Downtown 81

During the twenty years Downtown 81 was sitting, unfinished, in a vault, the film's star, Jean Michel Basquiat went from cult graffiti artist to New York City modern art icon to dead-too-soon legend. Written by rock critic Glenn O'Brien and directed by Edo Bertoglio, the now-finished film is a largely plot-less day-in-the-life-of-an-artist starring Basquiat as a destitute painter whose meanderings on the Lower East Side take him on a tour of the city's art and music scene. While somewhat useless as a narrative film, Downtown 81's near-documentary feel offers a remarkably vital portrait of the dangerous pre-Giuliani Manhattan of strip clubs, thugs, and bums. Basquiat also witnesses live performances from the likes of Kid Creole and the Coconuts, James White and the Blacks, and Fab Five Freddy. Though his character sleepwalks through life, Basquiat had an undeniable screen presence, and the film's message of hope for the gritty, poverty-stricken city is more relevant than ever. Recommended. [DVD extras include O'Brien's fine commentary track, outtakes, an interactive location map, a behind-the-scenes interview with O'Brien and producer Maripol, and archival footage of Basquiat's appearance on O'Brien's cable access show, TV Party. Bottom line: a good extras package for a historically relevant film.] (D. Fienberg)[DVD Review—June 30, 2015—Music Box, 2 discs, 72 min., R, $29.95—Making its latest appearance on DVD, 1981's Downtown 81 features a nice digitally remastered transfer and Dolby Digital 5.1 and 2.0 soundtracks. Extras include audio commentary by writer Glenn O'Brien and producer Maripol, archival footage of star Jean-Michel Basquiat's appearance on O'Brien's cable access show TV Party (67 min.), interviews with O'Brien and Maripol (34 min.), graffiti artist Fab Five Freddy (27 min.), and Maripol (24 min.), a 2000 Cannes press conference (18 min.), “Writing Graffiti to ‘Drum Mode'” (5 min.) and TV Party (3 min.) clips, a stills gallery with photos by Maripol, and a 40-page collector's booklet. Bottom line: a fine anniversary edition of this notable indie film spotlighting artist Basquiat.]