Blank City

Documentary

2011, Movie, 1h 34min

In the years before Ronald Reagan took office, Manhattan was in ruins. But true art has never come from comfort, and it was precisely those dire circumstances that inspired artists like Jim Jarmusch, Lizzy Borden, and Amos Poe to produce some of their best works. Taking their cues from punk rock and new wave music, these young maverick filmmakers confronted viewers with a stark reality that stood in powerful contrast to the escapist product being churned out by Hollywood.

Country: United States

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Ratings

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IMDb rating

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7.1

Critic rating

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6.0

Reviews

Critic Andrew Pulver

rated

...an entertaining examination of a chronically self-involved group of people looking back at their terminally hip former selves...

Read full review at The Guardian

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Frequently asked questions

What is Blank City about? Toggle content

In the gritty, pre-gentrification Manhattan of the late 1970s and early 1980s, a group of young, rebellious filmmakers defied the mainstream with their raw, unapologetic stories. Against the backdrop of the rising East Village art and No Wave music scenes, they created a DIY film movement that captured the city's edgy, derelict spirit. With pioneers like Jim Jarmusch, Beth B, Lizzie Borden, and Amos Poe at the helm, this underground cinema movement birthed provocative, dissonant tales and deadpan humor, influencing independent film for years to come. Interviews with icons like Steve Buscemi, Debbie Harry, Fab 5 Freddy, Thurston Moore, and Lydia Lunch offer a unique perspective on the creative energy of that era, showcasing how resourcefulness and a DIY ethos can lead to groundbreaking art. BLANK CITY tells their story, unfolding a vivid portrait of a bygone New York and the unbridled creativity that emerged from its darkest corners.

Where can I stream Blank City? Toggle content

You can stream Blank City on: Apple TV Store

What movies are similar to Blank City? Toggle content

Some movies that have similar genres and were produced around the same time as Blank City include T-Rex, Maradona, the Golden Kid, Let it Ride: The Craig Kelly story, Cocaine Cowboys, Taxi to the Dark Side, Deep Web.