Video of the Day: Save Coney Island, The Movie

Some anonymous filmmakers have created Save Coney Island: The Movie. From their YouTube page, where they posted a trailer this week, they describe it as follows: "When Thor Equities, an infamous real-estate company, threatens to build condominiums on Coney Island's core amusements, Amos Wengler, the troubadour, must keep the spirit of Coney Island alive with a song before all the memories fade forever. The life, spirit and essence of Coney Island explode on the screen as the film explores the inter-dynamics of Coney Island's social life."

All the usual characters make an appearance, from Coney's fake mayor Dick Zigun to Lola Staar to the neighborhood troubadour Amos Wengler. They've also set up a MySpace page, and more announcements about the documentary are promised. [via Kinetic Carnival]

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By Jen Carlson in Arts & Entertainment on August 28, 2008 5:33 PM

Comments [rss]

REALITY CHECK

#3, okay maybe you're right. Some evildoers forced them to sign, and the mountains of money they received in return was simply a reluctant bonus, because elderly people don't like money. it's not impossible.

bornbrednewyorker

Reality Check... How do you know that this city wasn't holding a gun to Astroland to sell? If you're following this Coney scenario closely the city has made it very clear that Coney Islands zoned amusement is to be 365 days a year not 4 or 5 months. Astroland' s owners the Alberts are elderly and they would have to completely restructure their park to fit that scenario, basically starting over. That would never happen at their age. It's not as if they even needed the money. They are rich. City government pressure has been going on in development for years. There's a lot more to this story than playing the blame game.

ides_of_march

How about a celebrity Shoot the Freak? Every weekend get some washed up actor (where's Ben Affleck?)in need of work for people to shoot with paint balls. Turn it into a tv show. It'll make a fortune. Now that's the kind of thinking that will save Coney Island, oh, and cleaning up the garbage off the streets once in a while wouldn't hurt either.

REALITY CHECK

While Thor is obviously a soulless, evil entity, one has to wonder why there is no attention being paid to the people at Astroland. Astroland sold their souls (and Coney Island's soul) to the devil. There was no gun to anyone's head, just the promise of huge wads of cash. I blame Astroland as much, if not more than, Thor for destroying Coney Island.