The Brooklyn Film

by Manbeck, John B.; Singer, Robert; Hamill, Pete

• ISBN13: 9780786414055
• ISBN10: 0786414057
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2003-01-01
• Publisher: McFarland Publishing

Summary

Brooklyn, New York, a distinct borough of New York City, is known for its distinctive vernacular, its communal feel on the fringes of a booming city, and its famous bridge, a gateway to the unlimited opportunities in Manhattan. Of course, Coney Island deserves a mention as it garners its own fame independent of Brooklyn, its parent locale. New York City moviemaking got its start in Brooklyn when Charles E. Chinnock shot his silent film The Encyclopedia of New York City in 1894. Since then, many films have been made, studios opened and stars born in Brooklyn, contributing to its undeniable influence in the film industry. This work is a collection of essays on the topic of Brooklyn as portrayed in film. It includes a discussion of race relations in films dealing with Brooklyn, the story of Jackie Robinson as shown on film, the changing face of cinematic Brooklyn and some thoughts on a Brooklyn filmgoers experience. The combination of Brooklyn and baseball in the films of Paul Auster is examined, aswell as the typical portrayal of a Brooklyn native in film.

Author Biography

John B. Manbeck was the official Brooklyn Borough Historian (1993-2001) and now writes a weekly newspaper column, "Historically Speaking." Robert Singer is a professor of English and film studies at Kingsborough Community College, CUNY.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments	v
A Letter from Eli Wallach	ix
Foreword	1	(6)
Pete Hamill
Introduction: The Brooklyn Film	7	(10)
``Who's a Character? He's Just a Lovable Lug''	17	(16)
John B. Manbeck
A Fantasy Straight Out of Brooklyn: From The Gentle People to Out of the Fog	33	(18)
Tony Williams
``What Grows in the Hood?'' Projects, People and the Contemporary Brooklyn Film	51	(20)
Robert Singer
Tony, Auggie, and the Mook: Race Relations in Cinematic Brooklyn	71	(11)
Wilbert Turner, Jr.
Exploding Multiculturalism in Global Brooklyn: Illegal Moves in The Siege	82	(26)
Amata Schneider-Ludorff
Brooklyn Moveigoing: A Short History from a Fan's Perspective	108	(19)
Cezar Del Valle
``We Don't Go By Numbers'': Brooklyn and Baseball in the Films of Paul Auster	127	(21)
Mark Brown
A Life Worth Living: The Jackie Robinson Biopic	148	(11)
Joe Dorinson
The Borough of Their Affection: Brooklyn Boundaries in Flux	159	(16)
Michael Schiavi
Brooklyn Films: A Select Filmography	175	(66)
About the Contributors	241	(2)
Index	243