Bad 1980's Movie Filmed on Roosevelt Isle

Old Man Grumpus on Live Journal blogged yesterday about a really bad movie titled Robot Holocaust that was filmed partially on Roosevelt Island. Grumpus lays out the plot fairly well but in short the robots rebelled and wiped out civilization and the remnants of mankind apparently were outside the last city (of course NYC) and well would you believe it were here on little Roosevelt Island. I guess we don't need RIOC to divulge their evacuation plan as this rock turns out to be the safest place left on the planet. Pretty wild.

Well I had to see for myself and after watching 10 minutes I could not take it anymore and turned it off but very clearly many scenes were filmed down at Southpoint Park. From the look of it the park was still in formation.

If you want to see this movie before it is taken off Hulu you only have about 2 to 3 more days to see it.

Police Raid [Roosevelt] Island Prison

Seventy years ago this week, On March 1, 1939, Warner Brothers premiered the film "Blackwell's Island" starring John Garfield. The movie focuses on one repoprter's quest and the eventual raid made by the police upon the prison which was at that time on Blackwell's Island (later Welfare Island and now Roosevelt Island).

The NY Times review stated that it was a "sound melodrama ... and amusing, too, in a cynical way". The movie was loosely based on the actual 1934 raid that revealed widespread corruption at the prison. It was the actual 1934 raid that prompted NYC to soon after move all the inmates off Blackwell's Island into the new prison buildings built at Riker's Island abandoning Blackwell's Island where the site was later razed and upon which was built Goldwater Hospital.

Direct YouTube Link by Foxter65

Film Shoot Destroys Tram Station

Unbeknownst to most Roosevelt Island residents who came to the island after the first Spider-Man movie the film shoot destroyed the island's Tram station captured here on film.

Granted the station destroyed was a 1/18 scale miniature of the station. Pretty cool video. Direct YouTube link by GMDFX. I don't recall any of this footage in the movie but watch for the close up at about 1:00 minute of the station's interior as it is pretty detailed of the yellow fencing etc.

Wanted: One Roosevelt Island Gypsy Woman

If you are a Roosevelt Island gypsy woman, between 41 years and 50 years, you are wanted for a role in a movie to be filmed on the island on February 3rd.

Actually the ad states:

Director: Katrina Sorrentino. I am currently a sophomore and this is my first Sight and Sound Film Project at NYU. The film is going to be very short, 16mm, black and white reversal film, no sound. It will be a quick shoot on February 3rd in the afternoon. If you're interested please contact me. I will provide you with a copy of the footage when the film is complete.

This female character is an eccentric looking gypsy who comes up to my main character, snaps a polaroid of him, and then writes on the bottom of it 'content.' She is sort of a teller of moods, a human mood ring if you will. I want her to look quirky and wise.

If you are interested in the part contact Katrina Sorrentino HERE.

Does Roosevelt Island Get the Full Creepy from Cold Souls?

A number of residents who recall the movie "Cold Souls" being filmed here on Roosevelt Island can now read the reviews of the film on line at Variety, Cinema Blend, and other web sites.

The plot line includes a stop by the actor "Paul Giamatti" playing a version of himself who at one point comes to a clinic on Roosevelt Island where they will relieve you of your soul for a time. Based on the review the scenes on Roosevelt Island are limited but repeated so we don't get the complete creepy treatment we got from "Dark Waters" but enough apparently.

Per the Cinema Blend website the Roosevelt Island based lab is named "Soul Storage". According to past blog posts there were scenes filmed at the Octagon and aboard the Roosevelt Island Tram but it is unknown what interior or exterior shots of the Octagon, the Tram or the Island have made it to the final cut. No official movie poster yet or stills that I can find featuring the Island.

Rooftop Film Pushed Back to Sunday Sep 7

------Original Message------
From: Dan Nuxoll
To: Roosevelt Island 360
Sent: Sep 5, 2008 4:55 PM
Subject: RE: [Roosevelt Island 360] This Sat. 9/6 Free Rooftop Film atFirefighter's Field

Hi Eric--
We have decided that, given the forecast of rain and high winds, that we are
moving the event to Sunday, September 7th, same time--8PM, same
location--firefighters field. If you have the chance to let your readers
know we would appreciate it
Thanks
Dan

Dan Nuxoll
Program Director
Rooftop Films

Submit for the 2008 Summer Series
Underground Movies Outdoors
http://www.rooftopfilms.com/

This Sat. 9/6 Free Rooftop Film at Firefighter's Field

Rooftop Films is again screening a film here on Roosevelt Island this Saturday, September 6th and once again the show is free to the public. The film "Arusi: Persian Wedding" by Iranian-American filmmaker Marjan Tehrani chronicles her brother's return to Iran as he travels with his American wife to have a Persian wedding ceremony and explore his lost heritage.

Note this film was originally scheduled to be at Southpoint park but has been moved to Firefighter's Field.

"City Island" Shoot Night 2 on Roosevelt Isle

The above YouTube video is again from "City Island" Director Raymond De Felitta's video blog "Movies 'Til Dawn" and is a pretty cool view of watching the crew and the director walk through and film a scene where the actors are walking along Roosevelt Island's Westerm promenade.

Tram Video from the Director of "City Island"

The above YouTube video of the Roosevelt Island Tram was posted by Raymond De Felitta, a flim director currently shooting the film "City Island" on his blog "Movies 'Til Dawn" . This sequence was filmed last night.

Movie "City Island" Filming on Tram

The rumor at the Manhattan Tram platform this evening was that the filming tonight involves actor Andy Garcia. No confirmed sightings yet. The film crew working at the Roosevelt Island Tram station did confirm that the movie was indeed "City Island" which Garcia is starring in.

As of 9:00 pm only one tram cabin was running on a rush hour schedule so the film company could load equipment into the other cabin. The production vehicles were lined up right down Main Street all the way to 425 Main from the Tram circle.

Is Southpoint Park Ready for Neil Diamond?

The screening this Saturday night at Roosevelt Island’s Southpoint Park of the film “Song Sung Blue” is sponsored by Rooftop Films and so far they seem to be getting the word out pretty well. I have seen mention of the event on several websites including Gothamist among others and it appears the turn out will be pretty strong for this free event.

Place: Southpoint Park
Time:

8:00 pm for karaoke,

9:00 pm start for films (a short 4 minute film will precede the feature.)

The question is whether Southpoint Park is ready for the event? Certainly RIOC and the local PSD will be handling basic security and cleanup as agreed to when RIOC allowed the event to be booked. Southpoint Park annually hosts a July 4th fireworks viewing which is well attended and local security, the NYPD and the MTA beef up their presence here on the island.

The movie includes some strong content and language and may not be suitable for young children. As noted in my earlier post about the film the movie is a documentary about a local Milwaukee cover band “Lightning and Thunder.” Thunder is expected to be in attendance with two of her and Lightning's children

It is unknown how many Neil Diamond fans that did not secure tickets to his Madison Square Garden shows starting that same night will descend on Southpoint to see the movie. But the expectation is that a number of these fans will come to the island to take part in this event in addition to a number of subscribers to Rooftop’s mailing list.

Per the Rooftop Films website the event is being cosponsored by the IFC, New York Magazine and the Manhattan delegation of the NY City Council lead by Jessica Lappin.

Neil Diamond Cover Band Film to Play / Not Play at Southpoint Park on Aug.16th

According to a Gothamist article / interview with Rooftop Films founder Mark Elijah Rosenberg the documentary film “Song Sung Blue” about the Neil Diamond cover band Lightning & Thunder is to play on Roosevelt Island on August 16, 2008. According to the Rooftop Films website the movie is slated to play at Southpoint at 9:00 pm with a karaoke session taking place at 8:00 pm.

No confirmation from RIOC as to the scheduling of this event and we have seen no advertising on Roosevelt Island. If this event is confirmed it may be our last opportunity to watch a outdoor film at Southpoint as the RIOC Summer Movie Series relocated to Firefighter's Field this year.

UPDATE: For RIOC's response see the Roosevelt Islander blog. Don't be putting on your Neil Diamond outfits just yet as apparently this film may not qualify as family friendly..

Movie Night 6/21 : Choice of Features

This Saturday evening, June 21st, Roosevelt Island residents will have the choice of seeing two movies or perhaps seeing in effect a double feature.

Starting at 7:30 pm at the Roosevelt Island Visual Arts Association (RIVAA) residents can vew on the island the film "A Necessary Music" which was filmed on Roosevelt Island as a collaborative work between Beatrice Gibson and Alex Waterman. You can read more about this film by linking HERE to past blog posts about the film or linking HERE to the film's website.

Starting at 8:45 pm RIOC presents 'The NeverEnding Story" which is being shown on a large inflatable screen over at Firefighters Field. As previously reported the RIOC Summer Film Series has been moved this year from Southpoint to Firefighter's Field to allow for greater access as opposed to residents having to navigate the unpaved paths required to get to Southpoint.

June 21st Movie Night: "The Never Ending Story"

I have been informed that RIOC has scheduled "The Never Ending Story" as the first film in the Roosevelt Island Summer Movie Series to be held at Firefighters Field. The series begins Saturday, June 21st at 8:45 pm for thepre-show and a 9:00 pm film start. Firefighters Field is located just across from the Tram and the Riverwalk buildings currently under construction.

As reported in prior posts the movies have been moved from Southpoint Park this year to Firefighters Field to allow more residents and guests access to the site as the gravel path and incline made it difficult for many to attend.

Roosevelt Island as Science Fiction: Film Update

“A ‘Necessary Music’ is a science fiction film about modernist social housing. A musically conceived piece, referencing the video operas of Robert Ashley, the film explores the social imaginary of a utopian landscape through directed attention to the voices that inhabit it.”

I have to admit reading through the above text taken directly from the film’s website I am a little concerned. But having met the artist Beatrice Gibson, who developed the film in collaboration with composer Alex Waterman I am not as worried as I might be otherwise. Both seemed genuinely interested in presenting a film that would not paint the island as another “Dark Waters” which many individuals think of when they hear the name Roosevelt Island, film and science fiction in one sentence.

Apparently I missed the film's opening at the Whitney Museum of American Art but as per the below image it is currently running at the 548 West 22nd Street location through June 1st. Acording to an email I received from Ms. Gibson the times are 11am - 6pm every day through June 1st. I plan on getting there this week to check it out.

More from the film’s site:

“Treating the medium of film as both a musical proposition and a proposal for collective production, A Necessary Music employs the resident of New York's Roosevelt Island as its authors and actors, gathering together texts written by them and using them to construct a script for the film. Casting seventeen residents to enact these lines accompanied by a fictional narration take from Adolfo Bioy Casares' 1941 science fiction novel 'The invention of Morel', the film deploys fiction as a tool to frame and activate its site. Self-consciously dissolving from attempted realism to imagined narrative, what begins as a process concerned with sociality becomes instead a ethnographic fiction about place and community, and an investigation into representation itself.”

Movie Night Location Changed to Increase Event Accessibility

As I noted in a blog post two day's ago the Summer Movies generously sponsored by the Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation have been moved this Summer from SouthPoint Park (frown) to Firefighter's Field. The first film is scheduled to be shown on June 21, 2008 at 9:00 pm with a pre-show at 8:45pm. For a sample of the screen quality and sound link through to the prior post. Entrance to each of the three movie nights is FREE for all who attend.

The reason for the change in venue has nothing to do with pending construction of the Wild Garden's Park, by the Trust Public Land, or the stabilization of the Renwick Ruin / Smallpox Hospital but simply to enable more of our neighbors and guests greater access to the screenings as the path down to SouthPoint Park for many of our older residents, guests, and wheelchair bound neighbors made the events inaccessible.

So as a gesture to include as many people as possible the venue was changed to Firefighter's Field as it is accessible to everyone and central to the major mass transportation hubs. So while I will miss the background views at SouthPoint, while simultaneously enjoying the feature being played, the reasons for change far outweigh any other factors. Besides the idea is to watch the movies anyway.

The below map is provided for anyone that does not know where Firefighter's Field is:

No Movies at Southpoint Park This Year

Film Series Moved to Firefighter's Field

One of the most magical experiences I have had living on Roosevelt Island was walking on down to Southpoint Park to watch a Summertime movie with the Manhattan and Queen's skylines surrounding the "theatre". From getting off the Red Bus to walking up the lighted path passed the Renwick Ruin / Smallpox Hospital the entire experience was something you would never get anywhere else. Unfortunately it appears that for this year that experience will not be happening.

Make video montages at www.OneTrueMedia.com

According to the upcoming events page on the RIOC website this year's summer movie series will be held at Firefighter's Field. Now before you start looking at the graphic below I am sure the folks at RIOC will make a great production. I trust Erica Wilder and Donna Masley and the other fine RIOC folks to do a good job by us but with the lights and sounds of Red and Q102 Buses arriving and leaving the Tram station not to mention the noise eminating from the Queensboro Bridge there is only so much they can compensate for.

And I am sure they would position the screen so that the Keyspan Plant is behind us and not behind the screen but again if the wind is working against us we may even be unfortunate enough to smell the plant (granted it's a extremely extremely rare event and I've only heard this secondhand) which would just not work with most movies.

I am guessing the reasons to move the movie series involve perhaps the upcoming contruction of the Wild Gardens Park at Southpoint or perhaps the stabilization of the Smallpox Hospital and I have asked for clarification and I am sure I will get a prompt response but the knowledge that we will not get another chance at watching a movie with those panoramic views with the looming possibility of the FDR Memorial Trees taking it away in the future is a great loss.

Sure movies may return to Southpoint in the future but it just won't be the same.

"A Necessary Music: a film about Roosevelt Island"

Tonight artist Beatrice Gibson and Composer / Musician Alex Waterman will officially kick off their project to film a movie about the music of Roosevelt Island. The project announced within a WIRE article (page 8, Sat. 2/23/08) and an insert where multiple questions were posed to residents sounds interesting enough for anyone looking to participate and to learn more to show up at RIVAA tonight to do just that ... learn more.

Nighthawks Roosevelt Island Tram Movie Poster

Over the last year or so I have been looking for any still photographs or posters from the Nighthawks movie which features the Roosevelt Island Tram. The Tram scene in the movie involved the terrorist Wulgar taking the hostages aboard the Tram and a sequence where Sylvester Stallone was lowered into the Tram by Helicopter and where he later descended out of the Tram's emergency exit floor panel. Today I found the above poster image on another Internet site, Moon in the Gutter, that discusses the filming and creation of the movie.

A few months ago I published a post which included a link to a video which showed a snippet of the scenes of the Tram. Unfortunately that video clip appears to no longer be available or load properly on the target website.

Roosevelt Island: Land Without Dogs - Now Online !

A few months ago I saw a YouTube short featuring clips from various films Jefrey Powers had worked on. One of these films was "Roosevelt Island: Land Without Dogs". I had only heard about this film from other island residents who had seen it at local film festival sponsored by the RI Historical Society. Well after a few e-mails and the pleading of this bloggist the film has been brought into the digital age. Enjoy the fun and let us know back here what you think and to thank Mr. Powers (photography & producer)and Mr. Jeffrey Pickett (writer, director, and producer)for digitizing the film and making it available here.

Times have changed and we now see plenty of pooches on the Island but once there was a dark age when man's best friend was not welcome. Double Click the above still photo to link to the film. Did I mention that the film is great travelogue for the Island.

Description from the film's creators: 16 min 2 sec - May 25, 2001

"This film examines a peculiar place that remains surprisingly anonymous despite its location in the heart of the most talked-about city in the world. Roosevelt Island sits just a stone's throw from New York's Upper East Side, nestled in the East River between Manhattan and Queens. What makes it so peculiar is not only its anonymity but its by-law stating that no dogs are to be allowed on the island at any time, for any reason. The absurdity of this issue is eclipsed only by the impassioned feelings of many of Roosevelt Island's citizens concerning the specter of canine rights, or, in this case, an acute lack thereof."