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"Pretend It's a City"

Lebowitz at her most pragmatic.

By Robert M Massimi. ( Broadway Bob).Published 3 years ago 3 min read
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Robert Massimi.

Netflix has a way at certain times of putting out what I call a hidden gem. A hidden gem too me is that off off Broadway play that is really entertaining; a movie downtown that no one has spoken about but is really artistic; a restaurant that is off the beaten path, yet excellent. What is entertaining at times with Netflix is that they can do many different shows about many pithy things. "Pretend It's a City" is one of those pity, pragmatic series.

Martin Scorsese and Fran Lebowitz, two long time friends get together for a Biographical Documentaries, seven in all spanning thirty minutes for each. The two are long time veterans of New York City and they discuss the many aspects of living in the city for as long as they have. Although Scorsese was born on Kenmere Street in Little Italy, Lebowitz was born and raised in Morristown, New Jersey. Lebowitz would leave for the bright lights shortly after being thrown out of high school during her senior year.

What is both entertaining and educational, both go back to the 70's when New York City was bankrupt and very dirty. Film clips of then mayor Abe Beam and some of the staples in the city at the time were both fun and enlightening. We see the old time Max's Kansas City and all the artists that played their. Max's Kansas City was to rock what Danceateria was to New Wave. If you were up and coming... you played Max's.

The episodes cover : how the city has changed from the 70's, the cities cultural affairs, its transit system, the board of estimate, its department of sports and health, the hall of records and its library services. All of which give us interesting glimpses into how the city runs; for the most knowledgeable New Yorker, it still points out things that are not obvious even to the skilled eye.

Lebowitz brings a sardonic social commentary on life in New York, from her ranting about people texting in the streets to being asked for directions by tourists. Many of her insights and complaints are warranted by todays younger generation. Fixated on cell phones, Instagram, and constant lack of where they are in the city streets, she makes comical work on just how annoying it has become. Lebowitz also takes many shots at how Times Square has become a huge park now, how it spent 40 million dollars to make Times Square a second Central Park. Not stopping there, she goes on to criticize Mike Bloomberg for banning smoking. Lebowitz feels that he has taken away art form from artists who once enjoyed smoking, drinking and eating as a stimulant to new artful ideas.

Lebowitz would go on to write for "Interview Magazine" and "Metropolitan Life". She wrote novels and appeared in Scorsese's "Wolf of Wall Street". Always a voracious reader, her collection of 10,000 books, Lebowitz reflects on the many great artists that have graced this great city. Although a longer series with more of the cities history regarding the different musical eras, the different clubs and the cities mayors and how they were instrumental in its change would have added to the series depth and its appeal.

Martin Scorsese did a great job in interviewing Lebowitz as well as inter acting with her . The two are old friends and it was important to get this series right. Where Lebowitz is very political, Scorsese goes with the conversational and is non committal to her remarks. It seems that Lebowitz hates any and all politicians, not to mention authority.

"Pretend It's a City" will show the many different aspects of Manhattan, from the lower East Side, to the West Village, Broadway, Lincoln Center and onto the West Village. We see how rents have sky rocketed, how they were always huge to begin with. The changing skyline of our city for better or worse, they talk about New York having the first skyscrapers and now, 57th Street looks like Dubai with the two new buildings being completed.

Informative and humorous, this documentary has a little entertainment for all. the series is filmed at a theater, The Players Club and The Public Library for the most part. Never short on an opinion, Lebowitz shows us her true New York City colors and she makes honest work as to why New York City is the greatest city in the world.

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About the Creator

Robert M Massimi. ( Broadway Bob).

I have been writing on theater since 1982. A graduate from Manhattan College B.S. A member of Alpha Sigma Lambda, which recognizes excellence in both English and Science. I have produced 14 shows on and off Broadway. I've seen over700 shows

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