Kim's Video

Sep 27, 2023

1h 29m

★ 6.9

Cinema is a record of existence.

Overview

Since 1987, and for almost three decades, New York cinephiles had access to a vast treasure trove of rare films thanks to Kim's Video, a small empire run by Yongman Kim, an enigmatic character who amassed more than fifty thousand VHS tapes.

Genres

Documentary

History

Production Companies

Carnivalesque Films

Fremantle Documentaries

Kim's Video Trailers

Cast

Self

David Redmon

Self

Kim Yong-man

Self

Vittorio Sgarbi

Self

Isabel Gillies

Self

Robert Greene

Self

Eric Hynes

Self

Lorry Kikta

Self

Ryan Krivoshey

Self

Clayton Patterson

Self

Alex Ross Perry

Self

Sean Price Williams

Self

Anna Thorngate

In 1910, the Pennsylvania Railroad successfully accomplished the enormous engineering feat of building tunnels under New York City's Hudson and East Rivers, connecting the railroad to New York and New England, knitting together the entire eastern half of the United States. The tunnels terminated in what was one of the greatest architectural achievements of its time, Pennsylvania Station. Penn Station covered nearly eight acres, extended two city blocks, and housed one of the largest public spaces in the world. But just 53 years after the station’s opening, the monumental building that was supposed to last forever, to herald and represent the American Empire, was slated to be destroyed.

6.0

My Friend Liberty

Jun 25, 1986

Johnny awakens as his teacher talks about liberty, only to find that everything has turned to clay. A giant hand plucks Johnny from his seat. Liberty herself has stepped down from her pedestal to teach a youngster the meaning of liberty.

4.0

Lady Gaga: Glory

Dec 1, 2021

It's hard to define her. And that's precisely the way Lady Gaga wants it. Yes, Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta had a plan to remake herself into an outrageous icon. It began with Italian Catholic New York City roots then expanded to glam pop, electronic rock, burlesque and even jazz alongside nonagenarian crooner, Tony Bennett. Piano lessons began at age four and taught Stefani to create music by ear. There were lead roles in high school standard Broadway show productions then open mic nights at downtown clubs and 1 1/2 years of formal training at N.Y.U.'s Tisch School of the Arts. Even a rape at age nineteen slowed but did not stop the mission that would yield over 200 million combined album and song sales. No wonder that Gaga's fans call her "Monster Mother." An outrageous fashion sense has wrought costumes made of plastic bubbles and raw meat. While elaborate videos and spectacular stage sets are the norm,

6.6

Death Scream

Sep 26, 1975

Loosely based on the true story of the killing of Kitty Genovese: A young woman's murder is witnessed by fifteen of her neighbors who do nothing to help and refuse to cooperate with the police.

0.0

New York: The Wonder City

Jan 1, 1946

Showcases the iconic landmarks and attractions of New York City, from the Brooklyn Bridge to Times Square, highlighting the city's diverse neighborhoods, cultural institutions, and bustling streets.

4.0

The American Dream: Europeans in the New World

Feb 15, 2019

The history of Europeans in North America, from the arrival of Columbus in 1492 to the business success of German immigrants such as Heinz, Strauss or Friedrich Trumpf, Donald Trump's grandfather. During the 19th century, thirty million people — Germans, Irish, Scots, Russians, Hungarians, Italians and many others — left the old continent, fleeing poverty, racism or political repression, hoping to make a fortune and realize the American dream.

7.6

Forman vs. Forman

Jul 16, 2019

A moving account, in his own words, of the personal life and work of the brilliant Czech filmmaker Miloš Forman (1932-2018): his tragic childhood, his major contribution to the cultural movement known as the Czech New Wave, his exile in Paris, his troubled days in New York, his rise to stardom in Hollywood; a complete existence in the service of cinema.

7.8

Song from the Forest

Sep 11, 2014

25 years ago, Louis Sarno, an American, heard a song on the radio and followed its melody into the Central Africa Jungle and stayed. He than recorded over 1000 hours of original BaAka music. Now he is part of the BaAka community and raises his pygmy son, Samedi. Fulfilling an old promise, Louis takes Samedi to America. On this journey Louis realizes he is not part of this globalized world anymore but globalization has also arrived in the rainforest. The BaAka depend on Louis for their survival. Father and son return to the melodies of the jungle but the question remains: How much longer will the songs of the forest be heard?

1.0

Woman on Fire

Nov 15, 2016

Woman on Fire follows Brooke Guinan, the first openly transgender firefighter in New York City. A character-driven documentary, the film follows Brooke as she sets out to challenge perceptions of what it means to be transgender in America today.

6.7

Newsies

Apr 10, 1992

A week in the life of the exploited, child newspaper sellers in turn-of-the-century New York. When their publisher, Joseph Pulitzer, tries to squeeze a little more profit out of their labours, they organize a strike, only to be confronted with the Pulitzer's hard-ball tactics.

5.2

Peter Hujar's Day

Nov 7, 2025

A recently discovered conversation between photographer Peter Hujar and his friend Linda Rosenkrantz in 1974 reveals a glimpse into New York City’s downtown art scene and the personal struggles and epiphanies that define an artist’s life.

0.0

Whiteley

May 11, 2017

A visual journey into the life and legacy of one of Australia's most celebrated artists, Brett Whiteley.

7.0

Globe Trekker: Chinatown

Apr 2, 2007

In this special edition of Globe Trekker Chinatown, Lavinia Tan, Justine Shapiro and Megan McCormick travel worldwide to explore the magic and mystery of Chinatowns across the globe. Lavinia Tan begins the journey in Malaysia and Singapore where overseas traders led the earliest migrations of Chinese people. The journey continues from there to the United States, where Justine Shapiro visits San Francisco. Megan McCormick explores New York s Lower East Side, home to the largest Chinatown in the Western Hemisphere. After a short trip to London s Soho district, Lavinia Tan ends this journey with a visit to Hong Kong exploring the world famous film industry and the 21st century migration of Chinese back to their homeland.

0.0

Cult Of VHS

Aug 28, 2022

A Love Letter / Feature Length Documentary about the impact that VHS had and still has in the hearts of fans around the world.

7.0

Ragtime

Nov 20, 1981

A young black pianist becomes embroiled in the lives of an upper-class white family set among the racial tensions, infidelity, violence, and other nostalgic events in early 1900s New York City.

3.8

The Ring Thing

Jun 2, 2017

When Sarah accidentally proposes to her girlfriend in Provincetown, the mixup turns their loving relationship into a minefield of marital exploration.

4.8

Methadonia

Oct 6, 2005

Shot over the course of 18 months in New York City's Lower East Side, METHADONIA sheds light on the inherent flaws of legal methadone treatments for heroin addiction by profiling eight addicts, in various stages of recovery and relapse, who attend the New York Center for Addiction Treatment Services (NYCATS).