The city that never sleeps, New York is probably one of the most used scenarios in movies, television shows and novels. From romantic comedies to thrillers and comedies - New York has become a staple of a place where anything can happen. However, it is important to remember that even if some movies are based on real life events, they still embellish parts of the story. A recurring thing that happens is showing New York far from what it is in real life.
New York City was considered the second dirtiest city in the world, losing out to Rome in Italy for the top spot. Cleaning up a city for a movie isn't something that only happens in New York, it's a common practice. These movies try to sell an atmosphere for their stories, and sometimes overflowing trash cans and other common elements of these places just don't fit. There is a high level of violence going on in this Big Apple which is usually forgotten to mention unless the movies are action or dramas surrounding it. There are also several neighborhoods besides Manhattan where most of the movies are set.
Here are some of the movies that show a different New York: a dirty and unforgivable one.
8 After hours
While most movies are set in Manhattan, it's fundamental to remember that the city is much bigger than that. After hours follows Paul (Griffin Dunn) on his way home from the Up East Side to Soho. The film depicts Soho in the 1980s and shows the nightlife of that time very well. From scenes of empty streets at night to even a real subway station in Soho, New York is part of this journey that turns violent. The scenario of the city that never sleeps is a common threat in Scorsese's work.
7 American psychopath
Wall Street, the stock market and money investing as a whole, and the intense world that takes place in it, is probably one of the most unique things about New York, aside from maybe Broadway. There are several movies about this city, and American psychopath is a brutally satirical take on society as a whole. In this particular case, although the city itself is not the focus, it is its influence and what it does internally to some people. The greed and need of these characters is amplified by the place where they live: to create a different kind of hellscape.
6 Leon: The professional
Leon: The professional is one of the most heartwarming and heartbreaking movies starring an assassin. Natalie Portman's first feature film has become a fan favorite over the years. And while most of this story was filmed in a studio in Paris, there are scenes that were shot in the real New York - without cleaning the streets beforehand. It's great to set this emotional story in New York City, and it adds a lot to the violence and sense of loneliness embedded in the characters.
5 Good day
Another Scorsese movie, Good day is a somewhat historical piece: it starts in 1955 until the 1980s. We follow Henry Hill (Ray Liotta) and the rise and fall of gangsters that characterized New York from the beginning. The film shows a darker side of the city's history and shows how much violence has happened in the streets - making it a dangerous place for many. It doesn't obscure what happened (especially since it's based on real life events and people) and the accompanying scenario. Most of the film was shot in Queens - in a different setting than the city.
4 Cab driver
"Are you talking to me?". Robert DeNiro's beloved drama Cab driver uses a dirty and cruel New York, specifically Hell's Kitchen, as a screenplay for the protagonist, Travis Bickle. From the protagonist's apartment, the taxi, and the city in general, the sordid present is almost a part of the character itself. It's impossible to imagine this film being set in another major city, much less to reconcile the realities of the people who actually live there - something that has been quite romanticized in several films. There is an unforgiveness to the story that carries over into how the scenarios are presented.
3 The killer's kiss
The killer's kiss is a crime noir directed by Stanley Kubrick. It was the director's second feature film and was made with the money his relatives were able to raise. The movie was shot in New York and Kubrick actually did most of the outside scenes without any on-location filming permits. Therefore, there is little embellishment in the streets and alleys in the film. And while there are a few well-known locations, most of them are unknown back alleys that give character to the production.
2 Across the street from 110th Street
Going back to the 70's there were several movies set in New York, and Across the street from 110th Street is one of them. An action-packed drama that isn't afraid to get violent is set in Harlem. The film does a fantastic job of using Harlem locations as the backdrop for this story. The film's name was inspired by the city's geography: the line that ends Central Park and begins Harlem. The thriller begins when money is stolen from the mafia and two cops go after amateur crooks who are about to start a gang war.
1 Do the right thing
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Spike Lee's movie Do the right thing also takes a step away from Manhattan and delves into the black community in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn. The film tackles racism within the neighborhood, as Buggin' Out (Giancarlo Esposito) notices that there are only Italian artists on the Wall of Fame of a pizzeria in a black neighborhood. When the film was released in 1989, it was extremely divisive. Unfortunately, the central themes remain topical: representation, racism, climate change and police brutality.
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