New York’s 42nd Street has forever been made famous by movie fans around the world as the home of the grindhouse. Every time we talk about rough exploitation films of the 70s and 80s, we conjure up images of brightly illuminated signs and seedy peepshows. Pickpockets and drug dealers operating underneath garish marquees advertising all night Kung-Fu triple bills.
But what do we actually know about 42nd Street? This special talk will cover the history of New York’s most famous movie theatre location - how it started life as a glorious theatre district in the 1900s, its decline into a hotbed of crime, corruption and prostitution…. and how New York City itself was more than happy to see it happen.
We look at the surprising stories, the shocking corruption at the highest levels, the colourful characters and the complex history of those famous marquees that we are so familiar with today. Join Professor Gaz for a history lesson that will enlighten your whole view of 42nd Street!
