Fear City Cinema
The Dark Side of New York in Film, 1965–1995
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Book Presentation:
This book studies a grouping of films set in New York City between 1965 and 1995, reflecting a town besieged by rampant criminality, social distress and physical decay. “Fear City” is a term the NYPD used to label New York as a frightening environment, incapable of securing the safety of its residents. This book not only deals with the social problems evident in New York during this period, but also provides a study of how independent filmmakers were able to capture unsettling urban imagery, capitalizing on feelings of paranoia and dread. The author explores how the tone of these films reflects upon the anti-urbanism that led to the War on Crime, the mass exodus of working-class people from the city and mass incarceration of young Black men.
About the Author:
Roger A. Salerno is a professor of sociology at Pace University in New York and a practicing psychoanalyst.
See the publisher website: McFarland & Co
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Starring New York (2011)
Filming the Grime and the Glamour of the Long 1970s
Scenes in the City (2003)
Film Visions of Manhattan Before 9/11
Street Smart (2005)
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Subject: On Films > Film selections