Jean-Michel Basquiat in Downtown 81 . Credit: Metrograph Pictures/ Edo Bertoglio — Jean-Michel Basquiat in *Downtown 81 .* Credit: Metrograph Pictures/ Edo Bertoglio

This vibrant relic of the downtown New York City in the early 1980’s was filmed in 1981, primarily in the pre-gentrified Lower East Side. Witnessed through the eyes of the undiscovered wunderkind music and grafitti artist, Jean-Michel Basquiat, playing a character very much like himself. We follow him being released from the hospital after an unnamed illness and out into the world, as he drinks in and embraces everything he sees in wonderfully poetic prose as he tries to return to his life, only to discover that things have changed while he was hospitalized. His apartment has been locked by the landlord pending overdue rent, rendering him homeless with his few meager possessions, significantly a painting which is the only thing of value that he owns apart from his horn.

The rest of the film has a serendipitous trajectory as we tour his world of the truly decrepit LES streets, down and dirty artist’s and musician’s studios, and the grungy clubs like the Mudd Club playing the music which would blossom and evolve into rap and hip-hop. Featured musicians are Kid Creole and the Coconuts, John Lurie, Fab Five Freddy, Debby Harry and Johnny Dynell. The authenticity of the whole film could almost qualify it as a documentary. It is larded with real characters from that milieu – Cookie Mueller, Diane Brill, Anita Sarko, and Joey Arias. The acting is almost completely artless (as in real). Finally, as almost all avenues of salvation for the homeless and penniless hero seem to be gone, he has a marvelous fairy tale rescue by a homeless woman sleeping in an alley. She asks for a kiss which will release her from her state and allow her to grant him a wish. And Voila!! She turns into a princess (Debby Harry) and he finds a suitcase stuffed with cash. Wonderful.

What makes it really fascinating is how prescient the whole thing turned out to be. Basquiat became that character. The paintings used in the film were the first paintings on canvas that Basquiat had made. Prior to that he was only making grafitti on walls. Basquiat was involved in and influential in the music of that time. And it was the beginning of a fruitful collaboration between Glenn O’Brien and Basquiat which resulted in the later film “Boom, For Real”. The spot-on writing of O’Brien combined with the irresistible, innate charm of Basquiat make for very compelling look at a dark and transformative artistic period which is all but vanished today.

Lack of cash stalled completion until 2000 when it was compiled and edited from the original footage. It can be rented or bought on kinonow.com.