Films that were made in Ridgewood

Did you know that some films were made in Ridgewood? Rent a video of the following films, and see just where they were made. French Connection The French Connection (1971) is director William Friedkin's brilliant, fast-paced, brutally-realistic police/crime film - his commercial break-through film. The true-to-life film about the largest narcotics seizure of all time in 1962 - with an innovative semi-documentary-style technique that conveys the story with very few words, was produced by Phillip D'Antoni who had made the exciting police film Bullitt (1968). The heavily-nominated film (with eight nominations) was a multiple-Academy Award winning effort, taking accolades in five categories: Best Director (William Friedkin), Best Actor (Hackman), Best Adapted Screenplay (Ernest Tidyman), Best Editing (Jerry Greenberg), and Best Picture. The three other nominations included: Best Supporting Actor (Roy Scheider), Best Cinematography (Owen Roizman), and Best Sound. A Stranger Amoung US Overview for A Stranger Among Us (1992) Brief Synopsis: An undercover policewoman falls in love with a rabbi's son while investigating a murder in New York City's Hassidic community. MPAA rating: PG-13 Cast: Melanie Griffith (Yaakov) Ro'ee Levi (Mendel) David Rosenbaum (Mr Klausman) Ruth Vool (Mrs Klausman) (Emily Eden) Eric Thal (Ariel) John Pankow (Levine) Tracy Pollan (Mara) Lee Richardson (Rebbe) Mia Sara (Leah) Jamey Sheridan (Nick Kemp) Jake Weber (Yaakov) Ro'ee Levi (Mendel) David Rosenbaum (Mr Klausman) Ruth Vool (Mrs Klausman) The Wanderers The Wanderers (1979) Director: Philip Kaufman The Bronx, 1963. Gangland. Rumbles, racism, and rock'n'roll; but the times they are a-changin'. Kennedy's dead and the Marines are calling. This adaptation of Richard Price's episodic novel plays like the urban flip-side of American Graffiti: a macho mini-community grows up and apart in the cultural gulf between Dion and Dylan. The comic indulgence is streaked with hindsight analysis and irony, but thankfully avoids moral schematics as the wonderfully-cast characters confront a world beyond their tenement horizons and, well...wander. The film survives cuts to deliver some great, gross, comic book capers. And rock history gets its most intelligent illustration since Mean Streets. Director: Philip Kaufman Producer: Martin Ransohoff Cast: Ken Wahl, John Friedrich, Karen Allen, Toni Kalem, Alan Rosenberg, Jim Youngs, Tony Ganios, Linda Manz. Brighton Beach Memories 1986 - This movie is funny. The film adaptation of the popular (and semiautobiographical) Neil Simon play. Poignant comedy/drama about a young Jewish boy's coming of age in Depression-era Brooklyn. Followed by "Biloxi Blues" and "Broadway Bound." Director Gene Saks Producer Mark Huffam ScreenplayNeil Simon CastBlythe Danner, Bob (Robert) Dishy, Judith Ivey, Jonathan Silverman, Brian Drillinger, Stacey Glick, Lisa Waltz, Jason Alexander CinematographyJohn Bailey Director Gene Saks Jerky Boys :The Movie 1995 When a former high school classmate brags about his mob connections, the Jerky Boys -- a pair of thirtysomething slackers who pride themselves on devious prank phone calls -- decide to have a little fun in the mafia underworld. However, when a cop mistakes the Jerky Boys for actual hit men, their innocent game causes more trouble than they would've ever imagined. Genre: Comedies Starring: Jerky Boys, Alan Arkin, Tom Jones Director: James Melkonian Screenwriter: Rich Wilkes MalcolmX 1992 Malcolm X divides the life of the African-American activist Malcolm X into three sections. The first section deals with the troubled childhood of Malcolm Little, whose father, a preacher, was murdered by the Black Legion and whose mother was institutionalized for insanity. Malcolm grows up and gets a job as a Pullman porter, calling himself Detroit Red. Getting involved with a Harlem gangster named West Indian Archie with whom he has a falling out, Malcolm flees to Boston and decides to become a burglar. He and his best friend, Shorty (played by Spike Lee) are arrested by the police and Malcolm is sentenced to a ten-year prison term. The second section follows Malcolm's life in prison, where a fellow inmate, Baines, introduces him to the teachings of the Nation of Islam. The third section follows Malcolm's religious conversion as a disciple of the Honorable Elijah Muhammad. During this fervent immersion into the Nation of Islam, he becomes an incendiary speaker for the movement and marries Betty Shabazz. Malcolm X preaches a doctrine of separation from white society. However, a pilgrimage to Mecca softens his beliefs, teaching him that Muslims come from all races, even whites, and he endeavors to break free of the strict dogma of the Nation of Islam, with tragic results. He is assassinated on February 21, 1965, in New York City. Cast & crewDirector: Spike Lee Producer: Spike Lee, Marvin Worth, Ahmed Murad Cast: Denzel Washington, Angela Bassett, Albert Hall, Al Freeman Jr, Delroy Lindo, Spike Lee, Theresa Randle, Kate Vernon, Lonette McKee, Debi Mazar Beat Street 1984 Upbeat, lets-put-on-a-show, musical about the wonders of rap music tells the story of Kenny (Guy Davis), a young hip-hop artist living in the rough slums of the Bronx with his younger brother Lee (Robert Taylor) and their mother Cora. Kenny dreams of making it big as a disk jockey and playing in the most swank of Manhattan nightclubs, The Roxy. Into their lives comes Tracy (Rae Dawn Chong), a composer and assistant choreographer from New York College who inspires him to try to continue his dream while romance begins to grow between them despite coming from different neighborhoods and worlds. Meanwhile, Lee is part of a break-dancing gang set on dominating the scene of their street. The rest of their friends include Ramon (Jon Chardiet), a graffiti artist determined to spread his painting to every subway car in the city while dealing with his girlfriend Carmen (Sandra Santaigo). Chollie is a fellow rapper who becomes Kenny's manager after he lands him a gig at a Bronx club as the DJ. Many rap groups, break dancers, and pop singers whom include Us Girls, The Treacherous Three, The System, Rock Steady Crew, Soul Sonic Force & Shango, The Magnificent Force, New York City Breakers, Furious Five, Tina B., Afrika Bambaataa, Johnny B. Bad, etc, make cameo appearances. Written by Matt Patay TV: The Sopranos

24 Feb 2008 by DGroppe