The Central Park Blog » Movies http://centralparkblogger.com The Central Park Blogger's News and Views of New York's Central Park Wed, 30 Jun 2010 05:29:28 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.2 Top 10 Central Park Movies http://centralparkblogger.com/2010/05/top-10-central-park-movies/ http://centralparkblogger.com/2010/05/top-10-central-park-movies/#comments Thu, 27 May 2010 17:26:03 +0000 John Moore http://centralparkblogger.com/?p=782 When Harry Met Sally

Movies have been shot in Central Park for over a century now (the first was “Romeo and Juliet” in 1908) and I thought it would be a great idea to pick the ten best of all time. The criteria used in the selection process were admittedly biased, but we [...]]]> When Harry Met Sally

When Harry Met Sally

Movies have been shot in Central Park for over a century now (the first was “Romeo and Juliet” in 1908) and I thought it would be a great idea to pick the ten best of all time. The criteria used in the selection process were admittedly biased, but we did use the results of the best Central Park movie poll that we’ve been running for the past two months.  Other factors in judging the results were how the park was depicted in the movie, and, of course, the quality of the film itself. Let me know what you think of my choices.

10. A Troll in Central Park

In terms of pure fantasy the best example of the park in cinema would be “A Troll in Central Park”, Don Bluth director, 1994. It’s an animated fairytale about a troll, named Stanley, that is banished to New York City for having a green thumb, the punishment being the assumption that there is no greenery to be found amidst Manhattan’s concrete canyons. Much to his delight, however, little Stanley finds himself dropped in Central Park, in mid-spring. The park is drawn beautifully, with remarkable respect given to geographic detail. The park becomes a final battle ground between powerful forces for good and evil. Of course the forces of good prevail and the park becomes an Eden-like garden in the process.

9. Hannah And Her Sisters

It is difficult to imagine a Woody Allen movie shot in New York that doesn’t include scenes in Central Park. From his very first film – “Take The Money And Run“ to the more recent “Anything Else“ it seems that every one of Mr. Allen’s films contains scenes shot around the park. While it never quite seems that the locale is essential to the action taking place (they are almost always scenes of exposition between characters) it does become apparent that the park is a crucial element in the urban landscape as imagined by the director. So we’ve picked “Hannah And Her Sisters“ as the Woody Allen entry in the Central Park Top Ten. One of his best movies, it is also representative of six decades of cinematic work featuring Central Park as a movie sound stage.

8. The Muppets Take Manhattan

In the 1980′s Central Park was just beginning to go through the transformation that has produced the pastoral gem we have today. After years of neglect the grime and graffiti of misuse and under funding was scraped off and the beautiful park we now enjoy every day began to re-emerge. The first movie to really celebrate this transformation was “The Muppets Take Manhattan“ There are gorgeously pastoral scenes of Kermit and Miss Piggy in Central Park that convey a sense of bright optimism as the two share a sunny day around the brightly lit landscape. The park is once again proudly portrayed as the lovely center of the city that we know today.

7. Enchanted

When you take a fairytale princess out of the animated world of make believe and drop her into the gritty reality of Manhattan you have the makings of a very entertaining movie. The perfect place for the city to meet the wonderfully imagined universe of Disney filmmakers is Central Park, and the movie “Enchanted“ is the perfect product of that union. From the narration by Julie Andrews to the whimsically engaging character of the Princess as portrayed by Amy Adams director Kevin Lima captures all the magic of Central Park by staging production numbers in various iconic sites around the park. The biggest of these is an amazingly choreographed song and dance that transforms Bethesda Fountain into the definition of the word Hollywood Spectacular. Central park never looked more magical.

6. When Harry Met Sally

“When Harry Met Sally“ – if not the quintessential Manhattan love story, then certainly the quintessential Central Park love story. A case of boy meets girl, boy estranges girl through inexcusably boorish behavior and then boy slowly discovers self, along with true feelings for girl, through a series of wryly drawn, semiotically witty scenes cast against a romantically understated backdrop. Sally’s luncheon with her friends at the Central Park Boathouse restaurant is a microcosm of 1980′s feminism – underwear incendiary defiance meets droll relationship realism. Their autumn stroll along the Mall is the perfect backdrop for the subtle change in their relationship as it slowly evolves into friendship. And the Temple of Dendor scene finishes the Central Park trifecta as Harry starts to realize that his latent expectations are needs that have to be acknowledged. Nora Ephron’s brilliant script captures the evolution of love between Harry and Sally, and Central Park provides the perfect canvas on which to paint this touchingly funny urban romance.

5. The World of Henry Orient

One example of Central Park in which the park plays a supporting dramatic role itself would be “The World of Henry Orient“, 1964, directed by George Roy Hill. In this movie the park is seen in autumn, a cheerful, pretty landscape that provides the back drop for the afternoon frolics of two young girls, played by Tippy Walker and Merrie Spaeth. It’s the scene of a day long fantasy, chasing over and under bridges, around lakes and statues that bonds the two together. It is also the trysting place of Peter Sellers and Paula Prentiss, which the girls discover to Seller’s everlasting chagrin. Later in the movie, when Spaeth is searching for her missing friend, we see her wondering through a snow covered park, a bleak and barren landscape, all grey frost and frozen ground. George Roy Hill uses the changing season and background of the landscape to echo the dramatic conflict taking place between the characters.

4. Serendipity

Another example of Central Park as one of the most romantic settings anywhere in New York City is “Serendipity“ starring John Cusack and Kate Beckingsale. The plot revolves around a chance meeting between the two at Bloomingdale’s while shopping for gloves. They wind up having a magical evening which includes skating in a gorgeously decorated Wollman Rink. Besides the evocative shots of them gliding around the rink there are amazing shots of the rink decorated for Christmas with a backdrop of the Manhattan skyline above that are absolutely breathtaking. The final shot also takes place at the rink where Cusack is finally reunited with Beckingsale at the movie’s admittedly unlikely, manipulative and totally irresistible climax. The film paints a beautiful portrait of Central Park by night that is almost haunting in its idealized winter splendor.

3. Home Alone 2

One of the most popular children’s films to use Central Park as a backdrop is “Home Alone 2“ starring Macauley Culkin, Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern. Scenes include Wollman Rink and Kevin eluding his pursuers by hiding in a horse drawn carriage, Kevin running around Bethesda Fountain but perhaps the most memorable shot that is set in the movie is the one with Brenda Fricker giving her portrayal of a rather eccentric park character that is obsessed with pigeons. The scene is set at the beautiful Inscope Arch which runs beneath the Park Drive at the southeast entrance and connects the Central Park Zoo to the Pond. The Bad Guys (Pesci and Stern) are ultimately thwarted in their attempts to do away with young Kevin by being showered with bread crumbs and then inundated with hungry pigeons. The shot is eerily, yet beautifully, lit and gives the park a magical feel, even while it is showcasing some of its least notable denizens.

2. Portrait of Jennie

“Portrait of Jennie“ from 1949 is still one of the most romantically magical films ever shot in Central Park. Taken from a popular novel by Robert Nathan it is the story of Eben Adams (played by Joseph Cotton), a struggling artist that can’t seem to find his muse. One night, on a stroll through Central Park, he meets Jennie Appleton, a precocious pre-teen played somewhat unconvincingly by a decidedly post-pubescent Jennifer Jones. Suspension of disbelief aside, this is a lovely movie that, quite uncharacteristically for the era, is shot extensively in Central Park. Shots of the Dairy, the Mall and a lovely sequence filmed on the Pond evoke a New York that seems almost sepia-tinted sixty years later. The ethereal nature of Eben’s meetings with Jennie (she seems to age by five or six years in between seasonal meetings) adds to the timeless nature of the the park settings. It seems that it could be 1859, 1909, 1949… The movie is a timeless evocation of Central Park as a world separate from the city that surrounds it, a place where the improbable is possible.

1. Hair

The most romantic view of the park can be found in the movie adaptation of the musical “Hair“, 1980, directed by Milos Forman. The film opens with an extended version of the song “Aquarius” that has Twyla Tharp choreographed dancers writhing about the lush autumn landscape, along with police horses that prance in step to the music. It is a wild and joyful place filled with hippies and hope. It is their home, a place filled with promise and life; counter culture experimentation throwing down an exuberant challenge to the concrete canyon dwellers that surround it. It is, of course, wildly simplistic and naive, but still it seduces you into thinking that even if it wasn’t exactly like that it should have been. For that matter it convinces you that that is the way it should still be. There are long shots that include the leafy vistas of the fall in New York and upwardly angled cameras that frame each character against the skyline. This is place you wanted to come to when you first heard about New York. It’s a place where people dance and sing and experience life vividly and viscerally. The place you never quite found. The one you still dream about.

]]> http://centralparkblogger.com/2010/05/top-10-central-park-movies/feed/ 0 The Wizard Of Oz Screened In Central Park http://centralparkblogger.com/2009/09/the-wizard-of-oz-screened-in-central-park/ http://centralparkblogger.com/2009/09/the-wizard-of-oz-screened-in-central-park/#comments Tue, 29 Sep 2009 00:46:27 +0000 John Moore http://centralparkblogger.com/?p=435 Flying Monkeys in the heart of Manhattan?  Subways and Buses and Tourists, Oh my!   Yes, the  Yellow Brick Road is winding through Central Park, tonight, Tuesday, September 29th.  Netflix is sponsoring a 70th anniversary screening of the 1939 classic, “The Wizard Of Oz”.  The showing is free and is taking place at Rumsey Playfield, the site of the annual SummerStage festival.  Before the movie there will be an opening act featuring Jennifer Hudson and Julianne Hough.  Sounds like the perfect way to enjoy an Indian Summer evening in the park.  Ruby slippers optional.

Just the facts:

The Wizard of Oz

The Wizard of Oz

WHO WILL BE PERFORMING AT THE EVENT?

The opening concert will feature contemporary interpretations of classic songs from the “The Wizard of Oz” by Academy Award -winning actress and Grammy Award -winning singer Jennifer Hudson and two-time American Country Music winner and two-time “Dancing with the Stars” winner, Julianne Hough. The show is being produced by and will also feature The Roots’ Grammy Award -winning drummer and record producer Ahmir

?uestlove Thompson and a band assembled especially for the show. The concert begins at 7:30 p.m. ET.

Immediately following the free concert, “The Wizard of Oz” 70th anniversary edition will be shown on site on a giant inflatable screen.

HOW DO I GET TICKETS?

The concert performance and movie screening are free, but seating is first come, first served, so be sure to arrive early for the event.

WHERE WILL THE EVENT TAKE PLACE?

The concert and movie screening will take place outdoors at Rumsey Playfield in Central Park, New York. Enter the park at 69th Street and 5th Avenue on the east side or at 72nd Street and Central Park West on the west side.

WHAT HAPPENS IF THERE IS RAIN?

There is a back up location in the event of rain. Please check the official site for updates before the show to confirm.

]]> http://centralparkblogger.com/2009/09/the-wizard-of-oz-screened-in-central-park/feed/ 0 Central Park Film Festival Starts Today http://centralparkblogger.com/2009/08/central-park-film-festival-starts-today/ http://centralparkblogger.com/2009/08/central-park-film-festival-starts-today/#comments Tue, 18 Aug 2009 04:27:22 +0000 John Moore http://centralparkblogger.com/?p=395 Central Park presents an outdoor cinema series every summer. Most of these films usually feature a New York theme and they are a great way to enjoy a summer evening in the park. This year’s schedule is based on different interpretations of what’s cool. Hopefully the weather will cooperate.

Desperately Seeking Susan

All [...]]]> Central Park presents an outdoor cinema series every summer. Most of these films usually feature a New York theme and they are a great way to enjoy a summer evening in the park. This year’s schedule is based on different interpretations of what’s cool. Hopefully the weather will cooperate.
Desperately Seeking Susan

Desperately Seeking Susan


All screenings are FREE and start at 8:00 pm. Gates open at 6:00 pm. To find Rumsey Playfield, enter the Park at Fifth Avenue and 69th Street. Rain or shine.

]]> http://centralparkblogger.com/2009/08/central-park-film-festival-starts-today/feed/ 0 2009 Central Park Film Festival Schedule http://centralparkblogger.com/2009/06/2009-central-park-film-festival-schedule/ http://centralparkblogger.com/2009/06/2009-central-park-film-festival-schedule/#comments Tue, 30 Jun 2009 06:25:51 +0000 John Moore http://centralparkblogger.com/?p=325 Central Park presents an outdoor cinema series every summer. Most of these films usually feature a New York theme and they are a great way to enjoy a summer evening in the park. This year’s lineup features some interesting choices – this year’s theme is “Be Cool” featuring five films with actors or actresses who epitomize “cool.”  Hmmm.  I guess the definition of cool is relative.  While the remake of Ocean’s 11 is certainly an entertaining film, I’m not sure exactly sure what it has to do with New York City.  Same for Goldfinger, although there is no denying the Sean Connery cool factor – besides I’ll vote for it just to hear Shirley Bassey belt out the title song on a warm summer night.

2009 Central Park Film Festival Schedule

Tuesday, August 18: Sex & The City Get Carried away! A New York writer (Sarah Jessica Parker) on sex and love is finally getting married to her Mr. Big. But her three best girlfriends must console her when one of them inadvertently leads Mr. Big to jilt her. (2008)

Wednesday, August 19: Shaft John Shaft (Richard Roundtree) is the ultimate in suave detectives. A cool private eye, Shaft is hired by a crime lord to find and retrieve his kidnapped daughter. (1971)

Enchanted in Central Park

"Enchanted" in Central Park

Thursday, August 20: Ocean’s 11 Hollywood’s A list stars come together to pull off the most daring heist Las Vegas has ever known…11 men, 3 casinos, 150 million dollars, 1 chance to pull it off. (2001)

Friday, August 21: Twilight When you can live forever what do you live for? A teenage girl risks everything when she falls in love with a vampire. (2008)

Saturday, August 22: Viewer’s Choice! – Visit www.7online.com to vote between July 15 and August 15, 2009.

Men in Black Will Smith & Tommy Lee Jones are protecting the earth from the scum of the universe. (1997)

Goldfinger Investigating a gold magnate’s gold smuggling, James Bond uncovers a plot to contaminate the Fort Knox gold reserve. (1965)

Desperately Seeking Susan A bored suburban housewife, seeking adventure to her life, accidentally gets hit on the head, wakes up with amnesia, and is mistaken for a free-spirited New York City drifter named Susan (Madonna). (1985)

All screenings are FREE and start at 8:00 pm. Gates open at 6:00 pm. To find Rumsey Playfield, enter the Park at Fifth Avenue and 69th Street. Rain or shine.

Rumsey Playfield
East 72nd Street off Fifth Avenue

]]> http://centralparkblogger.com/2009/06/2009-central-park-film-festival-schedule/feed/ 2 Complete Central Park SummerStage Schedule Announced http://centralparkblogger.com/2009/04/complete-central-park-summerstage-schedule-announced/ http://centralparkblogger.com/2009/04/complete-central-park-summerstage-schedule-announced/#comments Mon, 27 Apr 2009 08:02:04 +0000 John Moore http://centralparkblogger.com/?p=243 The 24th Anniversary edition of the annual SummerStage Festival in Central Park promises to be one of the best ever.  Here’s a few things to remember that will help you enjoy your time at the concerts.

1) Video cameras are not allowed, so please leave them at home
2) Glass bottles and alcohol are a no-no too
3) Leave your folding chairs at home (we do have bleacher seating and a blanket’s nice too)
4) Shows are rain or shine (you may want to have a poncho handy in case of passing summer showers)
5) Gates open one hour prior to show time and many of our shows fill to capacity so it’s a good idea to come early, especially for our highly visible, popular shows
6) Pack a lunch or purchase food, drinks, beer or wine from our concession stands
7) Central Park SummerStage is located at Rumsey Playfield and is easily accessed by entering the park at 69th Street and 5th Avenue or 72nd Street and Central Park West
8 ) There is priority seating for our wheelchair and disabled patrons
9) There’s a hotline for up to date info on performances: 212-360-2777

Click here for a printable pdf schedule

TV on the Radio
Dirty Projectors
Friday, June 05, 2009
From 5:30 PM to 10:00 PM
A benefit concert to support the full season of free programs at Central Park SummerStage.

Josh Ritter and The New York Pops
Friday, June 12, 2009
From 8:00 PM to 10:00 PM

Smokie Norful
Tye Tribbett & G.A.
Ruben Studdard
Saturday, June 13, 2009
From 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM

Indigo Girls
Matt Nathanson
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
From 4:30 PM to 10:00 PM
A benefit concert to support the full season of free programs at Central Park SummerStage.

Word
Wally Lamb
Zoë Heller
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
From 7:30 PM to 9:30 PM

Sharon Olds
Thomas Sayers Ellis
Thursday, June 18, 2009
From 7:30 PM to 9:30 PM

Comedy Central Park
Gabriel Iglesias
Pablo Francisco
Friday, June 19, 2009
From 8:00 PM to 10:00 PM

Definitely Poetry Hosted by Majora Carter
Earthdriver
Staceyann Chin
Jennifer Johns
Artbattles
Urban Word NYC
Saturday, June 20, 2009
From 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM

Fête de la Musique
Yannick Noah
Coralie Clément
Mayra Andrade
Sunday, June 21, 2009
From 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM

311
Ziggy Marley
The Expendables
Thursday, June 25, 2009
From 5:00 PM to 10:00 PM
 A benefit concert to support the full season of free programs at Central Park SummerStage.

Istanbulive: The Sounds & Colors of Turkey
Mazhar-Fuat-Özkan
Painted on Water featuring Sertab Erener & Demir Demirkan
NY Gypsy All-Stars with Hüsnü Senlendirici and special guests
Saturday, June 27, 2009
From 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM

Ledisi / Esperanza Spalding
Jonathan Batiste
Sunday, June 28, 2009
From 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM

Explosions in the Sky
Constantines
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
From 5:30 PM to 10:00 PM
A benefit concert to support the full season of free programs at Central Park SummerStage.

Oumou Sangare, Les Nubians, Asa
Sunday, July 05, 2009
From 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM

Juana Molina
Curumin
El G (ZZK)
Wednesday, July 08, 2009
From 7:00 PM to 10:00 PM

Matisyahu
Umphrey’s McGee
Thursday, July 09, 2009
From 5:30 PM to 10:00 PM
A benefit concert to support the full season of free programs at Central Park SummerStage.

Los Fabulosos Cadillacs
Eric Bobo
Saturday, July 11, 2009
From 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM

Global Family Day!
DJ Lance Rock & Brobee (of Yo Gabba Gabba!)
Billy B.
Iza Trapani, Storyteller
“Sleeping Beauty” Puppet Show
Sunday, July 12, 2009
From 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM

The Metropolitan Opera Summer Recital Featuring Paulo Szot
Monday, July 13, 2009
From 8:00 PM to 10:00 PM

Q-Tip
Chester French
Little Dragon
Benji B
Saturday, July 18, 2009
From 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM

Alpha Blondy & The Solar System
Lee “Scratch” Perry & Dubblestandart
Subatomic Sound System
Sunday, July 19, 2009

From 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM

Bettye Lavette
Budos Band
Felix Hernandez Rhythm Revue
Friday, July 24, 2009
From 7:00 PM to 10:00 PM

Jerry Rivera and special guests
N’Klabe
Saturday, July 25, 2009
From 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM

Ginuwine
Joe
Chico DeBarge
Sunday, July 26, 2009
From 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM

Dance
RIOULT
Germaul Barnes/Viewsic Expressions
Friday, July 31, 2009
From 8:00 PM to 10:00 PM

M. Ward
Mike Watt & Nels Cline +
Saturday, August 01, 2009
From 7:00 PM to 10:00 PM

CineFest Brasil
If I Were You 2 (Se eu fosse você 2) directed by Daniel Filho
Silvia Machete
Sunday, August 02, 2009
From 7:30 PM to 10:00 PM

Toumani Diabaté
Monday, August 03, 2009
From 7:30 PM to 10:00 PM

Music & Film
I Am Cuba directed by Mikhail Kalatozov
The Pedrito Martinez Project
Wednesday, August 05, 2009
From 7:00 PM to 10:00 PM

Asbury Shorts: An Evening of the World’s Best Short Films
Mingus Dynasty Quintet
Thursday, August 06, 2009
From 7:30 PM to 10:00 PM

Dance
Dayton Contemporary Dance Company
nathantrice/RITUALS dance theater
Friday, August 07, 2009
From 8:00 PM to 10:00 PM

Boys Noize
Saturday, August 08, 2009
From 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM

Jazmine Sullivan
Chrisette Michele
Jon B.
Sunday, August 09, 2009
From 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM

Dance
Morphoses/The Wheeldon Company
with musical guest Martha Wainwright
Friday, August 14, 2009
From 8:00 PM to 10:00 PM

Dance
Morphoses/The Wheeldon Company
with musical guest Martha Wainwright
Saturday, August 15, 2009
From 8:00 PM to 10:00 PM

]]> http://centralparkblogger.com/2009/04/complete-central-park-summerstage-schedule-announced/feed/ 1 Woodstock Considers Central Park for Anniversary Concert http://centralparkblogger.com/2009/03/woodstock-considers-central-park-for-anniversary-concert/ http://centralparkblogger.com/2009/03/woodstock-considers-central-park-for-anniversary-concert/#comments Wed, 25 Mar 2009 01:01:22 +0000 John Moore http://centralparkblogger.com/?p=225 The Times of London has reported that Woodstock’s original organizer, Michael Lang, is trying to put together an anniversary concert on  Aug. 15  marking the 40th anniversary of the legendary Woodstock music festival.  Central Park is one of many outdoor spaces around New York City are under consideration.  (Although reports that the Diary has been proposed as the bummer tent have not been confirmed.)  Talks have opened with The Who, Santana, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, The Dave Matthews Band and the Red Hot Chili Peppers to perform.

Even if no reunion concert materializes, the anniversary will be marked in other ways.  Director Ang Lee plans to release a new film called “Taking Woodstock,” about the person who helped facilitate the use of Max Yasgur’s farm after the original site of the event was blocked.  A four-hour director’s cut of the concert film “Woodstock” will be released, along with a six-CD box set of Woodstock performances.

While we agree that the idea of a Woodstock type of weekend get together might be a bit out of the question for Central Park, it might be a fun idea to commemorate the anniverary in the park with a much smaller version of the event.  It could even feature an audience participation segment where we all help Pete Townsend try to smash his guitar to pieces.

]]> http://centralparkblogger.com/2009/03/woodstock-considers-central-park-for-anniversary-concert/feed/ 0 “Blinders” Screened On The Eastside http://centralparkblogger.com/2008/09/blinders-screening-on-the-eastside/ http://centralparkblogger.com/2008/09/blinders-screening-on-the-eastside/#comments Tue, 23 Sep 2008 19:36:04 +0000 John Moore http://centralparkblogger.com/?p=30 Last night I attended a screening of “Blinders”, a documentary that shows in graphic detail the horrendous abuse suffered by the horses that are exploited by the carriage horse industry in New York. Brilliantly produced by Donny Moss, who also wrote and directed the film, the movie systematically refutes every defense of this cruel and [...]]]> Last night I attended a screening of “Blinders”, a documentary that shows in graphic detail the horrendous abuse suffered by the horses that are exploited by the carriage horse industry in New York. Brilliantly produced by Donny Moss, who also wrote and directed the film, the movie systematically refutes every defense of this cruel and archaic industry. The screening was followed by a spirited panel discussion which explicated some of the seamier political aspects of the debate and what concerned citizens can do to eradicate this embarrassment to our city, and our beautiful Central Park, once and for all.

While there were many highlights of the evening, Councilmember Tony Avella speaking of how we can combat the the brutal tactics of the carriage horse owners and Donny Moss telling passionately of his efforts to reach the public with the information exposing the abuse, the most amusing one was when a gnome-like thug, claiming to represent some un-named outlet of “da media” started ranting and had to be escorted away by security. The absurdity of his barely understandable gibbering was accompanied by the chilling realization that the industry had hired such a person to disrupt the proceedings.  The fact that Mayor Bloomberg and Councilmember Quinn would align themselves with such people is confusing at best.

]]> http://centralparkblogger.com/2008/09/blinders-screening-on-the-eastside/feed/ 2 Documentary Exposing Carriage Horse Carnage http://centralparkblogger.com/2008/09/blinders-screened-2/ http://centralparkblogger.com/2008/09/blinders-screened-2/#comments Sat, 13 Sep 2008 02:39:43 +0000 John Moore http://centralparkblogger.com/?p=28 BLINDERS, a 50 min documentary about the growing movement to ban the infamous NYC carriage horses, will be screened publicly in Manhattan for the first time on Sept. 18th and 22nd. BLINDERS has been screened at 10 film festivals and won the 2008 award for Best Film in the Point of View Category at [...]]]> BLINDERS, a 50 min documentary about the growing movement to ban the infamous NYC carriage horses, will be screened publicly in Manhattan for the first time on Sept. 18th and 22nd. BLINDERS has been screened at 10 film festivals and won the 2008 award for Best Film in the Point of View Category at the International Wildlife Film Festival.

September 18, 7:30 p.m.
Visionfest Film Festival
Tribeca Cinemas
Tickets – $11

Sept. 22, 7:00 p.m.
AMC THEATER
3rd Ave and 71st St
Please join Mary & Peter Max, Ally Sheedy, Kristen Johnson and Nellie McKay for a screening of BLINDERS to benefit the League of Humane Voters. Panel discussion will follow screening. You can find ticket info at League of Humane Voters

Click here to watch the movie trailer
To read more about the movie and to see the press coverage, please visit: http://www.blindersthemovie.com/

]]> http://centralparkblogger.com/2008/09/blinders-screened-2/feed/ 12 “Blinders” Screened http://centralparkblogger.com/2008/06/blinders-screened/ http://centralparkblogger.com/2008/06/blinders-screened/#comments Fri, 20 Jun 2008 15:51:58 +0000 John Moore http://centralparkblogger.com/?p=23 The documentary “Blinders”, by Danny Moss was screened last Wednesday by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals and the actor Alec Baldwin. The 52-minute documentary starts innocently enough with the gentle clip-clopping of hooves and the excited reaction from tourists.  (Oaky, the tourists do appear a bit demented, but that could just be coincidence.)  It then [...]]]> The documentary “Blinders”, by Danny Moss was screened last Wednesday by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals and the actor Alec Baldwin. The 52-minute documentary starts innocently enough with the gentle clip-clopping of hooves and the excited reaction from tourists.  (Oaky, the tourists do appear a bit demented, but that could just be coincidence.)  It then goes on to recount recent accidents with some gruesome shots of a horse lying in the street just after an accident.  There follows a series of harrowing stories depicting the horrible treatment of these poor animals.

Carriage Horse Accident

It would seem inevitable that this antiquated, brutal industry must be banned, as it has been in cities all over the world, from London to Beijing.  The fact that the People’s Republic of China has proscribed this practice and the great city of New York has not should be telling enough.  The next screening is not scheduled until August, but I am trying to find out if another showing can be organized before then.  This is a movie all New Yorkers should watch.

]]> http://centralparkblogger.com/2008/06/blinders-screened/feed/ 11 Central Park In The Movies http://centralparkblogger.com/2008/01/central-park-in-the-movies/ http://centralparkblogger.com/2008/01/central-park-in-the-movies/#comments Wed, 02 Jan 2008 07:24:12 +0000 John Moore http://centralparkblogger.com/?p=8 In an effort to while away the post-holiday humdrum I’m putting together a list of the top ten movies shot in Central Park over the last century.  We’ve had a poll running on CentralPark.com for the past month to see what you think, and the results have been enlightening.   Here are some of my favorites, [...]]]> In an effort to while away the post-holiday humdrum I’m putting together a list of the top ten movies shot in Central Park over the last century.  We’ve had a poll running on CentralPark.com for the past month to see what you think, and the results have been enlightening.   Here are some of my favorites, and the reason I think they belong on the list.

The earliest cinematic portrayals of Central Park were almost always romantic in nature. Whether it was the backdrop for joyous singing and dancing, as in “On the Town”, or the setting for sentimental love stories, such as “Portrait of Jennie”, the park was seen as either a place of populist energy or quiet romance. It is interesting to note that before the war, and for the first few years after, there are no movies that use Central Park as anything but a positive locale, one that resonates with the energy and romance of Manhattan. It’s not really until the early seventies that movies, usually comedies, dramatize the darker aspects of the park. It seems that in the middle sixties the park developed several different personalities, especially in the eyes of movie makers. Since then the Park has been generally characterized in movies in one of three ways. First it is seen as a romantic place, almost magical, a metaphor for all the beautiful, creative, fantastic things the city represents to so many people who love it. Secondly it is portrayed as a dark, dangerous and foreboding place, a symbol of urban decay and the decline of civilized society in the second half of the century. Lastly it is used simply as a park, a useful field of recreation and contemplation, simply the lungs of the city.

One example of Central Park in its romantic role would be “The World of Henry Orient”, 1964, directed by George Roy Hill. In this movie the park is seen in autumn, a cheerful, pretty landscape that provides the back drop for the afternoon frolics of two young girls, played by Tippy Walker and Merrie Spaeth. It’s the scene of a day long fantasy, chasing over and under bridges, around lakes and statues that bonds the two together. It is also the trysting place of Peter Sellers and Paula Prentiss, which the girls discover to Seller’s everlasting chagrin. Later in the movie, when Spaeth is searching for her missing friend, we see her wondering through a snow covered park, a bleak and barren landscape, all grey frost and frozen ground. But even in this wintry evocation the park is not seen as a threatening place. It is not yet dangerous and unforgiving of intruders.

The most romantic view of the park is without doubt the found in the movie adaptation of the musical “Hair”, 1980, directed by Milos Forman. The film opens with an extended version of the song Aquarius that has Twyla Tharp choreographed dancers writhing about the lush autumn landscape along with police horses that prance in step to the music. It is a wild and joyful place filled with hippies and hope. It is their home, a place filled with promise and life, counter culture experimentation and an exuberant challenge to the concrete canyon dwellers that surround it. It is, of course, wildly simplistic and naive, but still it seduces you into thinking that even if it wasn’t exactly like that it should have been. For that matter it convinces you that that is the way it should still be. There are long shots that include the leafy vistas of the fall in New York and upwardly angled cameras that frame each character against the skyline. This is place you wanted to come to when you first heard about New York. It’s a place where people dance and sing and experience life vividly and viscerally. The place you never quite found, the one you still dream about.

In terms of pure fantasy the best example would be “A Troll in Central Park”, Don Bluth, 1994. It’s an animated fairytale about a troll, named Stanley, that is banished to New York City for having a green thumb, the punishment being the assumption that there is no greenery to be found amidst Manhattan’s concrete canyons. Much to his delight, however, little Stanley finds himself dropped in Central Park, in mid spring. The park is drawn beautifully, with a remarkable respect given to geographic detail, and it becomes a final battle ground between powerful forces for good and evil. Of course the forces of good prevail and the park becomes an Eden-like garden in the process.

On the negative side of the coin few movies can come close to “The Out of Towners”, 1970, directed by Arthur Hill and written by Neil Simon. In this film the park is portrayed as an extension of the inhospitable and menacing city landscape that surrounds it. Sandy Dennis and Jack Lemmon are forced to find refuge in the park after a series of increasingly farcical mishaps leaves them shelter less. While in the park they are mugged, attacked by a dog and then accused of child molesting. The picture we have of the park is a litter strewn no man’s land populated by criminals and unfriendly policemen. (It is in fact this unrelenting negativism that ultimately undermines the comedic credibility of the movie. By the end of the movie you’re rooting for dog that steals their crackerjacks.) The park itself is shot in a very unfriendly manner, with dark shadows at night and glaring sunlight during the day. There are no panoramic shots, no fountains or bridges, just old fences and scrawny bushes. It is clearly shown to be an unhealthy environment and a hazardous place at best. In fact it is not only an extension of the dangerous city that surrounds it has come to symbolize it. As far as Simon is concerned the park is the coup de gras of the many misfortunes that befall this hapless, humorless, frumpy couple.

In “The Still of the Night”, directed by Robert Benton, Central Park is shot by night, in the vicinity of The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Roy Shieder is following Meryl Streep and thinks he sees her enter the park. He is in love with her, but of course suspects her of murder, a dating dilema in Manhattan that occurs with a great deal more frequency than you would like to think. He follows her figure into the park and is promptly mugged himself. The really nice twist to this scene is that after the mugger steals Roy’s raincoat he is in turn murdered after being mistaken for Mr. Shieder. (If only life in the big city was always this symmetrical.) In this case the park is seen as both romantic and dangerous, a place of intrigue and allure, although certainly still not one that you would like to visit after dark.

The ultimate portrayal of Central Park as a dark and dangerous place is undoubtedly that of “Where’s Papa?”, directed by Carl Reiner. It was released in 1970, the same year as Neil Simon’s “Out of Towners”, and carries the depiction of Central Park as a battle zone of urban violence to a hysterical degree, although probably not far from the truth in the eyes of most of the rest of America. George Segal lives with his senile mother on the Upper West Side. Ron Liebman lives with his family on the Upper East Side. George Segal calls his brother and to inform him that if he doesn’t come over and get Mom, thereby leaving George at home, alone, with his date, he is going to drop her out the window. Obviously Ron Liebman is in a great hurry to get there so he decides, rather illogically, to run directly across instead of taking a cab. This has apparently happened many times before and each time Mr. Liebman has been mugged. This time is no exception. Half way through the park Mr. Liebman’s character, Sidney, is accosted my four young men (One of whom is played by a young Garret Morris, pre SNL). They all recognize each other from his previous attacks. This time they decide to reenact a scene from the movie “Naked Prey”. This results in Sidney arriving at George’s without a stitch of clothing to much comedic effect. The point is, though, that once again Central Park is depicted as a completely unsafe, alien landscape that is dangerous to all “normal” people – once again a far cry from its original perception or intended use.

A good example of the third characterization of the park, as simply a tree lined extension of the city around it is in “Marathon Man”, 1975, directed by John Schlesinger. In this film Dustin Hoffman plays a somewhat alienated graduate student that is training for the New York Marathon by running around the reservoir in Central Park. While the footage shot in the park is limited it is interesting for two reasons. The shots of Hoffman running show the park to be at the very least a functional landscape, a place that people can use for exercise and recreation. It is also notable for its last scene, which takes place in one of the century old pumping stations that are on either side of the reservoir. In it the evil Nazi Laurence Olivier is brought to justice, he is shot by Hoffman while being made to ingest the fortune in diamonds that he has murdered so ruthlessly to reclaim. Yet another killing in the park, but an interesting statement that it occurs only a few hundred yards from the townhouses of some of the most wealthy people in the world.

In “Eyewitness”, 1981 directed by Peter Yates, the park is the scene of a picnic shared by Sigourney Weaver and William Hurt. It is set near a ball field, where Weaver, astride a fine brown horse, meets Hurt, on a Harley Davidson. The park is seen as a convivial kinetic landscape, a living space in which people play ball, eat picnic lunches, and live out their lives. (Sometimes going for days without dancing, singing or being brutally murdered.) The park here is a place where we could picture ourselves, hanging out with friends, relaxed and not feeling threatened. The camera is friendly to the landscape with long shots of playing fields and distant trees surrounded by buildings. We can sense that this place is indeed a refuge form city around it, a common ground in which Weaver can enjoy anonymity from her career as well known television reporter and Hurt can escape the drudgery of his life as a custodian. And, of course, a place where anyone can fall in love with anyone, the ultimate democratic ideal.

Add to these two examples any of a half dozen Woody Allen movies that use the park as a backdrop for conversations between characters, including “Annie Hall”, “Hannah and Her Sisters” and “Bullets Over Broadway”. Mr. Allen exhibits a familiarity with park that most people have with their own front yards, which would make sense since Central Park is literally his.

All of these movies share an interpretive legacy, in each one the park is used specifically as a metaphor for the city that surrounds it. This subtle allegory evolves over time from the happy singing and dancing of Gene Kelly to the beleagered wanderings of Jack Lemmon back to the joyous singing and dancing of Twyla Tharp, via Treat Williams et.al.. While it might be a stretch to discover a narrative flow over the course of these six decades it would be interesting to edit together a single movie of clips that use Central Park as a dramatic location. It would be enlightening to see how the portrayal of the park mirrored the popular conception of the city that surrounds it, how the way it was shot either enhanced its beauty or revealed a darker side.

It would also be nice to see it get top billing.

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