I’ve been a New Yorker my whole life. If there is one thing that I have learned about the city, it’s that you can’t define it, or really even describe all it offers.
The city really has so many different “zones” to it. In Manhattan, you may feel the effects of rigid social class structures like the ones depicted in “Wall Street”, but if you come to Queens, you will probably experience something different.
Manhattan:
Queens:
My point is that I don’t think that there really is any one piece of artwork that is “most truthful” in displaying New York City. This city is one that you just can’t describe- and that is what makes it so unique.
Think about it. The fact that we are able to find so many films, plays, and other works of art about New York City just goes to show that there is so much more that meets the eye when it comes to the city. In Martin Scorsese’s “Taxi Driver”, Scorsese showcased the “underworld” of New York City, one that was filled with crime. Adversely, Blake Edwards’ “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” depicts a more materialistic New York City that is filled with glitz and glamour.
So which film had it right? Neither. At least, not fully.
But still, we can’t discredit the films that try and show what NYC is. Everyone has their own opinions. But is it really possible for a director to accurately capture all that NYC has to offer? How could you depict life on Park Ave, when half of it resembles the exorbitantly rich and the other half represents the poor in the Bronx? And in that same token, not forget to depict life in Queens ranging from the bustling Jackson Heights to the laid-back, residential Bayside? Kudos the director who could do this, but I have yet to see a film about New York City depicted in this fashion. I can’t blame them either! When people want to watch a film about the city, they want to hear about the city that “never sleeps”, which is usually just Manhattan.
Even though it’s clear that artwork depicting the city is somewhat exclusionary, I can’t help but be thankful for that. I live in Queens, which in my opinion is the best borough in the city. Thankfully, it is also a “hidden treasure”, meaning all the hipsters and tourist haven’t yet discovered how cool Queens is. But much to my dismay, Lonely Planet ranked Queens the #1 place to visit in 2015, citing the fact that it truly is just an overall awesome place. I can only hope that Queens stays as it is, without the hipsters and tourists for as long as possible. It would be horrible for Queens to be a victim of gentrification. But I can almost guarantee that if it did, there would be a lot more films and artwork about it. (Mini-rant over, sorry.)
I have to say my favorite work of the semester was Yasmina Reza’s “God of Carnage”. I loved this play mainly because it did not seek to characterize New York City itself, but rather the people in it. New Yorkers are a breed of people all their own, and I believe that the play depicted this well. No matter how much class or status anyone in the city may have, I think we all possess a certain “kind of crazy” and are not afraid to get downright rude. I mean what other cities do you keep your head down when you walk in an attempt to avoid eye contact and not talk to anyone? Where else can you find people who can talk on the phone, eat breakfast, jaywalk, and hail a taxi cab at the same time? I’m pretty sure that you will only find that in the city, and this is what I believe artists should try and capture.
Overall, I believe that New York City is so unique because of its inhabitants, who all share commonalities while still making up the most ethnically and culturally diverse city in the world.
Lonely Planet’s Rankings:
http://www.weather.com/travel/news/lonely-planet-top-american-destinations
