Eddy on Downtown 81
March 22, 2018, by Eddy
This movie was very surreal to me. I appreciate that it gave me a look into the life of the underground scene of New York. I had never heard Basquiat speak before and I was confused to hear him speak like that. I expected a different voice. However, I looked further into the movie and learned that all the dialogue was lost from the original recording and needed to be redone, so it was done by Saul Williams. The dialogue did not sound like it fit the story and it added to the surreal nature of the film. It was almost as if it was done on purpose to show a separation of what people say and their true selves hidden under the voices.
The music displayed throughout the movie was all new to me, but the scenes where bands were playing were an interesting way to steer away from the main focus of the story. The underground music was good for the transitions of the film and gave me a better idea of what the music was like in that era. I wish I could have been a part of the music scene back then, just being in the crowd and experiencing the emotions and energy given to the crowd through song. The music gave me a paranoid feeling, just like I feel was the mission of the movie. New York is a very paranoid city, not knowing what could happen next, so the soundtrack perfectly mimics that feeling. The music even made me uncomfortable, but I welcomed that discomfort because of the nature of the film. The move was disjointed with awkward delivery and awkward lines, but the music added to that, making it all seem like it was on purpose instead of just a combination of clips put together.
My favorite aspect about this film was looking at the backgrounds of New York that were depicted throughout the different scenes. One could really see the state of dilapidation and rubble from the shots that they used, especially while Basquiat was walking from destination to destination. I enjoyed trying to figure out where a scene was shot and tried to relate it to how it looks today, most notably the bus segment when Basquiat was waiting on Astor Place. The setting plays a character in the movie and sets the tone of the culture that is being shown throughout the film. It also allows viewers to take a glimpse into the harsh reality that New Yorkers from that era had to deal with. Today’s New York is more polished than it was before, even though there is still a gritty feel to the streets both back then and now. The segments in which Basquiat would spray paint walls were fascinating to me because I was able to peek into his creations and how he created those pieces of work. They added to the narrative of New York City and gave the viewers a peek into the way that his mind works.