No Picnic is a film written and directed by Philip Hartman. It was filmed in black and white in New York in 1985 and released two years later, in the Sundance Film Festival

Sundance Film Festival

The Sundance Film Festival is a film festival that takes place annually in Utah, in the United States. It is the largest independent cinema festival in the United States. Held in January in Park City, Salt Lake City, and Ogden, as well as at the Sundance Resort, the festival is a showcase for new...

, where it won Excellence In Cinematography Award Dramatic.

Described as "a cinematic love letter to a pre-gentrified New York", the film captures the East Village of the 80s. Providing the soundtrack are such performers as "The Raunch Hands", Lenny Kaye

Lenny Kaye

Lenny Kaye is an American guitarist, composer and writer who is best known as a member of the Patti Smith Group.- Early life :...

, Charles Mingus

Charles Mingus

Charles Mingus Jr. was an American jazz musician, composer, bandleader, and civil rights activist.Mingus's compositions retained the hot and soulful feel of hard bop and drew heavily from black gospel music while sometimes drawing on elements of Third stream, free jazz, and classical music...

, Fela Kuti

Fela Kuti

Fela Anikulapo Kuti , or simply Fela , was a Nigerian multi-instrumentalist musician and composer, pioneer of Afrobeat music, human rights activist, and political maverick.-Biography:...

, Richard Hell

Richard Hell

Richard Hell is a singer, songwriter, bass guitarist, and writer.Richard Hell was an innovator of punk music and fashion. He was one of the first to spike his hair and wear torn, cut and drawn-on shirts, often held together with safety pins...

 and "Student Teachers". Actors include Richard Hell

Richard Hell

Richard Hell is a singer, songwriter, bass guitarist, and writer.Richard Hell was an innovator of punk music and fashion. He was one of the first to spike his hair and wear torn, cut and drawn-on shirts, often held together with safety pins...

, Judith Malina

Judith Malina

Judith Malina is an American theater and film actress, writer, and director, who was one of the founders of The Living Theatre.-Early life:...

, Luis Guzmán

Luis Guzmán

Luis Guzmán is an actor from Puerto Rico. He is known for his character work. For much of his career, he has played roles largely as sidekicks, thugs, or policemen....

 and Steve Buscemi

Steve Buscemi

Steven Vincent "Steve" Buscemi is an American actor, writer and film director. An associate member of the renowned experimental theater company The Wooster Group, Buscemi has starred and supported in successful Hollywood and indie films including New York Stories, Mystery Train, Reservoir Dogs,...

.

Plot

Failed musician Macabee Cohen (David Brisbin), makes his living servicing jukeboxes in the neighborhood, while in the search for the woman of his dreams. The obvious gentrification around is distressing and highlights his ill-fated life. His frustration increases when faced with individuals who remind him of his former aspirations.

Cast

• David Brisbin
  David Brisbin
  David Brisbin is an American television actor who gained fame as Mr. Ernst on the television show Hey Dude and as a newscaster in Forrest Gump. He has made frequent guest appearances on ER....
  
   - Mac
• Clare Bauman - The Fan
• Ryan Cutrona
  Ryan Cutrona
  Ryan Cutrona is an American actor. Cutrona has played supporting roles in several films and numerous television series. A majority of his roles are military parts due in large part to his background. Cutrona's father was a General in the United States Army, and he was born at West Point, spending...
  
   - Live Pimp
• Anne D'Agnillo - Anne
• Luis Guzmán
  Luis Guzmán
  Luis Guzmán is an actor from Puerto Rico. He is known for his character work. For much of his career, he has played roles largely as sidekicks, thugs, or policemen....
  
   - Arroyo
• Richard Hell
  Richard Hell
  Richard Hell is a singer, songwriter, bass guitarist, and writer.Richard Hell was an innovator of punk music and fashion. He was one of the first to spike his hair and wear torn, cut and drawn-on shirts, often held together with safety pins...
  
   - Irate Tenant
• Steve Buscemi
  Steve Buscemi
  Steven Vincent "Steve" Buscemi is an American actor, writer and film director. An associate member of the renowned experimental theater company The Wooster Group, Buscemi has starred and supported in successful Hollywood and indie films including New York Stories, Mystery Train, Reservoir Dogs,...
  
  - Dead Pimp