Blackout

In the late 1970s, New York City was plagued by crime, decay, and poverty. To top it off, the city was on edge, with serial killer Son of Sam roaming around and shooting random victims. For many, rock bottom was reached on July 13, 1977, when a massive power blackout pulled the plug on all five city boroughs, setting off a 25-hour orgy of looting and lawlessness. Filmmaker Callie T. Wiser's PBS-aired American Experience documentary revisits this notable incident, examining what the "night the lights went out" said about the city's thin veneer of civilization. An intense series of thunderstorms and lightning strikes set off the chain reaction of power failures, which were made worse by a heat wave that made large demands on the city's system due to the heavy use of air conditioners. Residents recall the rapid, rolling blackout, and the power failure of November 1965, which was their only point of comparison—noting that the earlier blackout seemed more of an adventure, with little crime or social disruption. In 1977, "all hell broke loose," and the poor—driven by unemployment, and a sense of anger and abandonment—helped themselves to consumer goods of all kinds, even hitting stores that had long histories of serving the community. One resident remembers looters tying shopping carts together with nylon stockings, creating "trains" to pilfer more merchandise. Hospitals, subways, and even police stations all struggled in the dark, increasing fear-driven feelings that no one was in charge. Meanwhile, diners in the World Trade Center and residents of the posh Upper East Side diverted themselves with block parties or champagne toasts. After the looting ended, the burning of stores began, and police and firemen were powerless to stop it. Combining vivid testimony with archival news footage, this is a powerful tale of broken social contracts that also demonstrates the fragility of urban life. Recommended. Aud: H, C, P. (S. Rees)