The Ballad of Greenwich Village: Culture and Counter-Culture

Karen Kramer's documentary on Greenwich Village—the New York City district synonymous with bohemian culture, cutting-edge art, and alternative lifestyles—is no in-depth exposé, but it offers a pleasant enough portrait. Narrated by Lili Taylor, The Ballad of Greenwich Village combines fairly conventional historical material (including an explanation—complete with maps—of why the area's street layout varies from the rest of the island's formal grid plan) with archival footage and stills to revisit the days of the Beat Poets in coffeehouses and the Stonewall riots in the streets. For the most part, however, the film is devoted to reminiscences about the unique ethos of the Village, told by the famous and the not-so-famous. Among the former are Tim Robbins, Woody Allen, Edward Albee, the late Norman Mailer, Maya Angelou, and Peter, Paul and Mary; among the latter, a longtime resident artist who emigrated from Israel and a young transvestite who together symbolize the locale's free-spiritedness. A common refrain heard throughout is that the times they are a-changin', with the plague of gentrification threatening the very character of the place (New York University is criticized for forcing people out by raising rents or evicting tenants). If this trend continues, Kramer's film will be all the more valuable for preserving a snapshot of a place that soon may no longer exist, at least not in its almost legendary form. A nice love letter to the famous Manhattan neighborhood, The Ballad of Greenwich Village is recommended. Aud: C, P. (F. Swietek)