Tuesday, February 26, 2008

Coney Island, 1978

Some great footage of Coney amusements from 1978 has been posted on YouTube by user 'Coney70s'. People often share footage from Coney's early twentieth century heyday, and footage from contemporary Coney. Footage from this interstitial era is much rarer.

The footage- which features the Jumbo Jet, the Cortina Bob, the Bumber Car ride and, above all, the Go-Kart ride- was shot using a silent home movie camera. There is something rather striking and bittersweet about watching such boisterous fun take place without any sound at all (even the hundred year old Edison Studios films tend to be overdubbed with jubilant music).

1978 Coney Island: Kaufman's Steeplechase Park

Description:
Using a silent home movie camera in 1978 I filmed scenes around Norman Kaufman's Steeplechase Park in Coney Island. I had worked on the Go-Kart ride (which is why that ride is shown more often than others.) You will see the Jumbo Jet, the Cortina Bob, the Bumber Car ride, and A LOT OF FACES. Contact me if you want to talk about these times and images. Coney70s@hotmail.com ** CISO **
posted on YouTube by
Coney70s


- post by Ben Nadler

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