Coney Island

Feb 4, 1991

0h 58m

★ 8.0

Overview

Before there was Disneyland, there was Coney Island. By the turn of the century, this tiny piece of New York real estate was internationally famous. On summer Sundays, three great pleasure domes--Steeplechase, Luna Park and Dreamland--competed for the patronage of a half-million people. By day it was the world's most amazing amusement park, by night, an electric "Eden".

Genres

History

Documentary

Production Companies

Steeplechase Films

GBH

Coney Island Trailers

No Trailers found.

Cast

Narrator (voice)

Philip Bosco

Self - Actor

Al Lewis

Self - Actor

Vincent Gardenia

Self - Actor

Eli Wallach

Self - Writer

Elliot Willensky

(voice)

Judd Hirsch

(voice)

George Plimpton

(voice)

Lois Smith

(voice)

Frances Sternhagen

It's 1974. Muhammad Ali is 32 and thought by many to be past his prime. George Foreman is ten years younger and the heavyweight champion of the world. Promoter Don King wants to make a name for himself and offers both fighters five million dollars apiece to fight one another, and when they accept, King has only to come up with the money. He finds a willing backer in Mobutu Sese Suko, the dictator of Zaire, and the "Rumble in the Jungle" is set, including a musical festival featuring some of America's top black performers, like James Brown and B.B. King.

8.0

Twenty Years After

Jan 1, 1944

This short celebrates the 20th anniversary of MGM. Segments are shown from several early hits, then from a number of 1944 releases.

10.0

The Boy Who Found Gold

Nov 4, 2016

William Hart McNichols is a world renowned artist, heralded by Time magazine as "among the most famous creators of Christian iconic images in the world". As a young Catholic priest from 1983-1990 he was immersed in a life-altering journey working as a chaplain at St. Vincent's AIDS hospice in New York city. It was during this time that he became an early pioneer for LGBT rights within the Catholic church. "The Boy Who Found Gold" is a cinematic journey into the art and spirit of William Hart McNichols. The film follows his colorful life as he crosses paths with presidents, popes, martyrs, and parishioners, finding an insightful lesson with each encounter. McNichols' message as a priest, artist and man speaks to the most powerful element of the human spirit: Mercy.

5.5

Fight Church

Sep 16, 2014

A documentary about the confluence of Christianity and mixed martial arts, including ministries which train fighters. The film follows several pastors and popular fighters in their quest to reconcile their faith with a sport that many consider violent and barbaric. Faith is tried and questions are raised. Can you really love your neighbor as yourself and then punch him in the face?

0.0

S&M: Sweat and Muscle - The Dominatrix Workout

Jan 1, 1996

An hour-long workout with a BDSM theme on a NYC rooftop, taught by a variety of instructors.

No Image

0.0

Gladstone and Disraeli: Clash of the Titans

Apr 1, 2009

Huw Edwards presents a documentary examining the relationship between Victorian prime ministers Benjamin Disraeli and William Gladstone, whose bitter personal rivalry dominated British politics for 40 years.

No Image

10.0

Democracy Is ...

Jan 31, 2009

The film is a controversy on democracy. Is our society really democratic? Can everyone be part of it? Or is the act of being part in democracy dependent to the access on technology, progression or any resources of information, as philosophers like Paul Virilio or Jean Baudrillard already claimed?

0.0

The General And Me

May 29, 2017

Over the period of 25 years the director met General Võ Nguyên Giáp, a legendary hero of Vietnam’s independence wars, a number of times. She was the first American who entered the home of the “Red Napoleon”. The fruit of this friendship is a film, personal and politically involved at the same time. Travelling across the country and talking to important figures as well as ordinary people, the director finds out more about her roots and offers the audience a unique perspective on Vietnam’s present and past.

0.0

Wealth of a Nation

Jan 1, 1964

"This film explores how freedom of speech — including dissent — is afforded to all Americans, and shows freedom of expression in art, music, dance, architecture, and science. The film also emphasizes the importance of the individual’s contribution to the whole of society and demonstrates how a productive and creative society is formed by the open and respectful exchange of ideas. The film was written, produced, and directed by William Greaves" (National Archives).

7.5

Style Wars

Jan 23, 1984

Tony Silver and Henry Chalfant's PBS documentary tracks the rise and fall of subway graffiti in New York in the late 1970s and early 1980s.

0.0

Pretty Ugly: The Story of the Lunachicks

Apr 24, 2026

Punk music icons, Lunachicks, reunite after 20 years in an unfiltered, hilarious, and electric documentary. Packed with rare archival footage, the film traces their rise from gritty NYC teens to feminist trailblazers of the 90s grunge era. Fans and newcomers alike will thrill as the band recounts old antics, rekindles bonds, and embarks on their long-awaited journey back to the stage.

7.3

Clues to Adventure

Apr 11, 1949

This MGM Passing Parade series short presents how separate events led to the creation of three provisions - freedom of speech, freedom of the press, and prohibition of the infliction of cruel and unusual punishments - in the U.S. Constitution's Bill of Rights.

5.5

Emilia Galotti

Mar 14, 1958

The Prince of Guastalla falls in love with the young citizen Emilia Galotti, who is soon to marry Count Appiani. In order to win Emilia, the prince tries to send the count on an "honorable" journey on his behalf with the help of his chamberlain Marinelli. However, after the Count refuses this offer, Marinelli decides to have the wedding carriage robbed on his own initiative in order to have Emilia abducted to the Prince's nearby pleasure palace. But he has not thought of the prince's mistress, Countess Orsina, and Emilia's shaken father Odoardo, both of whom soon arrive at the castle, one to meet the prince, the other to look after his daughter...

5.0

The Hidden History of Rome

Jan 1, 2002

Rome was famed for the decadence of its ruling class, however, what about the ordinary citizens of these ancient cultures? How did they lead their day to day lives in an age when the average life expectancy was little more than forty? Did they believe in the Pagan Gods? What were their sex lives like? What did they do for entertainment? How ordinary Romans lived is, for the most part ...

7.4

Stanley Kubrick: A Life in Pictures

Feb 17, 2001

With commentary from Hollywood stars, outtakes from his movies and footage from his youth, this documentary looks at Stanley Kubrick's life and films. Director Jan Harlan, Kubrick's brother-in-law and sometime collaborator, interviews heavyweights like Jack Nicholson, Woody Allen and Sydney Pollack, who explain the influence of Kubrick classics like "Dr. Strangelove" and "2001: A Space Odyssey," and how he absorbed visual clues from disposable culture such as television commercials.