Andy Warhol was a phenomenon who warrants a lot of explaining: a completely colorless mega-star celebrity, and a kind of LaBrea Tarpit for a vivid and talented collection of oddballs in the New York scene. He fostered their continued degeneration into weird lifestyles and heavy drug use; and at the same time acted as their mentor, agent, and sponsor. One artist who came to be part of Warhol's "scene" was Jean Michel Basquiat, an antisocial street-bum who went from writing graffiti on alley walls to being the toast of New York City's art world. This film biography chronicles the progression of Basquiat (Jeffrey Wright) and his progression from living in cardboard boxes to penthouses, his romances, his drug use, and his death in 1988 at age 27. Along the way, he never stopped detesting the rich, including art agent Bruno Bischofberger (Dennis Hopper), and he never lost his naivete. Warhol (David Bowie) picks up some of the pieces as Basquiat lurches through the art scene. Cameo appearances by Tatum O'Neal and Courtney Love add spice to this interesting film. ~ Clarke Fountain, Rovi
Joni Sighvatsson Sigurjon Sighvatsson Jon Kilik Randy Ostrow
Composers (Music Score)
John Cale Bill Laswell
Co-Producers
Lech Majewski
Editors
Michael Berenbaum John Poyner Randy Vandergrift
Screen Writers
John Bowe Julian Schnabel
Set Designers
Susan Bode-Tyson Chris Frankenberger
Others
Art Director - C.J. Simpson
Camera Operator - Andrew Casey
Casting - Georgianne Walken
Casting - Sheila Jaffe
Cinematographer - Ron Fortunato
Composer (Music Score) - John Cale
Composer (Music Score) - Bill Laswell
Coordinator - Sirad Balducci
Coordinator - Greg Bogin
Costume Designer - John Dunn
Costume Designer - Barrett Hong
Costume Designer - Mark Burchard
Dialogue Editor - Louis Bertini
Dialogue Editor - Bitty O'Sullivan-Smith
Executive Producer - Peter Brant
Executive Producer - Michiyo Yoshizaki
Executive Producer - Joseph Allen
First Assistant Director - Jonathan Starch
First Assistant Director - Lisa Janowski
Foley Artist - Brian Vancho
Hair Styles - Mary D'Angelo
Hair Styles - Mark Herndon
Location Manager - Lysbeth Hopper
Makeup - Jennifer Aspinall
Makeup - Nina Port
Musical Arrangement - David Soldier
Musical Performer - Patrick Mullins
Production Designer - Dan Leigh
Songwriter - John Cale
Sound Mixer - Tom Nelson
Sound Mixer - Allan Byer
Sound Mixer - Dominick Tavella
Storyboard Artist - Brick Mason
Stunts Coordinator - Jeff Ward
Supervisor/Manager - Desiree Jellerette
Supervisor/Manager - Michael A. Jackman
Unit Production Manager - Adam Brightman
Visual Effects - Balsmeyer & Everett