New York City is celebrated in art, music, and literature, but it's also a major hub of commerce, transportation, diplomacy, and fashion trend setting. It's the city that never sleeps, home to some eight million residents from all different races and ethnic backgrounds. Narrated by Frank Deford, this PBS-aired documentary serves up a loving aerial tour of Manhattan, which as early as 1820 was already America's largest city. New York's Revolutionary War-era past and Gilded Age have long since been dwarfed by skyscrapers, making it "the most vertical city in the world." It also boasts numerous seaports, with tugs and ferries carrying passengers and plying trade across the Hudson and East rivers. The film recounts the origins of Wall Street (once a street level "curb exchange") and Broadway (once an ancient Native American path), as well as the growth of Harlem, with its vibrant African American culture. Manhattan is a city of contrasts, with bustling trade on chic 5th avenue located near the tranquil confines of Central Park. The documentary pays tribute to the city's image of itself as the "city of new beginnings," luring successive waves of Irish, Italian, and Chinese immigrants, among others. And no study of the city would be complete without a survey of its cultural institutions, including world-famous concert halls, art museums, galleries and, of course, the New York Public Library, its entrance guarded by twin lions. A somber note is introduced with views of "ground zero" where the World Trade Center stood, but this tragedy also illustrates the resilient nature of Manhattan and its people. A highlight is a panorama of the Big Apple at night, when the lights come up and people flock to the theater, clubs, and sports venues. Recommended. Aud: P. (S. Rees)
Visions of New York City
(2009) 55 min. DVD: $24.99 ($54.99 w/PPR). PBS Video. ISBN: 978-1-5317-0256-4. Volume 33, Issue 2
Visions of New York City
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