September 29, 2006
Map of the Day: 40 Years of Film in New York City
Make that 40 years of film and TV.
To celebrate its 40th anniversary, the Mayor's Office of Film, Theatre and Broadcasting has some special things planned. There is a book, Scenes from the City, coming out in October, that looks at how the city has been used in films like On the Waterfront, Shaft, Big, and the recent Push Cart Man and TV shows like Sex and the City. 
There are also various film screenings and discussions being held at different venues in the city (walking tour to see landmarks from The Warriors, The Wiz, and Annie Hall during the Coney Island Film Festival).
And online, there's an interactive Flash map that shows where movies and shows have been shot. While the map isn't comprehensive with every single location shown on Law & Order or from Taxi Driver, it gives you a sense of how many films have been set in certain areas.
Check out the Mayor's Office of Film, Theatre & Broadcasting - 40th Anniversary Home.
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HEY! That map doesn't have Staten Island! We had some great movies filmed on SI. The Godfather. Hello? And even Working Girl.
Sorry, I meant it doesn't have some of the great Staten Island flicks. I won't type faster than my brain can move next time.
Actually, if you launch the map, you can move it around and you'll see Working Girl noted as a dot in the water (ferry, I suppose) and that Staten Island's lone movie is Ferry Tales.
But that's a quibble with the map - The Godfather is marked as being in Little Italy, when it was bigger than that.
Neat idea but some of their dots are in the wrong areas in Brooklyn on the map, even though the info is correct in the popup.
They forgot "Donnie Brasco". Sonny Black's hangout was filmed about 2 blocks away from my apartment (in Greenpoint).
they listed sleepers in hell's kitchen (where its set in the movie) even though they filmed most of in greenpoint
I was going to mention architect James Sanders' book "Celluloid Skyline", but I see that he's authored the book comemorating the 40th anniversary of the MOoFT&B. Anyway, I'll still recommend it.
And of course there is a Flickr group of NYC film and TV locations.
If it hasn't got "Marathon Man" it's totally not worth it. Best. Movie. Ever. (Shot. In. N. Y. C. At. Least.)
doesn't have Taking of Pelham 123 (scenes on PAS).