New York in the 70s/80s
I'll see your Belfast, historyman, and raise to Bradford, 1978.
I'll see your Belfast, historyman, and raise to Bradford, 1978.
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New York in the 70s/80s
jasoń voorhees wrote:
They had that in the Bay Area, too, but it was called TV Pow.Mike D of the Beastie Boys, upon being asked what his favorite video game system was, said TV Pix.
It was for many of us.
I first visited New York in 1990, before the Giuliani era and when the subway cars were covered in graffiti. It was an overwhelming experience. I remember thinking it was a fascinating city, but also almost gratuitously filthy and abrasive. It really did seem like it was in decline, at least compared to the Western cities I was used to. Of course in retrospect it was probably already on its (supposed) upswing. It had already changed a lot by the time I moved there in 1997.
The French Connection is another great seventies NYC time capsule if you're looking for more movies.Comment
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New York in the 70s/80s
My library isn't very helpful. Not even the Shapiro, though I appreciate the link here. I prefer books if I can find them.
Can somebody found something here? Perhaps less musical than the stuff so far- though I did mention Confusion.
http://prism.talis.com/cityoflondon/homeComment
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New York in the 70s/80s
How did I forget this? The opening credits to The Equalizer.
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New York in the 70s/80s
Some brilliant links on this thread, the edginess of a great city in a state of decay is really fascinating - but where in the world would look and feel closest to that nowadays? I can think of any number of places that have the decay, the crime and the grittiness, but without (I imagine) the feeling that you're somewhere vital and on the cutting edge.Comment
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New York in the 70s/80s
Tubby, I've been trying to find stuff for a week, but haven't been able to nail anything down.
But in the late 70s and early 80s, Rudy Giuliani was the US Attorney, and future FBI director Louis Freeh was the Prosecutor of the Pizza Connection, which was a mafia-controlled heroin operation using pizzerias. Giuliani also carried out the Mafia Commission Trial, which pretty much destroyed the mafia as a powerful organization.
In The Sopranos, I've always said the behavior is dead-on, but the murders were not realistic...however they were realistic in the 80s. The biggest thing was that the 5 families were at war with each other. One family, I believe the Bonnanos, brought in the "Zips", who were Sicilians from the Old Country. When they started bombing everyone and putting car bombs all over NYC like they did in Palermo, it sealed the deal for the mafia as we do gun crime over here, but not explosives.
The Serpico book is very good to show the culture of corruption in the NYC police. Any book on John Gotti (and the nutty Roy DeMeo, who once killed a 14-year-old selling vacuum cleaners because he thought he was undercover,) will be worth your time.
The 3 C's of NYC 70s-80s would be Cocaine-Construction-Corruption.Comment
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New York in the 70s/80s
bewaldeth, I don't think that there is a real analogue.
Moscow is probably the closest, but the two cities have always been very different and the oligarchical class in Moscow can arrange their lives in such a way that allows them to ignore or deny the decay of much of the city and decline in living standards for the majority. One of the things that has made New York New York since the 17th century is the degree to which everything happens on a very restricted land mass that is chock full of people. In Manhattan and downtown Brooklyn, the decline and decay of the waterfront in the 70s accentuated that sense of being closed in, as much of the waterfront was inaccessible, and parts of it would literally collapse into the river periodically. Within those boundaries, you had outdoor drug supermarkets operating outside some of the city's fanciest apartment buildings, kids getting shot on the Columbia campus, all kinds of criminality in Central Park, and the subway taking on Piranesian characteristics while still serving as the primary mode of transit for millionaires.
Sao Paulo is another candidate, but is also not as physically concentrated as Manhattan. And while Moscow and Sao Paulo are by far the most ethnically diverse cities in their respective countries, they can't really hold a candle to New York.Comment
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New York in the 70s/80s
Danceteria was important to the club and music scenes, but might be a bit rarefied for your interests, Tubby. Still, you can find some interesting stories (and photographs) on the net, so worth googling.Comment
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New York in the 70s/80s
Danceteria is all right with me. It's mentioned in Crying at The Discotheque
I was reading about Wall Street today. Christ, it was coining it in from 1980 onwards.Comment
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New York in the 70s/80s
Unpegging FX and the first swap. It has been a solid build since.Comment
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New York in the 70s/80s
Though good old JPM did all right in his day, as evidenced by his private library:
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New York in the 70s/80s
Holiday-makers on the Costa Del Tees in the 70s.
Then the current recession hit.Comment
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New York in the 70s/80s
Since no one's mentioned it yet, Wild Style's documentary sibling, Style Wars. One YouTube in five parts:
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New York in the 70s/80s
Not the 70s or 80s, but here's a mini model of various NYC landmarks all made with sticks, tree bark, nuts, and organic matter at the NYC Botanical Gardens.Comment
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New York in the 70s/80s
That exhibit gets more amazing every year.Comment
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New York in the 70s/80s
If cinematic dystopia in NYC is the goal, in addition to the films mentioned above, I will add:
Fort Apache the Bronx
Saturday Night Fever
Midnight Cowboy
Taxi Driver
Death Wish
Even the Out of Towners, which is more comedic, shows New York as unhinged.Comment
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New York in the 70s/80s
If any of those are on youtube, I will indeed be very happy. There's a film in your Times Square book too.
Have I mentioned I have a TV which has youtube on it?Comment
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New York in the 70s/80s
"Escape from NY" would a good one too...Back then a few people actually thought NY would really end that way...Comment
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New York in the 70s/80s
Don't forget Panic at Needle Park and Dog Day Afternoon.Comment
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New York in the 70s/80s
Some more -
http://gothamist.com/2012/01/18/amazing_photos_of_1980s_new_york_ci.php#photo-1Comment
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New York in the 70s/80s
Has anyone mentioned Scorcese's After Hours? I love that film, it seems to get overlooked but is good for a chuckle, and set in mid-80s NY.Comment
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