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Downtown 81

2001, Movie, NR, 72 mins

Downtown 81: Review

As a piece of cinematic art, this meandering, shambolic film isn't much to speak of, but as a time capsule, it's priceless. This street-level tour of the bruised underside of the Big Apple was originally shot in 1980-81, but shelved soon after due to financial difficulties. The intervening years have been kind: What might have been dismissed at the time as a curiosity along the lines of MONDO NEW YORK is now a fascinating relic from a faraway place: New York City, circa 1981, when the Lower East Side looked more like the South Bronx, and the South Bronx looked like Sarajevo. Read the complete review for Downtown 81