' ' Cinema Romantico: NYC Postcard: 7 New York Movie Shots I Love

Friday, April 29, 2011

NYC Postcard: 7 New York Movie Shots I Love

"I bet they're asleep in New York. I bet they're asleep all over America."

The way Humphrey Bogart says this in "Casablanca" seems to say just as much about New York City as even Woody Allen's brilliant, loving ode via monologue at the start of "Manhattan." As in, New York comes first. The rest of America, second. I adore the place, even though I, like the Woodman, romanticize it all out of proportion.

Here is one romantic's postcard of that romanticism.


"Saturday Night Fever" (1977). Woody & Diane sat in the shadow of a bridge, too, but I prefer Travolta's Tony Manero gazing across the East River, longingly, hopefully, sadly.


"New York, I Love You" (2009). Most populous city in America but sometimes, even amidst so many people and so much madness, it's just you and your thoughts.


"Quiet City" (2007). Twilight. Saturday. Heading into the city. Who knows what magic awaits?


"Manhattan Murder Mystery" (1993). I always think this is how every meal out in New York City is supposed to look. Late evening, tiny place, closely packed tables, but entirely empty, kinda like a 1920's speakeasy, and that wine you're drinking is totally against the law.


"The Royal Tenenbaums" (2001). "She and her brother Richie ran away from home one winter and camped out in the African wing of the public archives." The older I get the more I dream of running away from home one winter and camping out in the African wing of the public archives.


"The Wackness" (2008). A hot summer day in Central Park with a couple perspiring 40 ozs, chill music on the boombox and a girl you totally dig. Perfection.



"Serendipity" (2001). Just keep your pie-hole shut. You knew this was coming.

7 comments:

Jacob said...

I'm pretty sure that first on is the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge and they are gazing the entrance to NY Harbor not really the East River. See how cool I am, I live here an know this stuff.

Castor said...

That Serendipity is in this post is a given! Great idea for a post :)

Nick Prigge said...

Yes. You're so cool. I suppose it's like knowing there really isn't a Chez Luis in Chicago or that the purple line train John Cusack takes in "High Fidelity" doesn't go underground.

Nick Prigge said...

Thank you, Castor. I just wish ONCE when I visited New York there could be "Serendipity"-esque snowfall. And I would meet a striking English woman. Is that too much to ask?

Jacob said...

Yes, just like that, except it is NYC so it is cooler. See, I'm funny too.

I don't know if I can arrange a snow fall, but I'm pretty sure that I can find someone with an English accent.

Nick Prigge said...

Could she also like scotch? And smoke? Am I the only one who thinks Kate Middleton would be hotter if she still smoked?

Anonymous said...

Ahah, I love that one from The Royal Tenenbaums! That is such a deliciously quirky movie. Nice picks Nick, I didn't know there's a similar shot under than famous NY bridge besides in Manhattan.