Parallels To Real Life
Writer Glenn O’Brien, who knew Basquiat from his TV Party program and the Mudd Club, said of the movie: “Pennyless, Jean-Michel was kicked out of his apartment, then tried to sell his paintings for daily income. He showed up at clubs and tried to pick up girls to go to her apartment to have someplace to sleep. Basically, it was based on his real life…” O'Brien had worked for Andy Warhol, and had adopted his technique of having actors essentially play themselves with a minimal plot. “The film is an exaggerated version of life” he said.
Jean-Michel Basquiat was homeless at the time of the movie, and slept in the production office during most of the shooting. The film production bought Basquiat canvas and paints to make paintings for the film. The paintings that appear in the movie belonging to Basquiat’s character are by Basquiat himself, and among his first canvases.
Debbie Harry (who plays the fairy princess who gives him money), and her boyfriend Chris Stein, both of the band Blondie, bought a painting of Basquiat’s for $200 after the end of shooting.
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