Gordon Willis passed away today. He was the cinematographer behind this movie, and this opening scene is perfection to me. Soaring music, Woody Allen dialogue, and these gorgeous slices of a New York City that live only in people's imaginations, but Mr. Willis somehow captured on film. RIP, Gordon Willis.
“Chapter one. ” “He adored New York City. He idolised it all out of proportion. “ Uh, no. Make that “He romanticised it all out of proportion. “ “To him, no matter what the season was, this was still a town that existed in black and white and pulsated to the great tunes of George Gershwin. “ Uh… no. Let me start this over. “Chapter one. ” “He was too romantic about Manhattan, as he was about everything else. “ “He thrived on the hustle, bustle of the crowds and the traffic. “ “To him, New York meant beautiful women and street-smart guys who seemed to know all the angles. “ Ah, corny. Too corny for a man of my taste. Let me… try and make it more profound. “Chapter one. He adored New York City. “ “To him, it was a metaphor for the decay of contemporary culture. “ “The same lack of integrity to cause so many people to take the easy way out… … was rapidly turning the town of his dreams…” No, it’s gonna be too preachy. I mean, face it, I wanna sell some books here. “Chapter one. He adored New York City, although to him it was a metaphor for the decay of contemporary culture. “ “How hard it was to exist in a society desensitised by drugs, loud music, television, crime, garbage…” Too angry. I don’t wanna be angry. “Chapter one. “ “He was as tough and romantic as the city he loved. “ “Behind his black-rimmed glasses was the coiled sexual power of a jungle cat. “ I love this. “New York was his town and it always would be. “
What's really clever is that Woody's spoken prologue, although presented facetiously, is actually a guide to the movie proper. This film really *is* a Romantic view of New York City, while at the same time *also* a portrait of New York as a symbol (to Woody) of the decay of contemporary culture. So Allen manages to have it both ways.
A majestic way to open a film, with New York like it is, and like the author wishes it could be. Now that this is a '70s period piece, virtually all of it bespeaks times past, but in a way that is still romantically fresh. Bravo, Woody!
Can you imagine the emotions this opening stirs in the heart of a life-long (60 years) New Yorker, who has watched his city go from this to a gentrified playground for the rich, a ghost of its former self? New York? It no longer exists...
It didn't exist in 79 when this film was made. According to all who've lived there, it's been dying for decades ... but make no mistake: it will never die.
@@624radicalham It is LONG dead. There's a city there. But it's not "New York." It''s not the New York of lore and legend, of black and white films of the 30's and 40's, it's not the NY of O.Henry, or Jolson or Merman; it's not the NyC of DiMaggio and Dempsey, of the Automat, and shoe shines boys, six daily newspapers, lower and middle class families, men in hats on the subway, going to work, large, sweaty men in construction you wouldn't f----with; no. NYC is dead and what's left is merely a tombstone marking its grave.
@@chris.kaiser Ha! Would that were true for the long term without having had our middle class's guts ripped out. But the real estate industry will be back. It will take time but it always comes back. Not for the better.
We can thank the Trump's, the Kushner's and the other real estate opportunists for this. The guy who thought up putting a freeway through Manhattan take take part of the blame too. Killed many old ethnic neighborhoods too.
Chapter 1: He adored New York city, he idolised it all out of proportion...emm, no, make that: "he romanticized it all out of proportion". Yeah. To him, no matter what the season was, this was still a town that existed in black and white and pulsated to the great tunes of George Gershwin... Ammmm...no, let me start this over. Chapter 1: He was too romantic about Manhattan, as he was about everything else. He thrived on the hustle, bustle of the crowds and the traffic. To him New York meant beautiful women and street-smart guys who seemed to know all the angles... Ahh...corny, too corny for a man of my taste. Let me try and make it more profound. Chapter 1: He adored New York city; to him it was a metaphor for the decay of contemporary culture. The same lack of integrity to cause so many people to take the easy way out was rapidly turning the town of his dreams... No, no, it's gonna be too preachy. I mean, yeah, let's face it, I wanna sell some books here. Chapter 1: He adored New York city, although to him it was a metaphor for the decay of contemporary culture. How hard it was to exist in a society desensitised by drugs, loud music, television, crime, garbage!... Hmm, too angry, I don't wanna be angry... Chapter 1: He was as tough and romantic as the city he loved. Behind his black-rimmed glasses was the coiled sexual power of a jungle cat...I love this! New York was his town and it always would be.
Even at the time this was being filmed, there was a sense of NY as a hollowing fossil of a dead culture, perfumed by the rotting meat picked ribs that punk had scavenged bare. Nothing healthy is ever romanticized. That’s not to say it wasn’t good. For America now, for the people who dwell in that very different place with the same name, the time now is to remember. To live it is forever past. The former grandeur, it is to remember.
@@amywalker7515 Bob Dylan interviewed in the 70s felt that New York City was a place that had become inimical to creativity. I’m sure “millions” of people still believe it is the city central to art and music, but the facts of cultural production clearly demonstrate that to be a delusion.
I swear that's me walking along at 1:45 seconds and I can prove it. I have a picture of myself in that same outfit in late 1978-early 1979 in Midtown Manhattan with that same Roseanne Roseannadanna hairdo. Should I sue to get royalties?
Two fu%$in Oscars for original screenplay under his belt. Only 3 folks in Oscar history have gotten two Oscars for best original script : Chayefsky, Tarantino and Allen. Pretty select company.
Gordon Willis passed away today. He was the cinematographer behind this movie, and this opening scene is perfection to me. Soaring music, Woody Allen dialogue, and these gorgeous slices of a New York City that live only in people's imaginations, but Mr. Willis somehow captured on film. RIP, Gordon Willis.
Rick Umali wow.
this scene is one of the best I ever seen in a movie. Manhattan is such a masterpiece, it should be known by every single human being on this planet.
Agreed.
Thin Ice it’s very beautiful
Great shots of Manhattan... and some amazing one of World Trade in haze and fog. It's all gone now... this NYC/Manhattan of my youth.
One of the best movie openings of all time! ; )
What do you mean by best?
Is there a better one?
Jacob Kauffman he said one of
jayaybe1 fr
@@jesusisthetruth4497 "fr" ?
I lived these scenes at the exact time they were being filmed! Magical Moment in Time!
tom k Do you still live in Manhattan today? If so... What about it feels different? Any aspects feel the same?
“Chapter one. ”
“He adored New York City. He idolised it all out of proportion. “
Uh, no. Make that “He romanticised it all out of proportion. “
“To him, no matter what the season was, this was still a town that existed in black and white and pulsated to the great tunes of George Gershwin. “
Uh… no. Let me start this over.
“Chapter one. ”
“He was too romantic about Manhattan, as he was about everything else. “
“He thrived on the hustle, bustle of the crowds and the traffic. “
“To him, New York meant beautiful women and street-smart guys who seemed to know all the angles. “
Ah, corny. Too corny
for a man of my taste.
Let me… try and make it more profound.
“Chapter one. He adored New York City. “
“To him, it was a metaphor for the decay of contemporary culture. “
“The same lack of integrity to cause so many people to take the easy way out…
… was rapidly turning the town of his dreams…”
No, it’s gonna be too preachy. I mean, face it, I wanna sell some books here.
“Chapter one. He adored New York City, although to him it was a metaphor
for the decay of contemporary culture. “
“How hard it was to exist in a society desensitised by drugs, loud music, television, crime, garbage…”
Too angry. I don’t wanna be angry.
“Chapter one. “
“He was as tough and romantic as the city he loved. “
“Behind his black-rimmed glasses was the coiled sexual power of a jungle cat. “
I love this.
“New York was his town and it always would be. “
Your comment is my favorite, and it always will be!
What's really clever is that Woody's spoken prologue, although presented facetiously, is actually a guide to the movie proper. This film really *is* a Romantic view of New York City, while at the same time *also* a portrait of New York as a symbol (to Woody) of the decay of contemporary culture. So Allen manages to have it both ways.
The New York that only exists in our imagination, in our dreams... sublime.
Volcano-Cat on CZcams wow
A majestic way to open a film, with New York like it is, and like the author wishes it could be. Now that this is a '70s period piece, virtually all of it bespeaks times past, but in a way that is still romantically fresh. Bravo, Woody!
I don't like New York (I lived there twice, and my husband was born in Manhattan), but this is a simply magnificent slice of art.
amandajstar why don’t you?
George Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue Clarinet solo Stanley Drucker New York Philharmonic
One of the greatest film tributes to Manhattan ever done. Period.
What do you mean by greatest please?
Jacob Kauffman one of dummy
Can you imagine the emotions this opening stirs in the heart of a life-long (60 years) New Yorker, who has watched his city go from this to a gentrified playground for the rich, a ghost of its former self? New York? It no longer exists...
It didn't exist in 79 when this film was made. According to all who've lived there, it's been dying for decades ... but make no mistake: it will never die.
LazlosPlane wow
@@624radicalham It is LONG dead. There's a city there. But it's not "New York." It''s not the New York of lore and legend, of black and white films of the 30's and 40's, it's not the NY of O.Henry, or Jolson or Merman; it's not the NyC of DiMaggio and Dempsey, of the Automat, and shoe shines boys, six daily newspapers, lower and middle class families, men in hats on the subway, going to work, large, sweaty men in construction you wouldn't f----with; no. NYC is dead and what's left is merely a tombstone marking its grave.
@@chris.kaiser Ha! Would that were true for the long term without having had our middle class's guts ripped out. But the real estate industry will be back. It will take time but it always comes back. Not for the better.
We can thank the Trump's, the Kushner's and the other real estate opportunists for this. The guy who thought up putting a freeway through Manhattan take take part of the blame too. Killed many old ethnic neighborhoods too.
Can't believe I watched two ads to see this uploaed in 240p
This opening is just flat b-r-i-l-l-i-a-n-t ! Not that I'm the first to notice.
Un capolavoro! Mi fa sempre emozionare
Chapter 1: He adored New York city, he idolised it all out of proportion...emm, no, make that: "he romanticized it all out of proportion".
Yeah. To him, no matter what the season was, this was still a town that existed in black and white and pulsated to the great tunes of George Gershwin...
Ammmm...no, let me start this over.
Chapter 1: He was too romantic about Manhattan, as he was about everything else. He thrived on the hustle, bustle of the crowds and the traffic.
To him New York meant beautiful women and street-smart guys who seemed to know all the angles...
Ahh...corny, too corny for a man of my taste. Let me try and make it more profound.
Chapter 1: He adored New York city; to him it was a metaphor for the decay of contemporary culture.
The same lack of integrity to cause so many people to take the easy way out was rapidly turning the town of his dreams...
No, no, it's gonna be too preachy. I mean, yeah, let's face it, I wanna sell some books here.
Chapter 1: He adored New York city, although to him it was a metaphor for the decay of contemporary culture.
How hard it was to exist in a society desensitised by drugs, loud music, television, crime, garbage!...
Hmm, too angry, I don't wanna be angry...
Chapter 1: He was as tough and romantic as the city he loved. Behind his black-rimmed glasses was the coiled sexual power of a jungle cat...I love this!
New York was his town and it always would be.
If Woody Allen passes, expect Diane Keaton to deliver the eulogy at his funeral
the greatest opening scene of a movie ever.............can i say more?
Listening again for the n-th time
1. Manhattan
2. Citizen Kane
3. Seven Samurai
4. Every other movie.
Even at the time this was being filmed, there was a sense of NY as a hollowing fossil of a dead culture, perfumed by the rotting meat picked ribs that punk had scavenged bare. Nothing healthy is ever romanticized. That’s not to say it wasn’t good. For America now, for the people who dwell in that very different place with the same name, the time now is to remember. To live it is forever past. The former grandeur, it is to remember.
@MrCyclist68 Nah. Pretentious.
dgetzin ooo
You mean YOU felt that. I'm sure millions of other people have different recollections of the place.
@@amywalker7515 Bob Dylan interviewed in the 70s felt that New York City was a place that had become inimical to creativity. I’m sure “millions” of people still believe it is the city central to art and music, but the facts of cultural production clearly demonstrate that to be a delusion.
I swear that's me walking along at 1:45 seconds and I can prove it. I have a picture of myself in that same outfit in late 1978-early 1979 in Midtown Manhattan with that same Roseanne Roseannadanna hairdo. Should I sue to get royalties?
Cool....but not sure you have a case. Now if you were that red-hot, proto-lesbian passing under the canopy @0:58 you'd have a slam dunk!
majestic if i may say
He sounds like he is brainstorming, but he is actually making many observations about NY
Uhhhhhhhhh, yeeeeeah.
What song is being played in the background?
"Rhapsody in Blue" George Gershwin
The theme song of "Safety is Global"
United Airlines, serving over 200 destinations on 5 continents...come fly the friendly skies
Their NY hub is at Newark, it's the closest airport to Manhattan, but it's in the state of NJ, not NY
@@jerrythemouse28 thank you
@@gaguy1967 I will be flying to EWR from SFO on United in 2 weeks, so stay tuned!
Two fu%$in Oscars for original screenplay under his belt. Only 3 folks in Oscar history have gotten two Oscars for best original script : Chayefsky, Tarantino and Allen. Pretty select company.
Actually, he has three wins for Original Screenplay, which is the outright record.
Ordinary Pete he’s not a pedophile dummy