Italy / Aug 01, 1996 / Venice Film Festival
In 1981, a nineteen-year-old unknown graffiti writer took the New York art world by storm. The rest is art history.
1h 47min
Overall average
5.0/10
Trailer
Videos
Plot
The brief life of Jean Michel Basquiat, a world renowned New York street artist struggling with fame, drugs and his identity.
Main cast
Full cast
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
| Christopher Walken | The Interviewer |
| Willem Dafoe | The Electrician |
| Jean-Claude La Marre | Shenge |
| Parker Posey | Mary Boone |
| Elina Löwensohn | Annina Nosei |
| Paul Bartel | Henry Geldzahler |
| Courtney Love | Big Pink |
| Tatum O'Neal | Cynthia Kruger |
| Chuck Pfeiffer | Tom Kruger |
| Rockets Redglare | Rockets |
| Esther G. Schnabel | Esther Milo |
| Jack Schnabel | Jack Milo |
| Lola Schnabel | Jacqueline Milo |
| Peter McGough | Peter McGough |
| David McDermott | David McDermott |
| Michael Chow | Mr. Chow |
| Stella Schnabel | Stella |
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| Steven Randazzo | Maitre' d at Ballato's |
| Michael Badalucco | Counterman at Deli |
| Francis Dumaurier | Giorgio |
| Joseph R. Gannascoli | Guard at Hospital |
| Hope Clarke | Matilde |
| Brian Wright | Young Jean Michel |
| Tarmo Urb | Lech |
| Denise Burse | Mary on TV |
| Robert Alexander | Band Guy |
| Vincent Laresca | Vincent |
| Nemo Librizzi | Nemo |
| Leonard Jackson | Jean Michel's Father |
| Dave Shelley | Photographer |
| Frederick Weller | Frank |
| Rene Rivera | Juan |
| Sam Rockwell | Thug |
| Ron Brice | Thug |
| William Seymour | Mr. Chow's Maitre' d |
| Richard E. Butler | Medieval Villager |
| Joe Glasco | Medieval Villager |
| Steven Parenago | Medieval Villager |
| Vladamir Parenago | Medieval Villager |
| José Luis Ferrer | Medieval Villager |
| Irene Kiss | Medieval Villager |
| Richard the Ox | Medieval Villager |
| Toomas Urb | Chef at Lech's Restaurant (uncredited) |
| Vincent Gallo | Party Guest (uncredited) |
| Linda Larkin | Fan (uncredited) |
Genres
DramaHistory
Technical details
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| Original title | Basquiat |
| Original language | English (EN) |
| Spoken languages | English, Español |
| Production countries | United States of America |
| Status | Released |
| Production companies | Eleventh Street Production, Jon Kilik Productions, Miramax |
| Release date | 9 agosto 1996 |
| Executive producer | Joseph Allen, Michiyo Yoshizaki, Peter Brant |
| Production | Randy Ostrow, Sigurjón Sighvatsson, Jon Kilik, Lech Majewski |
| Writer | Lech Majewski, Julian Schnabel, John F. Bowe, Michael Holman |
| Casting | Georgianne Walken, Sheila Jaffe |
| Editing | Michael Berenbaum, Earl Dittebrandt |
| Cinematography | Ron Fortunato, Myles Aronowitz, Joseph E. Gallagher, Eric Liebowitz, Andrew Casey |
| Assistant directors | Lisa Janowski, Jonathan Starch, Julian Schnabel, Michael Holman |
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| Lighting | Robert Sciretta |
| Camera operators | Andrew Casey, Ron Fortunato, Myles Aronowitz, Joseph E. Gallagher, Eric Liebowitz |
| Additional photography | Ron Fortunato, Myles Aronowitz, Joseph E. Gallagher, Eric Liebowitz, Andrew Casey |
| Production design | Dan Leigh, CJ Simpson, Susan Bode Tyson, Janos Pilenyi |
| Art direction | CJ Simpson, Dan Leigh, Susan Bode Tyson, Janos Pilenyi |
| Set decoration | Susan Bode Tyson, Dan Leigh, CJ Simpson, Janos Pilenyi |
| Visual effects | Randall Balsmeyer |
| Stunts | Jeff Ward |
| Music | John Cale, Julian Schnabel, Patrick Mullins, Susan Jacobs, Allan Byer, George A. Lara, Ira Spiegel, Dominick Tavella, Brian Vancho |
| Sound | John Cale, Julian Schnabel, Patrick Mullins, Susan Jacobs, Allan Byer, George A. Lara, Ira Spiegel, Dominick Tavella, Brian Vancho |
| Costume design | John Dunn, Wayne Herndon, Jennifer Aspinall |
| Makeup | Jennifer Aspinall, Wayne Herndon, John Dunn |
| Hairstyling | Wayne Herndon, John Dunn, Jennifer Aspinall |
| Budget | 3.300.000 € |
| Revenue | 3.022.292 € |
Release dates
Premiere
Canada / Sep 21, 1996 / Cinefest Sudbury International Film Festival
Portugal / Nov 30, 1996
Singapore / Apr 13, 1997 / Singapore International Film Festival
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Czechia / Jul 01, 1997 / Karlovy Vary International Film Festival
United States / Sep 12, 2024 / Black and White Version, IFC Center, New York City
Limited release
United States / Aug 09, 1996 / R
Theatrical release
Germany / Dec 12, 1996 / 12
Switzerland / Dec 13, 1996 / German speaking region
Portugal / Feb 07, 1997
Australia / Mar 06, 1997 / M
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France / Mar 26, 1997
United Kingdom / Mar 28, 1997
Netherlands / May 02, 1997
Türkiye / May 02, 1997
Japan / Jun 07, 1997
Czechia / Jul 10, 1997 / U
Sweden / Oct 03, 1997
Finland / Oct 17, 1997
Poland / Oct 24, 1997
Denmark / Oct 31, 1997
Spain / Nov 27, 1997
South Korea / Sep 18, 1998 / 18
Physical media
Argentina / Mar 03, 1998
Canada / Apr 29, 2025 / The Criterion Collection 4K+Blu-Ray
United States / Apr 29, 2025 / The Criterion Collection 4K+Blu-Ray
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