Narrated by Hector Elizondo, filmmaker Matt Levy's PBS-aired documentary takes viewers back to the ethnically diverse neighborhoods in and around New York City in the early and mid-1900s, when the streets served as a playground, game rules were passed from one generation to another, and the only equipment needed was a piece of chalk, a stick, or an inexpensive rubber ball, and a highly active imagination. Accompanied by a bouncy original score by Butch Barbella, New York Street Games features archival footage and stills interspersed with reminiscences from assorted celebrities, including Ray Romano, Regis Philbin, Whoopi Goldberg, and C. Everett Koop. The film notes that kids' play was a kind of “diplomacy in the streets” that required negotiating and also offered an opportunity to learn to live together—all while dodging cars under the watchful gaze of self-appointed neighborhood guardians. A sense of nostalgia-laden regret tinges the observations that suburban living, video-based alternatives, and computers have driven these simple pastimes to the sidelines, possibly leading to less neighborhood cohesion and contributing to the increase in childhood obesity. A hopeful note is added, however, with the mention of recent attempts to introduce some of the games—including stickball and stoopball—to small-town America and to revive them in New York (usually in dedicated parks rather than the streets). DVD extras include a printable rulebook for many street games. Recommended. Aud: P. (S. Rees)
New York Street Games
(2011) 76 min. DVD: $24.99 ($54.95 w/PPR). PBS Video. ISBN: 978-1-60883-438-9. Volume 26, Issue 6
New York Street Games
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