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Downtown 81

Play trailer Poster for Downtown 81 Released Jul 13, 2001 1h 11m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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79% Tomatometer 29 Reviews 73% Popcornmeter 1,000+ Ratings
"Downtown 81" is a feature film starring the legendary American artist Jean Michel Basquiat (1960-1988.) Basquiat was a 19 year old painter, graffiti artist, poet and musician when he played the lead in this film, which vividly depicts the explosive downtown New York art and music scene of 1980-81.
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Downtown 81

Critics Reviews

View All (29) Critics Reviews
Robert Abele Los Angeles Times Its bygone-ness still abuzz with creativity and movement, "Downtown 81" is a celluloid scrapbook that we can all be thankful for in helping capture the rumble before takeoff. Dec 5, 2019 Full Review John DeFore The Hollywood Reporter For anyone steeped in or curious about the often uncategorizable music made during this period, Downtown 81 is a joyous artifact. Oct 25, 2019 Full Review Michael Joshua Rowin Slant Magazine This time capsule of bohemian New York distorts its representation of the city for reasons more loving than lazy. Rated: 3/4 Oct 21, 2019 Full Review Bedatri D. Choudhury Hyperallergic It's perhaps not a magical portal but an always-open, inviting one that promises a journey to a lost city of artists and roadside fairies where Basquiat sits on a chair, drawing on Man Ray portraits with a Sharpie. Mar 2, 2020 Full Review Lorry Kikta Film Threat As a music fan, particularly a fan of punk and post-punk, Downtown 81 is essential viewing... Rated: 7/10 Dec 7, 2019 Full Review Daniel Barnes Dare Daniel An intermittently electric movie that plays like a hybrid concert documentary, genre parody and art film fairy tale. Rated: 3.5/5 Oct 30, 2019 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Joel T Stunning shots of LES Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 04/02/24 Full Review Audience Member I actually worked as the sound recordist on this movie about a year after moving to NYC from Baltimore. It was super low-budget, street-level, run and gun film whose script was written while hanging out on slushy December street corners in very young Soho and Alphabet City, while waiting for a very late Jean-Michel Basquait to show up. It had a first-time young, very arty Italian director, which was extra fun, and a first-time producer who constantly looked at his watch and sweated bullets. Shame on those who think ill of this home-grown masterpiece. You obviously haven't lived very deeply, but dedicated your lives to fluff instead. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/06/23 Full Review Audience Member It's Jean-Michel Basquiat. It's New York. A pre-fame version of the cult artist. A year before Madonna. A city where everything can happen. « If you can make it there, you can sell your unwanted hair ».When the Lower East Side was more close to be a post war decor. We bought a can of beer each to go see Downtown 81. Couldn't find my usual 473ml size. 710ml is the new 473ml. How many times would I have to pee during the movie? Jean is an artist who tries to sell a painting to get some money because he has nowhere to sleep. Not so far from Basquiat reality. The real artist, homeless without any prestige or money yet. Funny to see him walking by the Guggenheim without knowing what his true legacy was going to be. « Nature pushing through the concrete » The talent of the artist. Leaving graffiti all around the city. « The whole livery line bow like this with the big money all crushed into these feet ». We get to see his creativity. Sitting down. Waiting. Grabbed a random book. Flips through the book. Took his marker pen out. Without hesitation. Adding details to photos. It all comes alive. It all becomes him. Outside Basquiat's there's music. Post punk. New waves music at is best. Live performance, Kid Kreole and the Coconuts, recording session, DNA, Debbie Harry hiding in the garbage as a fairy to become. A celebration of different types of art with a capital A. People doing art for the art. Fuck the money. 72 minutes of film. Had to drink fast but didn't have to run to the bathroom. At first we were hiding our huge can of beer in the intimate Metrograph theatre 2. But as the movie was going through our eyes and making sense in our head, there weren't any reasons to hide. The closest I've come to being a punk. A simple fairy tale that takes place in the real world where dreams can come true. An unfinished movie that found is own end directed by Edo Bertoglio. Purrr Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 01/29/23 Full Review JWood An interesting time capsule of the early 80's art scene in NYC. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 12/11/19 Full Review Audience Member cinegeek.de Klar, heute kennen wir Jean Michel Basquiat als einen der einflussreichsten Künstler seiner Zeit. Als er aber noch ein junger Mann war auf der Suche nach seinem Stil, spielte er in diesem Mix aus Doku und Experimentalfilm eben einen solchen jungen Mann auf der Suche. Inszeniert wurde der Film 1980-81 von Edo Bertoglio, der Basquiat aus seiner TV Performance in "TV Party" kannte. New York zu der Zeit war voller Dealer, Nutten, verlassener Gebäude und Graffitis. In derselben Zeit entwickelte sich die Underground Scene mit neuer Musik und neuer Kunst. Downtown 81 gehörte auch dazu, ein Kultfilm, ein Klassiker, der erst viel später veröffentlicht werden sollte. 12 Jahre nach dem Tod Basquiats wurde der Film in Cannes aufgeführt. Trotzdem konnte man Downtown 81 bis heute kaum sehen. Das ändert sich durch diese amerikanische DVD Veröffentlichung. Probleme beim Abspielen? Die DVD ist leider ausgestattet mit einem Regional Code (Zone 1 für USA, während wir hier in Zone 2 für Europa sind). Wie kann man die DVD trotzdem sehen? Google "code free" und du findest eine Anleitung. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 01/31/23 Full Review Audience Member Absorbing, almost stream-of-consciousness art. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/03/23 Full Review Read all reviews
Downtown 81

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Movie Info

Synopsis "Downtown 81" is a feature film starring the legendary American artist Jean Michel Basquiat (1960-1988.) Basquiat was a 19 year old painter, graffiti artist, poet and musician when he played the lead in this film, which vividly depicts the explosive downtown New York art and music scene of 1980-81.
Director
Edo Bertoglio
Producer
Maripol
Screenwriter
Glenn O'Brien
Distributor
Zeitgeist Films
Production Co
Miramax
Genre
Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Jul 13, 2001, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Aug 10, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA)
$25.0K
Runtime
1h 11m
Sound Mix
Dolby Stereo, Dolby Digital, Dolby A, Dolby SR
Aspect Ratio
Flat (1.85:1)
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