Artist Jean-Michel Basquiat and his friend Benny snort cocaine through a straw from a plate.
Jean-Michel imagines a conversation: "Is this the suicide hotline?"
“I’m gonna blow my brains out.”
“No. I’m gonna take these pills.” (0:12)
Jean-Michel smokes a joint in bed. (0:26)
Men snort cocaine with Jean-Michel. (0:30)
Painter Gina says, “You’re out of your mind Benny, you should take more drugs.” (0:31)
Gina finds Jean-Michel unresponsive with a syringe on the floor beside him. (0:51)
Jean-Michel and Benny share a joint. Jean-Michel: “Give me my joint man.” (0:52)
Jean-Michel lights a joint and shares it with artist Albert. (0:56)
Jean-Michel snorts cocaine. (1:00)
An interviewer asks Jean-Michel, “Your mother resides in a mental institution. Is that right?” (1:09)
Jean-Michel complains to painter Andy that people refer to him as a “death-warmed-over person on drugs.”
“Now they say I’m killing myself... I’m clean now.” (1:20)
Albert tells Jean-Michel, referring to Andy, “He never asked me for a thing except to speak to you about getting off drugs.” (1:29)
Art dealer Bruno, tearful, tells Jean-Michel, “Andy is dead.” Jean-Michel remembers his friend, grieves.
End text: “Jean-Michel Basquiat, American painter, died of August 12th, 1988 of a heroin overdose. He was 27 years old.” (1:32)