Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Location: The western periphery of Terra Australis
24,544 posts, read 56,029,399 times
Reputation: 11862
Advertisements
This is more about the city itself than film, which is why I posted it here. Which is your favourite portrayal of the Big Apple on film? In which film do you think it was portrayed 'best' (it's subjective), or which version of NYC (real or glamourised) do you enjoy most?
Since there are literally tens of thousands of films set in NY, each will present their own version of NY. Breakfast at Tiffany's or an Affair to Remember portrays NYC as being pretty glamorous, while Midnight Cowboy portrays the seamier side of things. Then you have latter day films as diverse as Godzilla or The Devil Wears Prada. Taxi Driver is also a great portrayal. There are also historical portrayals like Gangs of New York or Hello Dolly, and some futuristic examples (you can also give fantasy versions of NY).
For me, it's out of Midnight Cowboy and Taxi Driver (and Shaft to a lesser degree), because they portray NYC as a gritty, kind of cold place that are nonetheless full of fascinating characters, some odd, some good some bad, but all real people. I felt NYC played a large role in Midnight Cowboy, because different 'faces' of the city were shown, not just the back-alleys and the tenements, but also upper class NY (Sylvia Miles' and Brenda Vaccaro's apartment, the posh hotel). I don't know if the film was a bit harsh in portraying New Yorkers (the scene with the man lying unconscious, possibly dead or at least passed out, and people stepping over him, comes to mind). It does give into the stereotypes: it's a dog-it-dog, kind of heartless city, but I love how the movie also digs into the cultural atmosphere of the late 60s, from the Warhol party scene to the smokey bars with all the hookers, druggies, gangsters, pimps and 'Jackies.' Just about every aspect of the city was portrayed in the film, the subway, Times square, Central Park (if I can recall), the Village (party scene), a cemetery, somewhere possibly in Park Avenue or somewhere like that. The film was about the people who live in cities and how they try to scrape by, as much about city life as anything.
Taxi Driver felt almost like a documentary. You felt like you were cruising the streets of NYC in his cab with him. The scene where the kids in Harlem threw stuff at him, was that pretty typical back in the 70s? Him taking his date, Cybill Shepherd, to the porn theatres at Times Square just seem like a reflection of his alienation and how out of touch he was. Some of the scenes of the grimy lofts/tenements just make it seem like we're seeing the underbelly of the city.
Six Degrees of Separation: Best ever satire of the Manhattan elite.
Clockers: Still Spike's best.
A Bronx Tale: Coming-of-age New York style
Breakfast at Tiffany's: Old school comedy/romance at it's best
Lots of different New Yorks. Something for everyone.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
