and led by August Darnell James Chance, also known as James White (born April 20, 1953 as James Siegfried in Milwaukee Wisconsin) is an American Finally he happens upon a bag lady (Debbie Harry) who turns into a princess when he kisses her. Deborah Ann "Debbie" Harry (born July 1 1945 is an American Singer-songwriter and Actress, most famous for being the lead singer for the Punk As a reward, she gives him a stack of cash.
Production
Abandoned in the mid-'80s due to financial problems, producers O'Brien and Maripol resurrected the film after acquiring the rights in 1999 (over a decade after Basquiat's death). It premiered at the 2000 Cannes Film Festival. The Cannes Film Festival (le Festival de Cannes founded in 1946 is one of the world's oldest most influential and prestigious Film festivals alongside Venice, The soundtrack features many artists including Tuxedomoon, Melle Mel, Vincent Gallo, John Lurie, and Basquiat's own band Gray. Tuxedomoon is an experimental Post-punk / New Wave group formed in San Francisco, California consisting of core members Blaine Melvin Glover (born May 15, 1961 in The Bronx New York) also known by his stage name Grandmaster Mele Mel, and formerly Grandmaster Melle Vincent Gallo (born in Buffalo New York on April 11, 1961) is an American Film Actor and director, John Lurie (born December 14, 1952) is an actor musician painter and producer born in Minneapolis MN, USA.
The audio was lost for the film, so actor Saul Williams dubbed the late Basquiat's dialogue. Saul Stacey Williams (born February 29, 1972) is an American poet writer actor and musician known for his blend of Poetry and Alternative hip-hop
References
External links
Dapyx Software network: MP3 Explorer | Ebook Manager | Zenithic