web counter
 

New York, New York: Film's Most Resilient Character

By Sarah Carlson | Posted Under Seriously Random Lists | Comments (47)

Tiffanys.jpg

The most uncredited character in film history must be New York City. Because while tons of films are set there, and most of those are filmed there, many still feature the city predominantly in the story itself. They wouldn’t be the same without New York, whether directors are showcasing the ups or downs, the gritty or the glossy aspects of city life. It still is a place people dream of, even though it can be brutal. And it still is a place people want to visit or live in, even though its residents have seen their share of destruction.

Many also have found redemption. Based on Truman Capote’s novel, Breakfast at Tiffany’s (1961), directed by Blake Edwards, ranks as one of my favorite New York films, with its stylish showcasing of the city and its quintessential girl, Audrey Hepburn’s Holly Golightly. (We’ll just overlook the awkward casting of Mickey Rooney as Mr. Yunioshi.) As much as Holly and her cat, Cat, try to remain “a couple of no-name slobs” who don’t belong to anybody, even they can’t avoid finding love and a place to belong through their city adventures.

It’s enough to make you want to stand outside Tiffany’s, danish and coffee in hand, and dream about the day’s possibilities. That’s what New York still represents: possibility.

So, what are your favorite New York City films?

Sarah Carlson has a front-row seat to the decline of the newspaper industry and lives in Alabama with her overly excitable Pembroke Welsh corgi.









Each Time You Like, Share, Tweet or Stumble a Pajiba Post, An Angel Does the Paul Rudd Dance

← A Case Study In Hotness: TV's New "It" Girl Edition | Hate Keira Knightley And Russell Crowe? You're In Luck! Casting News To Satisfy Your Revenge Fantasies. →









Comments

When Harry Met Sally immediately comes to mind--so many beautiful New York locations. It was one of the movies that made me want to live there some day (still haven't actually lived there; I'm about 20 miles away, though).

Posted by: pickled tink at September 9, 2011 1:23 PM

Ghostbusters

Posted by: Adam C at September 9, 2011 1:24 PM

The movies too often fail to make apparent the awful climate here. The winters are too cold and the summers disgustingly humid. Also this city smells like garbage until you get used to it. and the people are monsters

Posted by: adff at September 9, 2011 1:27 PM

Home Alone 2

Makes me wary of Central Park and pigeons though.

Posted by: Larold at September 9, 2011 1:43 PM

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Nothing gets the dirty, noisy, walk faster or I'll walk through you vibe of New York like the first Ninja Turtles movie. Living here, I finally understand why they live in the sewer. It's not about secrecy, it's the cheapest place to live in Manhattan.

"Looks like sort of a big turtle in a trench coat. You're going to LaGuardia, right?"

Posted by: Lucas at September 9, 2011 1:55 PM

When Harry Met Sally also always springs to mind for me, mainly because I think they do a good job of showing the seasons.

This post was a classy tip of the hat to my city when we are really being hit over the head with the anniversary. Nice.

Posted by: rhombus at September 9, 2011 2:00 PM

I know New York no longer looks like this but: Midnight Cowboy

Posted by: stillnadine at September 9, 2011 2:03 PM

Escape From New York.

Posted by: admin at September 9, 2011 2:10 PM

Coming to America

Posted by: mswas at September 9, 2011 2:14 PM

no, wait - Moonstruck!

Posted by: mswas at September 9, 2011 2:15 PM

While the movie itself is not great, You've Got Mail does lovely work with the city itself.

::stops to look at the classic NYC skyline snowglobe on her desk::

Posted by: KatSings at September 9, 2011 2:21 PM

I don't know that I have a favourite exactly, but watching New York, I Love You recently reminded me that I've had a big, lllllllleeeeeeeeesbian crush on New York for like 20 years now.

Also, Louie. Not a movie, I know, but every time I watch that show, I think Jesus Christ, what am I doing just watching this?

Posted by: Melodie at September 9, 2011 2:39 PM

After Hours

Posted by: rabbi at September 9, 2011 3:13 PM

Boy, have I got the wallpaper for you!
http://alienlovespredator.com/2011/05/04/new-york-movie-map/

Posted by: FillOaks at September 9, 2011 3:23 PM

Melodie, Yes, yes, exactly!! I feel the same watching Louie

Posted by: John G. at September 9, 2011 3:27 PM

25 Hour....the last monologue sums it up.

Posted by: Nunzio910 at September 9, 2011 3:38 PM

As a kid growing up in the South, my initial view of New York City's culture, landscape, and mood was most influenced by The Last Dragon and Crocodile Dundee.

Until I about 12 years old, I thought NYC was dominated by gangs of leather clad karate masters carrying switchblades.

Posted by: Brian K at September 9, 2011 3:54 PM

I spent some time in the Bronx last week. Not just the sylvan zoo part, the "lockthedoorsisthataknife?" part.

Posted by: Mrs. Julien at September 9, 2011 4:00 PM

Manhatten
Wise Guys
King Kong
French Connection
On the Waterfront
One the Town
Big
Trading Places
Age of Innocense
Arthur

Posted by: Guru at September 9, 2011 4:03 PM

Manhattan!

Annie Hall as well.
Just saw New York, New York for the first time and loved it, too.

Posted by: Cody at September 9, 2011 4:18 PM

L.A. Confidential

Posted by: Blake Shrapnel at September 9, 2011 4:39 PM

Pretty much what everyone else has listed and so many more...

Posted by: John W at September 9, 2011 4:41 PM

rabbi beat me to it - "After Hours"


I also love movies that spend time in Central Park, like "Enchanted" and "The Muppets Take Manhattan"

Posted by: MelBivDevoe at September 9, 2011 5:06 PM

Definitely When Harry Met Sally. I was attending NYU at the time, and flirting heavily with the guy who would be my boyfriend for the next year or so and we stood in multiple areas around Washington Square Park and watched this being filmed. Walked right past Rob Reiner too!

Also Moonstruck. One of my favorite quotable movies.

Posted by: jmd at September 9, 2011 5:11 PM

Ghostbusters and King Kong.

And btw, is "awkward" really the best word you have for Mickey Rooney in Breakfast at Tiffany’s?

Posted by: csb at September 9, 2011 5:46 PM

NOT ordered, 'cause films of this caliber shouldn't be pitted against each other

1. Manhattan
2. The Squid and the Whale
3. The Apartment
4. Rosemary's Baby
5. Taxi Driver
6. Dog Day Afternoon
7. Midnight Cowboy
8. The Thin Man
9. Hannah and Her Sisters
10. Mean Streets

Posted by: Kyle at September 9, 2011 6:09 PM

Assuming "New York" means the five boroughs ...

West Side Story

The Warriors

All That Jazz

Once Upon a Time in America

Some purists would object, believing there's nothing outside of Manhattan, excuse me, New York.

The Devil's Advocate, just for the scene where Neo walks deserted streets with his sword to finally confront the source. Or whatever. I walked along a nearly deserted 6th Ave, 48th & a bit of Broadway about 04:30 one aye-em - sadly caused by the debauchery of work vs. debauchery. There's nothing like being surrounded by so much, holding so tenuously at bay.

Posted by: BierceAmbrose at September 9, 2011 6:33 PM

Add the movie Little Manhattan to the list, and the original taking of Pelham One Two Three.

Posted by: shake at September 9, 2011 6:38 PM

'Prisoner of 2nd Avenue' ~ not the remake with Steve Martin, but the original with Jack Lemmon and Anne Bancroft. "We've been robbed ~ once it was ours, now it's theirs ~ we've been robbed!"

Posted by: Mary at September 9, 2011 6:46 PM

Manhattan
When Harry Met Sally
On the Town
The Godfather (I & II)
Fame
Marathon Man
Annie (probably began my love affair with the city)
Wall Street
Working Girl
Manhattan Murder Mystery
And, of course, Breakfast at Tiffany's

Posted by: prairiegirl at September 9, 2011 8:12 PM

i love Moonstruck too mswas, definitely in my top ten favorite films, but it was filmed in Toronto, not New York

Posted by: bokchoi at September 9, 2011 8:23 PM

@csb: Well, "horrible" would be a better fit, it's true. Yeesh. And @shake: I've been waiting for someone to include Little Manhattan! Adorable. -- Sarah

Posted by: Sarah Carlson at September 9, 2011 8:25 PM

Sex and the City? ( the tv show)

It even has "city" in the title.

The Warriors! How I love that movie, it is so corny, the acting is atrocious, the story inane, but it looks so cool.

as Cyrus said

" Cannnnn Youuuuu Digggg Itttt?"

or the little dogshit Orphan

" Warriors, Come Out To PLAAAAY-AAAY"

Ick! Manhatten. Wasn't that the one where Woody I've-Got-Wood-For-Children Allen horns up to a 15 year old? Mr. Kirbyjay and I walked out of that flick and that was way before he was taking snatch shots of his girlfriend's young daughter.

What a perve. He really should have quit after Annie Hall and just parked himself on a street corner flashing passersby. At least he would have been honest in his perversions.

Posted by: kirbyjay at September 9, 2011 9:43 PM

Taxi Driver
Ghostbusters
Leon/The Professional

Posted by: Talia at September 9, 2011 10:42 PM

The Fisher King

Posted by: LwoodPDowd at September 10, 2011 12:26 AM

Whoever said You've Got Mail nailed it. The movie was awful but dammit it made NYC look GORGEOUS.

Posted by: Az at September 10, 2011 2:49 AM

Bierce, if those purists want to pay Manhattan rent and moving expenses for all the service industry staff who hold Manhattan up on their underpaid backs and trudge back home to the outer boroughs night after night, then they can call Manhattan New York and ignore everything else.

But Staten Island will never count. And people who live in Jersey and say they live in New York are very funny.

Posted by: Lucas at September 10, 2011 11:08 AM

What, no Elf? Yes, I know, annoying Will Ferrell, but I love the first bit of him wandering around the city with every part of me. Guy dressed in an elf costume acting like an idiot? Okay, watch me completely ignore him and go about my day.

Posted by: Erin S at September 10, 2011 11:21 AM

Godzilla!

Posted by: Utah Dynamo at September 10, 2011 7:20 PM

Godzilla!

Posted by: Utah Dynamo at September 10, 2011 7:21 PM

I've never been to New York, as travlled as I was I always used to pass it over and go everywhere else. Now that I don't go anywhere I wish i would've taken a day or two and gone there. The latest movies that i've seen that makes me year for a visit is 'Just Wright' and 'Get Him To The Greek'. The latter had only a few scenes in New York but it was the point of views that I don't think I've ever seen before. So beautiful

Posted by: Candy at September 10, 2011 11:52 PM

Actually, Woody Allen is more honest in his perversions than just about anyone. He's made movies specifically about them.

Posted by: sansho1 at September 11, 2011 12:03 PM

Spider-Man. Made me want to move there so badly. And Breakfast at Tiffany's, of course. And I love Louie with all my heart. The dude and I almost shot a remake of the opening credits last time we visited his family there, only with us saying "Marce Marce Marce Marce!" instead of "Louie Louie Louie Louie!"

Posted by: Marcela at September 11, 2011 1:57 PM

Not a movie, but Night Court. "Look at me, New York!!!"

Posted by: Elfrieda at September 11, 2011 4:56 PM

The Royal Tenenbaums. Also I liked it in Pieces of April.

I'm actually pretty darn tired of NYC being the setting for SO many movies. Let's go somewhere else please.

Posted by: grace b at September 12, 2011 12:33 AM

"Some purists would object, believing there's nothing outside of Manhattan, excuse me, New York."

Hmmm, I'd say "tourists" before I'd say "purists." True New Yorkers know the boroughs.

"But Staten Island will never count."

Bite your tongue - it's where The Godfather was filmed.

I like Spike Lee's New York (and he's an outerborough kind of guy). Goodfellas also takes place largely in Brooklyn, Queens, and L.I.

Posted by: samantha t at September 12, 2011 9:20 AM

Moonstruck

The Warriors

The Royal Tennenbaums

Ghostbusters II

And in TV, there's White Collar and Felicity (That show made me think I wanted to go to college in NYC, until I discovered that NYU was a place for cut-throat ambitious people and I am way too laid-back [timid/lazy] for that.)

Posted by: Siege at September 12, 2011 11:54 AM