Times Square
Times Square:
The Truth Behind the Transformation
Produced By: Aline Elmann, Aidah Gross, Penina Levitin, Miryam Sperka and Devorah Rostker
The journey of Times Square through the 20th century was truly an epic one. From horse stables to fabulous theater, from pornography to Disney princesses, the evolution of the district was and is, perhaps the most dramatic transformation the city has ever seen. In our project, we document the progression of Times Square and present what really went down on one of the world’s most famous blocks, West 42nd Street. Our movie examines the shifts in the demographics of the population, or shall we say the ‘peopling’ of Times Squares throughout the century.
Accomplishing these goals was an enormously exhaustive research endeavor (see our Credits Page for a glimpse of our efforts) that we never could have anticipated. The number of books, articles, blogs, archives, and documentaries that we found available for our research is a testament to the enormity of our subject. (For more on our research experience, click here ) Throw in an interview or two, and you’ve got yourself a project. (To view an some clips of our interview with author Lynne B. Sagalyn, check out out our Interview page.
Luckily for us though, the making of our movie: “Times Square: The Truth Behind the Transformation” was an experience that proved to be not just educational, but fun. As Kent Barwick, president of the Municipal Arts Society of New York, put it, “Nobody ever gives their regards to Park Avenue, or remembers fondly Wall Street.” Times Square has always held a special place in the hearts of New Yorkers, and always will. For more information on Time Square through the ages, visit our History, Times Square Today and Future of Times Square pages.
There has been great debate over whether the commercialized, family friendly entertainment center that is modern day Times Square is really an improvement over the sleazy, but undoubtedly unique, cesspool that it once was. We do not seek to convince you either way, we invite you to make your own decision. So with out further ado, we proudly present to you our humble (but not shabby, if we may say so ourselves) tribute to the very greatest street in an even greater city.