Make Me Famous (2021 film)

Last updated
Make Me Famous
Make Me Famous (2021 film).jpeg
Directed by Brian Vincent (director)
Produced byHeather Spore
Starring Eric Bogosian
Patti Astor
Kenny Scharf
Duncan Hannah
Frank Holliday
Mark Kostabi
Scott Covert
David McDermott
James Romberger
Marguerite Van Cook
Annina Nosei
Richard Hambleton
Peter McGough
Edward Brezinski
Edited byBrian Vincent
Music by Jeremiah Bornfield
Release date
  • 2021 (2021)
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Make Me Famous is a 2021 biographical documentary that explores the life and work of painter Edward Brezinski in his quest for fame. [1] [2]

Contents

Directed and edited by Brian Vincent (director) in his feature directorial debut and produced by Heather Spore, it is about the rise and fall of the East Village art scene in New York City in the 1980s through the unlikely lens of little known neo expressionist painter Edward Brezinski. The film premiered at the New York Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, & Transgender Film Festival on October 17, 2021. It was released exclusively in theaters in the United States on June 22, 2023, by Red Splat Productions. The film received positive reviews from critics.

Release

The film premiered on October 17, 2021, at the New York Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, & Transgender Film Festival. [3] Make Me Famous had a non-traditional DIY self-distributed theatrical run. [4] [5] The film had a pre-theatrical run in Toronto at the Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema in January 2023. [6]

UK Release

The UK release was in Feb 2023 at the Bertha Dochouse Curzon Cinema in Bloomsbury [7] and the Institute of Contemporary Arts London. [8] This run was extended for a total of three weeks at the Bertha Dochouse. [9]

Domestic Release

Domestically, the film had a sold out pre-theatrical sneak peek at the Museum of the City of New York on April 18, 2023. [10] The film was released in theaters in a self-distributed theatrical with openings on June 22, 2023 at the Roxy Cinema and June 23, 2023 at the New Plaza Cinema with additional screenings at the Alamo Drafthouse in Lower Manhattan. [11]

The film had screenings across the US in major markets on notable screens such as Los Angeles Laemmle Theaters [12] , San Francisco Roxie Theater [13] , Kansas City Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art [14] , Detroit at Cinema Detroit [15] , Philadelphia at Lightbox Cinema and Indianapolis at Kan Kan Cinema [16] . The film has played 45 cities and 9 countries.

With a continued presence in New York City, the film screened 17 times at Roxy Cinema and played monthly at the New Plaza Cinema for 26 screenings. [17] Other notable screens who programmed the film in New York City were Nighthawk Cinema in Prospect Park and Williamsburg and Syndicated Brooklyn in Bushwick. On July 27, 2024 the film will screen on the Lower East Side at the Village East by Angelika. [18]

Reception

Critical Response

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes , 100% of 24 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 7/10. [19] The website’s consensus reads, “”Make Me Famous” brings notoriety to its subject and his peers while delivering a gritty time capsule of New York City's art scene before it was gentrified.” [20]

The Hollywood Reporter wrote "The first half of the project breathlessly divulges as much information about Brzezinski as possible, sketching his character through his makeshift community’s vision. There is a straightforward tone, an uncomplicated visual style, and a focus on the interviewees’ stories and ideas, which occasionally take one too many tangents. Suddenly it all changes, and Make Me Famous adopts a true-crime quality." [21]

The Guardian called the film a "touching documentary revisits the grimy Manhattan of the 70s and 80s in search of long-lost painter Edward Brezinski." [22]

Artforum called the film a "brilliantly digressive structure for a feature-length movie...remarkably loving and deeply empathetic conjuring for which Vincent should be commended, the conceit of this picture, what has indeed sold it so successfully to audiences, is how its protagonist is ultimately a surrogate, a blank upon which we can project the full spectrum of desire and dread that circulates through creative ambition like the lifeblood of culture.” [23]

Box Office

The opening weekend Box Office Gross was $5757 across 5 screenings. Domestically, the film earned $51,809 with an eventized theatrical model and in the UK earned $4572 on two screens. [24]

The Numbers which tracks film box office revenue lists the film with milestones in all-time records for Limited Release Movies. [25]

Biggest Weekend at the Domestic Box Office for Limited Release Movies

  1. Ranked 61 in 39th Weekend
  2. Ranked 52 in 42nd Weekend
  3. Ranked 64 in 43rd Weekend
  4. Ranked 49 in 48th Weekend
  5. Ranked 29 in 54th Weekend

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rotten Tomatoes</span> American review aggregator for film and television

Rotten Tomatoes is an American review-aggregation website for film and television. The company was launched in August 1998 by three undergraduate students at the University of California, Berkeley: Senh Duong, Patrick Y. Lee, and Stephen Wang. Although the name "Rotten Tomatoes" connects to the practice of audiences throwing rotten tomatoes in disapproval of a poor stage performance, the direct inspiration for the name from Duong, Lee, and Wang came from an equivalent scene in the 1992 Canadian film Léolo.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">James Ivory</span> American film director (born 1928)

James Francis Ivory is an American film director, producer, and screenwriter. Ivory along with Indian film producer Ismail Merchant, his domestic as well as professional partner, and screenwriter Ruth Prawer Jhabvala, were the principals in Merchant Ivory Productions. Together they made film adaptations from the novels of E.M. Forster, Henry James and others. Their body of work is celebrated for its elegance, sophistication, literary fidelity, strong performances, as well as its complex themes and rich characters.

<i>One from the Heart</i> 1982 film by Francis Ford Coppola

One from the Heart is a 1982 American musical romantic drama film co-written and directed by Francis Ford Coppola and starring Frederic Forrest, Teri Garr, Raul Julia, Nastassja Kinski, Lainie Kazan, and Harry Dean Stanton. Set entirely in Las Vegas and made independently by Coppola's own Zoetrope Studios, the film was a critical and commercial failure.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">James Romberger</span> American artist (born 1958)

James Romberger is an American artist known for his depictions of New York City's Lower East Side.

<i>Winnebago Man</i> 2009 film by Ben Steinbauer

Winnebago Man is a 2009 American documentary film directed by Ben Steinbauer. The film follows the Internet phenomenon created by a series of twenty-year-old outtakes from a Winnebago sales video featuring profane outbursts from a salesperson named Jack Rebney. Originally intended as an inside joke, the video spread across the globe—first on VHS, and then via YouTube and other online video sites, earning the salesman the title of "The Angriest Man in the World". The documentary explores the story of the clips' origins and how, two decades later, it affected the reluctant star.

<i>Cave of Forgotten Dreams</i> 2010 documentary film by Werner Herzog

Cave of Forgotten Dreams is a 2010 3D documentary film by Werner Herzog about the Chauvet Cave in Southern France, which contains some of the oldest human-painted images yet discovered—some of them were crafted around 32,000 years ago. It consists of footage from inside the cave, as well as of the nearby Pont d'Arc natural bridge, alongside interviews with various scientists and historians. The film premiered on 13 September 2010 at the Toronto International Film Festival.

<i>Jig</i> (film) 2011 British film

Jig is a 2011 documentary produced and directed by Sue Bourne about the world of Irish dance and the fortieth Irish Dancing World Championships, held in March 2010 in Glasgow.

<i>Sound City</i> (film) 2013 American film

Sound City is a 2013 American documentary film produced and directed by Dave Grohl, in his directorial debut, about the history of recording studio Sound City Studios in Van Nuys, Los Angeles. Grohl was inspired to create the documentary after he purchased several items from the studio, including the Neve 8028 analog mixing console, when it stopped operating as a commercial studio in 2011. The film discusses the historic importance of Sound City Studios and its Neve 8028 console to the world of rock music, along with other recording genres. Sound City debuted on January 18, 2013, to positive reviews, with a 100% Rotten Tomatoes score. The film engendered a record, Sound City: Real to Reel, which received two Grammy Awards.

<i>Downloaded</i> (film) 2013 film

Downloaded is a documentary film directed by Alex Winter about the downloading generation and the impact of filesharing on the Internet. A teaser of the film premiered at SXSW on March 14, 2012. The feature film made its world premiere at SXSW on March 10, 2013, and was shown at other film festivals around the world. VH1 partnered with AOL to distribute the film widely and was broadcast as a VH1 Rock Docs feature in late 2014.

<i>One Direction: This Is Us</i> 2013 film directed by Morgan Spurlock

One Direction: This Is Us is a 2013 3-D documentary concert film about British-Irish boy band One Direction. It opened in the United Kingdom on 29 August 2013. It also opened a day later in the United States. The film follows the group on their Take Me Home Tour. It was a commercial success and grossed $68 million worldwide.

<i>Age of Panic</i> 2013 French film

Age of Panic is a 2013 French comedy drama film written and directed by Justine Triet. It was nominated for Best First Feature Film at the 2014 César Awards.

<i>Listen to Me Marlon</i> 2015 documentary film

Listen to Me Marlon is a 2015 British documentary film written, directed and edited by Stevan Riley about the movie star and iconic actor Marlon Brando.

<i>Amy</i> (2015 film) 2015 film

Amy is a 2015 British documentary film directed by Asif Kapadia and produced by James Gay-Rees. The film covers British singer-songwriter Amy Winehouse's life and her struggle with substance abuse, both before and after her career blossomed, and which eventually caused her death. In February 2015, a teaser trailer based on the life of Winehouse debuted at a pre-Grammys event. David Joseph, CEO of Universal Music UK, announced that the documentary titled Amy would be released later that year. He further stated: "About two years ago we decided to make a movie about her—her career and her life. It's a very complicated and tender movie. It tackles lots of things about family and media, fame, addiction, but most importantly, it captures the very heart of what she was about, which is an amazing person and a true musical genius."

<i>Whitney</i> (2018 film) 2018 film

Whitney is a 2018 documentary film about the American singer and actress Whitney Houston. The film was directed by Kevin Macdonald and produced by Simon Chinn, Jonathan Chinn and Lisa Erspamer. Whitney was screened out of competition at the world premiere as part of the 2018 Cannes Film Festival on 16 May 2018 with a cinema release on 6 July 2018. The film was also released on home media where it debuted at number one on the UK Official Music Video Chart. The film received positive reviews from critics and audiences and grossed $4.7 million worldwide at the box office. In December 2018, Whitney was nominated at the 61st Grammy Awards for Best Music Film.

<i>Death of a Nation</i> (2018 film) 2018 American film

Death of a Nation: Can We Save America a Second Time? is a 2018 American political documentary film by Dinesh D'Souza, a US conservative provocateur. In the film D'Souza presents a revisionist history comparing the political climate surrounding the 45th President of the United States Donald Trump to that of the 16th President, Abraham Lincoln. The film argues that the Democratic Party from both eras was critical of the presidents of the time and that the Democrats have similarities to fascist regimes, including the Nazi Party. The film was written and directed by Dinesh D'Souza and Bruce Schooley, and produced by Gerald R. Molen. It was produced on a budget of $6 million.

<i>Apollo 11</i> (2019 film) 2019 documentary film

Apollo 11 is a 2019 American documentary film edited, produced and directed by Todd Douglas Miller. It focuses on the 1969 Apollo 11 mission, the first spaceflight from which men walked on the Moon. The film consists solely of archival footage, including 70 mm film previously unreleased to the public, and does not feature narration, interviews or modern recreations. The Saturn V rocket, Apollo crew consisting of Buzz Aldrin, Neil Armstrong, and Michael Collins, and Apollo program Earth-based mission operations engineers are prominently featured in the film.

<i>The World Before Your Feet</i> 2018 American film

The World Before Your Feet is a 2018 American documentary film directed by filmmaker Jeremy Workman about Matt Green's mission to walk every street of New York City, a journey of over 8000 miles. The film also marked the producing debut of actor Jesse Eisenberg.

<i>The Afterlight</i> (2021 film) 2021 art film

The Afterlight is a 2021 British experimental supercut art film directed and assembled by Charlie Shackleton.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Edward Brezinski</span>

Edward Brezinski (1954-2007) was an American artist who, in the 1980s, became a painter in the East Village arts scene. He was the subject of the documentary Make Me Famous.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brian Vincent (director)</span> American actor and director (born 1970)

Brian Vincent is an American actor and filmmaker. Since 2018 he has been the executor of the Estate of New York painter Richard Hambleton.

References

  1. Kornits, Dov (June 27, 2022). "Make Me Famous: The Art of Documentary". FilmInk .
  2. Skelton, Flossie (February 17, 2023). "New doc Make Me Famous blows open the 1980s New York art scene". Dazed .
  3. Assunçāo, Muri (October 10, 2021). "NYC's Largest LGBTQ Film Festival is Back with in Person and Virtual Screenings". New York Daily News . Retrieved July 6, 2024.
  4. Kelly, Keith (September 18, 2023). "Couple Behind Indie Hit "Make Me Famous" Captures Gritty, East Village Art World of the '80s" . Retrieved July 6, 2024.
  5. Macaulay, Scott (July 6, 2023). "The '80s NYC Art Scene, DIY Doc Filmmaking and the Hustle of Self-Promotion: Director Brian Vincent and Producer Heather Spore on Make Me Famous". Filmmaker Magazine . Retrieved July 6, 2024.
  6. Bradley, Brian (January 19, 2023). "Who was Edward Brezinski? 'Make Me Famous' documentary explores artist". Toronto Star . Retrieved July 6, 2024.
  7. Skelton, Flossie (February 17, 2023). "New doc Make Me Famous blows open the 1980s New York art scene". Dazed . Retrieved July 7, 2024.
  8. Shone, Tom (February 19, 2023). "The Son — and the best films reviewed this week". The Sunday Times . Retrieved July 7, 2024.
  9. Rosen, Miss (February 17, 2023). "The Story of a Forgotten East Village Artist's Ill-Fated Quest for Fame" . Retrieved July 6, 2024.
  10. "Moonlight & Movies Make Me Famous Museum of the City of New York" . Retrieved July 6, 2024.
  11. Saito, Stephen (June 25, 2023). "Brian Vincent and Heather Spore Kelly on the Art of Revival in "Make Me Famous"". The Moveable Fest. Retrieved July 6, 2024.
  12. Swanson, Neely (July 6, 2023). ""Make Me Famous" - or Rich" . Retrieved July 6, 2024.
  13. Johnson, G. Allen (November 7, 2023). "'Make Me Famous': How a San Francisco Art Institute alum upended the art scene in 1980s New York". San Francisco Chronicle . Retrieved July 6, 2024.
  14. Mackie, Michael (January 8, 2024). "Four Inane Questions with director Brian Vincent". The Pitch . Retrieved July 6, 2024.
  15. Graham, Adam (September 26, 2023). "'Make Me Famous' review: Portrait of a Detroit artist in the shadows". Detroit News . Retrieved July 6, 2024.
  16. Propes, Richard. "Movie Review: Make me Famous". The Independent Critic. Retrieved July 6, 2024.
  17. Palmucci, Gary (June 27, 2024). "Films this week 6/28 to 6/30/2024" . Retrieved July 7, 2024.
  18. "Make Me Famous – 1980s New Wave Art Documentary – starts July 27th". Gay City News . July 8, 2024. Retrieved July 8, 2024.
  19. "Make Me Famous". Rotten Tomatoes . Fandango Media . Retrieved July 6, 2024.
  20. "Make Me Famous". Rotten Tomatoes . Fandango Media . Retrieved July 6, 2024.
  21. Gyarkye, Lovia (November 4, 2021). "'Make Me Famous': Film Review". The Hollywood Reporter .
  22. Felperin, Leslie (February 13, 2023). "Make Me Famous review – dirt-dishing study of the glory days of the Lower East Side". The Guardian .
  23. McCormick, Carlo (August 3, 2023). "A never-was painter takes Manhattan". Artforum .
  24. "Make Me Famous". The Numbers . Nash Information Services, LLC. Retrieved July 6, 2024.
  25. "Make Me Famous". The Numbers . Nash Information Services, LLC. Retrieved July 6, 2024.