- Coney Island (documentary)
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Coney Island Directed by Ric Burns Produced by Buddy Squires
Ric BurnsWritten by Richard Snow Music by Alicia Weber Cinematography Buddy Squires
Allen MooreEditing by Paul Barnes Distributed by Steeplechase Films Release date(s) 1991 Running time 68 minutes Language English 'Coney Island is a 1991 documentary film traces the history of Coney Island from its 1609 discovery by Henry Hudson, to its 1870s incarnation as a respectable beach destination for city-dwellers and showcase of the new developments ushered in by the machine age to the turn of the century, when amusement parks and innovative attractions would attract hundreds of thousands of people each day to the gradual demise of the amusements.
The film is narrated by Philip Bosco and premiered at the Sundance Film Festival[1] and broadcast nationally on PBS as part of the American Experience program in February 1991
On camera appearances include Al Lewis, Vincent Gardenia, Eli Wallach, Elliot Willensky, Frederick Fried and Mae Timpano. Voice overs actors include Judd Hirsch, Nathan Lane, John Mahoney, Jerry Orbach, George Plimpton, Lois Smith, Frances Sternhagen and Andrei Codrescu.[2]
Contents
Synopsis
Coney Island began as a resort destination in the early 1830s and gained popularity in the 1860s as advances in travel technology reduced the time it took to get there from other parts of New York City. As visitors increased, amusements were built, including a tall observation tower, the Coney Island Elephant hotel, early rollercoasters, carousels, and arc lights to enable nighttime swimming. Politician John Y. McKane controlled approval of much of the building for years until he was removed from office for election fraud. Just before the turn of the century, George C. Tilyou built Steeplechase Park, the first of the three major amusement parks of Coney Island. At this point, Coney Island was attracting around 250,000 people on a summer Sunday. Luna Park followed in 1903, debuting its popular "A Trip to the Moon" ride. The park was decorated with thousands of electric lights, which were still a novelty at the time. Luna Park was also known for the electrocution death of an elephant named Topsy. Thomas Edison performed the electrocution and filmed it. In 1904, Dreamland was opened by William H. Reynolds. It featured historical reenactments, a dwarf village with 300 residents and an infant incubator for premature babies, designed to show off this latest scientific development. Just seven years later, a devastating fire destroyed Dreamland and initiated the slow decline of Coney Island. The death of George C. Tilyou in the aftermath of World War I saw a reduced level of innovation in the new attractions at Coney Island, though the crowds only got bigger. During the Great Depression, many of the existing attractions, amusements and midway prizes were reduced in scale to save money. As World War II ended, the new ubiquity of the personal automobile allowed families to easily vacation at less crowded beaches in the Greater New York area. In 1946, Luna Park closed. Steeplechase park limped along until closing in 1964.[3]
Critical Reception
Time magazine called the film one of the top ten television programs of 1991,[4] and the Chicago Tribune called it "one of the best documentaries you will ever see."[5]
Awards
Organization of American Historians Erik Barnouw Award in 1992[6]
Chicago Film Festival's Silver Hugo Award[7]References
- ^ "Coney Island | Archives | Sundance Institute". History.sundance.org. http://history.sundance.org/films/638. Retrieved 2011-06-02.
- ^ Coney Island Internet Movie Database
- ^ "American Experience . Coney Island . The Film & More". PBS. http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/coney/filmmore/description.html. Retrieved 2011-06-02.
- ^ Best of 1991: Television
- ^ "Steeplechase Films, Inc. :: The Films of Ric Burns". Ricburns.com. http://www.ricburns.com/flash.html. Retrieved 2011-06-02.
- ^ http://www.oah.org/activities/awards/barnouw/winners.html
- ^ "Florentine Films Family". Florentinefilms.com. http://www.florentinefilms.com/ffpages/RB.html. Retrieved 2011-06-02.
External links
Categories:- 1991 films
- Programs produced by Thirteen/WNET New York
- Films directed by Ric Burns
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