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Samo As a Neo Art Form

  • Dec 2, 2008
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Rating:
+4
Not a bad introduction to the life and work of an extremely talented and troubled young artist dealing with the pressures of being central to an unprecedentedly booming art market in the early '80s. Fans of Jean-Michel Basquiat will undoubtedly find something to complain about in the depiction of this complicated artist, in the way that a two hour film can rarely fully capture the depth of a topic one cares passionately about. But Julian Schnabel's directorial debut treats the subject matter with honesty and sensitivity. Considering the director's more mature and ambitious follow-ups, Before Night Falls and The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, perhaps the biggest criticism that could be leveraged against this film is that it is too safely rendered.

Basquiat's career was encapsulated within an emerging Neo-Expressionism movement (trend?) in the early '80s. His work was made particularly relevant and sexy within the context via his background in graffiti (he initially tagged under the name of SAMO), which lent itself well to the robust, painterly aspects of Expressionism. In contrast to the art of a contemporary like Keith Haring, who also incorporated elements of graffiti into his work, Basquiat's art was perceived as more authentic and streetwise. The cultural importance of this theme in his work, situated as it was in relation to the simultaneous emergence of hip-hop, is not lost on Schnabel's direction of Basquiat, which has a loose and gritty feel that is entirely appropriate to the art and life of Basquiat.

The movie's cast is outstanding, with engaging performances from Dennis Hopper as art dealer Bruno Bischofberger, Parker Posey as art dealer Mary Boone, David Bowie as Andy Warhol (!), in addition to appearances by Christopher Walken, Willem Dafoe, and Benicio Del Toro and Gary Oldman in fictionalized composites of artists in Basquiat's life. The compelling roles and performances carry a film for those who may not be familiar with the artist's work and may miss its significance in the larger picture of the early '80s downtown mix of fine art and hip-hop. As a snapshot of the point where youth subculture really began to inform high culture in a very direct way, this film's characterization is hard to beat.

Because the movie and its cast treat the subject matter with such reverence and sensitivity, it comes off a little tame, and zealous fans of the artist's work may find it a little undercooked. In contrast, those who know nothing of the artist's work may feel a little detached from its significance, as the direction takes for granted a basic understanding of the artist's relevance. But at very least, the story is compelling as a tale of a tortured artist thrust into a critical popularity he couldn't handle and forced to deal with demons he couldn't help but to succumb to.

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December 01, 2009
Pretty good review..you know that Gary Oldman is actually playing Schnabel himself, Julian was actually very close friends with Basquiat. This leads to a lot of the creative imagery seen in the film, the moments walking through NY with the ocean breaking over the buildings etc. If you have ever watched real footage of Jean Michel you will also notice that Jeffery Wright played a flawless role, one that I feel was deserving of many, many awards. This brings up Bowie's depiction of Andy Warhol, incredible! Especially since Bowie and Andy were close friends in real life. Each character played such beautiful roles, and the artwork (Julians favorites) are amazing. Basquiat is probably my favorite film of all time, the soundtrack itself is a classic. Thanks for the review!
 
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Cory O'Malley ()
I'm a community manager at Lunch and think I know a thing or two about quirky industrial design, indie rock, lowbrow art, contemporary British authors, Mediterranean cuisine, chihuahuas -- pretty much … more
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Cast: Willem Dafoe, Dennis Hopper, Tatum O'Neal, Michael Wincott, Gary Oldman, Rockets Redglare, Jeffrey Wright, Christopher Walken, Vincent Laresca, Michael Badalucco, Parker Posey, Sam Rockwell, Linda Larkin, Francis Dumaurier, Frederick Weller, Michael Chow, Brian Wright, Paul Bartel, Elina Löwensohn, Jean-Claude LaMarre, Claire Forlani, Benicio Del Toro, Joseph R. Gannascoli, Steve Randazzo, Robert Alexander, Leonard Jackson, Ron Brice, Julie Araskog, Rene Rivera, Chuck Preiffer, Richard Butler, Alex Nemo, Hope Clarke, Paul Outlaw, Chuck Pfeifer, Denise Burse, Jose Luis Ferrer, Joseph R. Gamnascoli, Joe Glasco, Irene Kiss, Steven Parenago, Vladamir Parenago, Richard the Ox, Esther G. Schnabel, Jack Schnabel, Lola Schnabel, Olatz Maria Schnabel, Stella Schnabel, William Seymour, Dave Shelley, Tarmo Urb, David McDermott, Peter McGough
Director: Julian Schnabel
Genre: Drama
Release Date: August 9, 1996
MPAA Rating: R
Screen Writer: Julian Schnabel, John Bowe
Runtime: 1hr 48min
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