First published 2021
Matt Zoller Seitz examines how filmmakers captured New York City across a hundred years of cinema. He selects ten films from ten decades, from The Jazz Singer in 1927 to Frances Ha in 2012, including King Kong, The Naked City, Sweet Smell of Success, Midnight Cowboy, Taxi Driver, Wall Street, Kids, and 25th Hour. Seitz argues these movies function as unintentional documentaries, recording the city's transformation through its rise, decline, and rebirth. The author draws on original interviews with directors including Martin Scorsese, Oliver Stone, Noah Baumbach, and Greta Gerwig. Historical photographs, production materials, film stills, and behind-the-scenes images accompany the research. Additional sidebars highlight notable films from each decade. The book reveals how filmmakers drew inspiration from New York's contrasts between decay and grandeur, creating a visual record of urban change.
Genres: history, non-fiction, urban, film
Vibes: atmospheric, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: documentary, visual-record
Setting: New York City
Period: 20th-century, 21st-century
352 pages · Kindle Edition · Abrams Books