I think Schnabel fairly proves that you don't actually have to have great talent and still succeed as a filmmaker. And I actually don't mean that as a slam - I am still very impressed with him as a director considering that his visual art is nothing more than mental masturbation of a meta nature that collapses divorced of prior knowledge.
His movies are so much better than his art, it's amazing. He made the right move going to films. Can you believe that anyone would pay 600K to 1M for those crap paintings?
When Schnabel first became famous in the early 80s he did a black and white photo magazine spread of himself playing with his kids at the beach. It was such an obvious ripoff of David Douglas Duncan's famous series of B+W photos of Picasso playing with his kids at the beach, you didn't know whether to feel contempt for Schnabel's chutzpah, or just feel embarrassed by his transparent neediness.
Especially since Picasso was a great artist who at age 70 looked like a force of nature with his shirt off, whereas Schnabel was a crappy artist who at age 30 just looked fat with his shirt off. Schnabel has made some good movies, though.
1) BASQUIAT was almost 14 years ago, but I love that that's a "few years ago" in Morley Safer time, 2) Schnabel is precisely the kind of genius/douchebag who should not give interviews.
Don't know shit about paintings and what constitutes "good art" in that scene, but I know when someone's a great filmmaker, and Schnabel is just that.
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly is one of the best movies I've ever seen. It's such an affecting movie, so beautifully realized, and so tenderly put together. The guy may have his head up his ass, but I say leave it there if it means that he'll continue to make films like Diving Bell.
comment #1
nemo
says ...
Darn, from the picture I thought it was going to be an interview with Raul Castro.
Posted by nemo
at December 8, 2008 5:08 PM
comment #2
Drew McWeeny
says ...
When did the Crypt Keeper become a 60 MINUTES correspondent?
Posted by Drew McWeeny
at December 8, 2008 5:35 PM
comment #3
NotImpressed1Yet
says ...
That guy has a killer new york apartment.
Posted by NotImpressed1Yet
at December 8, 2008 6:27 PM
comment #4
MickTravis
says ...
Does that mean you're now impressed?
Posted by MickTravis
at December 8, 2008 7:11 PM
comment #5
MickTravis
says ...
Hmm. The online version edits out the excerpts from his films.
Posted by MickTravis
at December 8, 2008 7:16 PM
comment #6
Deathtongue_Groupie
says ...
I think Schnabel fairly proves that you don't actually have to have great talent and still succeed as a filmmaker. And I actually don't mean that as a slam - I am still very impressed with him as a director considering that his visual art is nothing more than mental masturbation of a meta nature that collapses divorced of prior knowledge.
Posted by Deathtongue_Groupie
at December 8, 2008 7:58 PM
comment #7
Mark B
says ...
Okay, he's an egomaniac, but DIVING BELL is an amazing piece of work, IMHO.
Posted by Mark B
at December 8, 2008 8:15 PM
comment #8
nemo
says ...
His movies are so much better than his art, it's amazing. He made the right move going to films. Can you believe that anyone would pay 600K to 1M for those crap paintings?
When Schnabel first became famous in the early 80s he did a black and white photo magazine spread of himself playing with his kids at the beach. It was such an obvious ripoff of David Douglas Duncan's famous series of B+W photos of Picasso playing with his kids at the beach, you didn't know whether to feel contempt for Schnabel's chutzpah, or just feel embarrassed by his transparent neediness.
Especially since Picasso was a great artist who at age 70 looked like a force of nature with his shirt off, whereas Schnabel was a crappy artist who at age 30 just looked fat with his shirt off. Schnabel has made some good movies, though.
Posted by nemo
at December 8, 2008 8:57 PM
comment #9
BurmaShave
says ...
1) BASQUIAT was almost 14 years ago, but I love that that's a "few years ago" in Morley Safer time, 2) Schnabel is precisely the kind of genius/douchebag who should not give interviews.
Posted by BurmaShave
at December 8, 2008 10:41 PM
comment #10
actionman
says ...
Don't know shit about paintings and what constitutes "good art" in that scene, but I know when someone's a great filmmaker, and Schnabel is just that.
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly is one of the best movies I've ever seen. It's such an affecting movie, so beautifully realized, and so tenderly put together. The guy may have his head up his ass, but I say leave it there if it means that he'll continue to make films like Diving Bell.
Posted by actionman
at December 9, 2008 7:07 AM
comment #11
longrunner
says ...
FYI, Schnabel joins Lou Reed as Elvis Costello's guest on this week's Spectacle (Sundance Channel, Wednesday 9pm EST).
Posted by longrunner
at December 9, 2008 8:11 AM