Central Park

The Daily Plant : Wednesday, August 18, 2004

ICONIC PARK PAYS TRIBUTE TO SILVER SCREEN

Central Park, the most filmed public park in the world, made its movie debut in 1908 in the silent version of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. Since then, Central Park has offered settings for blockbuster and independent films, as well as countless commercials and television shows.

In 2003, in celebration of Central Park’s 150th Anniversary, the Central Park Conservancy and the American Museum of the Moving Image held the first Central Park Film Festival, curated by the museum and sponsored by Bloomberg. This year, with the 2^nd Annual Central Park Film Festival, a tradition is born.

The 2^nd Annual Central Park Film Festival sponsored by Bloomberg consists of free outdoor screenings of some of Hollywood’s greatest movies. The series begins on Tuesday, August 24 with Breakfast at Tiffany’s and concludes on Saturday, August 28 with Tootsie. The screenings will be held in Central Park’s Rumsey Playfield (mid-park at East 69^th Street) at 8 p.m. The success of last year’s screenings, some of which drew crowds numbering in the thousands, bodes well for the 2^nd Film Festival.

This year’s festival offers a range of movies for everyone. Special guest hosts will introduce the films each night. This year’s line-up includes Breakfast at Tiffany’s, The Manchurian Candidate (1962), and On the Town. ANTZ will be shown for Family Night, and like last year, the film series will culminate with a Theme Night. The last film of this season is Tootsie, and festival-goers are encouraged to emulate Dustin Hoffman’s character and dress-up in drag. The first prize for the most creative costume is a gift bag of MAC cosmetics.

Bloomberg, a global news and information company, has a strong commitment to parks and open space, education, and expanding public access to the arts, sciences, and the humanities.

Tuesday, August 24-Breakfast at Tiffany’s
1961, 114 minutes. Directed by Blake Edwards. With Audrey Hepburn, George Peppard, Patricia Neal. The quintessential New York romantic comedy perfectly captures the modern ambience of early-1960s Manhattan. Audrey Hepburn is perfect as the ambitious Holly Golightly, whose secret past is revealed during a memorable scene in Central Park.

Wednesday, August 25-The Manchurian Candidate
1962, 126 mins. Directed by John Frankenheimer. With Frank Sinatra, Janet Leigh, Laurence Harvey, Angela Lansbury. The Manchurian Candidate is a Cold War political thriller and satire that takes aim at all manner of propaganda, brainwashing, and conspiracy. It includes a startling walk in the lake near the Boathouse.

Thursday, August 26-On the Town
1949, 98 mins. Directed by Stanley Donen. With Frank Sinatra, Gene Kelly. The vibrant energy of New York City is captured in this great MGM musical that bursts out of its Hollywood soundstage with location photography filmed all over town. The Bronx is up, the Battery’s down, and Central Park is right in the middle!

Friday, August 27-ANTZ
1998, 87 mins. Directed by Todd Alcott, Chris Weitz, and Paul Weitz. With voices of Woody Allen, Sharon Stone, Dan Aykroyd, Jane Curtin. Revolution is brewing in an underground Central Park ant colony. Woody Allen stars in this zany animated feature, lending his distinctly New York humor and voice to the character Z, a neurotic worker ant with dreams of finding Insectopia.

Saturday, August 28-Tootsie
1982, 116 mins. Directed by Sydney Pollack. With Dustin Hoffman, Jessica Lange, Teri Garr, Bill Murray. In one of the funniest movies ever made in New York, the basic premise of Some Like it Hot is transplanted to the world of struggling Gotham actors. Dustin Hoffman gives his funniest performance in this gender-bending farce.

QUOTATION FOR THE DAY

"The whole country was tied together by radio. We all experienced the same heroes and comedians and singers. They were giants."

Woody Allen
On Radio Days, his film about the 1940s

Know Before You Go

Harlem Meer Center (formerly Lasker Rink)

Harlem Meer Center