This evocative video of a long gone Times Square directed by Steve Siegel documents a…

[...] pre-Disneyfied Times Square at night—as it existed in the 1980s. As seen from a teenager’s point of view. Includes voice-over interviews of teenagers.

This brings back memories for me of Showworld, grindhouse double features, adult bookstores stuffed with 20 year old copies of Danish nudie magazines, head shops, hookers, pimps, drug dealers and pickpockets…all the stuff that gave 42nd street character. Yes, it could be spooky. But, it was teeming with a down and dirty humanity that was exhilarating. Today, Times Square could be anywhere USA, with its Applebees, Disney Store, Loews megaplex, Chevys, 7/11 convenience stores,...

Travis Bickle’s vision of a force that would cleanse 42nd street came, not as rain, but in the form of Giuliani and Bloomberg.

All the animals come out at night - whores, skunk pussies, buggers, queens, fairies, dopers, junkies, sick, venal. Someday a real rain will come and wash all this scum off the streets.

 
thanks to artblognyc