New York Beat was shot downtown in the City and released in 2001 as Downtown 81. It wanders the streets and scene of New York with then 19 year old graffiti artist Jean-Michel Basquiat. It is a fascinating home movie in its realism, with a fictional plot and some fantastic characters, such as musician Debbie Harry as the fairy godmother. It's great picture of life in the time, maybe magnified only slightly. Basquiat was to pass of a drug overdose mixing heroin and cocaine only 7 years later. The film languished for 20 years until 2001 when the lost dialog was dubed and the film released. The film meditates on the freedom of the art subculture of that time and place, naively standing at the door of the Reagan-era Wall Street and art boom which would drive Basquiat's work into museums and prices into millions for paintings. Film at PSU's 5th Avenue Cinema 510 SW Hall Street
7:00PM, 9:30 Friday and Saturday 3PM Sunday Free PSU students, $2 for other students/seniors, $3 general and free popcorn
