Filmmakers view New York as a disaster waiting to happen

[Trainspotter]

Entertainment News

Filmmakers view New York as a disaster waiting to happen

Skyscrapers submerged by explosions, the Statue of Liberty's severed head and panic in a subway station. These are some of the scary scenes in "Cloverfield," in theaters Jan. 18, but they're also the real-life fears of New Yorkers already on edge.

 

The film opens just a month after "I Am Legend," which follows Will Smith through a deserted and devastated New York. These flicks are only the latest of dozens to show our city besieged.

 

Some locals have had enough of Big Apple-based apocalypse.

 

"Maybe it's time to mess with another city," vents Meredith Blake, 28, who lives in Brooklyn. "My instant response to seeing the trailer was, 'Come on! Another movie where they destroy New York?'"

 

What bothered her most were the similarities to the most horrific attack on the city.

 

"I remember one scene of people running for cover in a deli, and there's dust and rubble flying everywhere," Blake says. "It's just so obviously an allusion to 9/11."

 

The poster for "Cloverfield" shows a decapitated Lady Liberty next to dark smoke billowing from the Manhattan skyline.

 

"I was at the 14th St. and Sixth Ave. subway station, and there was the 'Cloverfield' ad, and then I walk upstairs and then there's one for "I Am legend" with the [collapsed] Brooklyn Bridge," says Blake. "That was actually the tipping point. It was two at once. It's all these people in L.A. who are doing it and it's just like, 'Can't you blow up L.A., for once? Pick on your own city.'"

 

But don't expect the Big Apple to get a break anytime soon. It's the favorite setting for monster or disaster movies among film buffs, according to the results of a Fandango.com poll released exclusively to the Daily News.

 

Fifty-five percent of fans voted New York as the top film catastrophe site in the poll posted on the movie ticketing Web site last week. That was more than the combined total of those who liked London (14%), Tokyo (12%), Los Angeles (11%) and San Francisco (8%).

 

With all the destruction-based blockbusters set here, can you blame them?

 

In "The Day After Tomorrow," a global superstorm freezes the city and Jake Gyllenhaal waits it out at the New York Public Library. Global warming also struck in "Artificial Intelligence: A.I.," wiping out Gotham with floodwater.

 

In 1998's remake of "Godzilla," an iguana-like monster stampedes through Manhattan, crushing everything in its path before laying eggs in Madison Square Garden and becoming tangled in the cables of the Brooklyn Bridge.

 

From: - January 9, 2008

[Brighton Local]

Thats the way I feel also. I couldn't stand viewing the 'I Am Legend Poster' with the destroyed Brooklyn & Manhattan Bridges. I mean, what New Yorker doesn't love seeing their home town on the Big screen, but constantly getting blown up and destroyed, makes us think back to 9/11. An illusion that each of us will never forget, and hopefully will NEVER have to witness again. I feel these movies definitely give terrorists an idea. Not to get off Topic here, but how many of us viewed Denzel Washington's, and Annette Benning's 1998 movie, 'The Siege'. The Siege is a film based on Islamic Terrorists basically placing Suicide Bombers around New York City, and of course blowing stuff up. Even a New York City Bus was blown up in 'Williamsburg'. My point is, New York City, probably one OR The greatest place(s) on earth, should now be focused on such positive aspects it has; hence, the destruction special affects are great, but when NEW YORKERS view that, we know in the back of our mind, that, that could be 'me', running for my life, or hiding in an alley; g-d for bid.

[R1Toasty]

I am getting tired of it. It really annoys me to see all this about the city, and it makes you think, something might really happen. It does seem like they're picking at the 9-11 scar as well, which might never heal completely. Seriously, stop with all the NYC disaster crap, I've had enough as well. What's wrong with a more peaceful film in the city? Come on film makers, aren't we beating this subject to death?

[Pablo M 201]

I think its cool as long as the movie is good. I mean, its just a movie. I've moved passed certain things that have happened and what are done in movies.

 

Dunno, I don't think much about it anymore because I've had other $hit to worry about and don't think of such things often.

 

As for Cloverfield, that should be really good to watch.

[DOB2RTO]

It's already a disaster that happened.

[Harry]

It's already a disaster that happened.

 

Are you that 500' monster in Cloverfield?

[DonOfAllBuses]

For once I'd like to see oh say like... Kansas City get destroyed instead of NYC. They realy are giving those Terrorist ideas. I realy don't want another nine eleven, or just as worse... they destroy Lady Liberty.

[DOB2RTO]

Are you that 500' monster in Cloverfield?

 

Actually, those were my enormous and monstrous hammertoes, being used for the 500' monster.

[DOB2RTO]

I realy don't want another nine eleven, or just as worse... they destroy Lady Liberty.

 

Lady Liberty? The French gave it to us...........

[Pablo M 201]

For once I'd like to see oh say like... Kansas City get destroyed instead of NYC. They realy are giving those Terrorist ideas. I realy don't want another nine eleven, or just as worse... they destroy Lady Liberty.

They were close.

 

When I saw flight 175 come into view whipping around Jersey City, it flew VERY Close to the Statue of Liberty.

[R68 Subway Car]

They were close.

 

When I saw flight 175 come into view whipping around Jersey City, it flew VERY Close to the Statue of Liberty.

Did you see the plane crash into the World Trade Center?

[Pablo M 201]

Did you see the plane crash into the World Trade Center?

Yessir.

[error46146]

for some strange reason i seem to like movies made in NYC over movies made in other places. it doesn't matter if it shows NYC being destroyed or not, i just like NYC movies better lol.

 

my favorite NYC movies are men in black and the godzilla mentioned before with the brooklyn bridge

[DOB2RTO]

my favorite NYC movies are men in black and the godzilla mentioned before with the brooklyn bridge

 

I only liked King Kong in NYC climbing the Empire State Building, and Godzilla in Japan. I'm talking about the older version of these movies, not the special effects garbage (har-bah-hey) of today.

 

King Kong 1976:

 

 

Godzilla 1975:

 

KING KONG VS. GODZILLA!:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Een-xQwxqGw

[sebbieprops]

I understand that the threat of terrorist activity is real and shouldn't be trivialized or downplayed.

 

However, I honestly don't have a problem with depicting New York as the site of a disaster. It's only fantasy and entertainment. I mean, this is the largest city in the United States, and it properly epitomizes any urban atmosphere.

 

For example, Bill O'Reilly made a fuss on his program on January 9 about a French-made video game set in pre-9/11 New York. In the plot of the game, several hijacked airliners are en route to New York, headed for the Trade Towers. The object of the game is to fire missiles at the airliners, thus saving the towers, averting the terrorist attack, and thereby saving America. I don't see why Bull O'Really (what I like to call him, since he's full of bull, and every time I hear him talk, I find myself going "oh, really?") was crying about. First of all, the game is pure fantasy, and second, its object is to save, and not attack, the United States.

[R68 Subway Car]

I understand that the threat of terrorist activity is real and shouldn't be trivialized or downplayed.

 

However, I honestly don't have a problem with depicting New York as the site of a disaster. It's only fantasy and entertainment. I mean, this is the largest city in the United States, and it properly epitomizes any urban atmosphere.

 

For example, Bill O'Reilly made a fuss on his program on January 9 about a French-made video game set in pre-9/11 New York. In the plot of the game, several hijacked airliners are en route to New York, headed for the Trade Towers. The object of the game is to fire missiles at the airliners, thus saving the towers, averting the terrorist attack, and thereby saving America. I don't see why Bull O'Really (what I like to call him, since he's full of bull, and every time I hear him talk, I find myself going "oh, really?") was crying about. First of all, the game is pure fantasy, and second, its object is to save, and not attack, the United States.

Do you hate Bill Oreilly? And btw I thought you liked his show, as you said on strappies. Which political show do you like better?

[sebbieprops]

Do you hate Bill Oreilly? And btw I thought you liked his show, as you said on strappies. Which political show do you like better?

 

I've sort of got a love-hate thing with the guy. He's got some points that I agree with very much, but then sometimes he starts in about "cultural behavior", like saying that the internet is causing the demise of American youth, and then he loses me completely. Still, even if he's full of bull sometimes, I find his show quite entertaining.

 

My favorite political show is "Hannity's America", which airs on Fox on Sundays at 9:00 p.m.

[R68 Subway Car]

I've sort of got a love-hate thing with the guy. He's got some points that I agree with very much, but then sometimes he starts in about "cultural behavior", like saying that the internet is causing the demise of American youth, and then he loses me completely. Still, even if he's full of bull sometimes, I find his show quite entertaining.

 

My favorite political show is "Hannity's America", which airs on Fox on Sundays at 9:00 p.m.

I love Hannity's America too. Sean Hannity Rocks!