Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Coney Events: Ekaterina Presents: Circus! Magic! Rock-N-Roll!

From Coney Island USA:
ALL STAR LINE UP!
The Incredible Super Sexy Daredevil CIRCUS UNA! The Piano Superstar CORN MO! He's getting huge by the minute, so you've got to catch his performance while we can still afford him....
Fresh from his World Tour the legendary street performer MAGIC BRIAN! He's got a new tricks up his sleeve and new tight trousers! And MISS EKATERINA - the damsel in a pinny with a sassy classy manner! It's the one in a million chance to see us together on the same stage - you will be sorry you missed it.


Burlesque at the Beach
Ekaterina Presents: Circus! Magic! Rock-N-Roll!
Thursday, September, 30th 2010
9 pm
$10
at Sideshow by the Seashore
Coney Island USA
1208 Surf Ave.

Panel Discusses What's Next For Coney Island

(Image courtesy of Save Coney Island)

Pulitzer Prize winning historian Mike Wallace moderates the panel discussion tomorrow, Thursday, September 28th 2010, entitled, "Heritage, Rides, Redevelopment: What's Next For Coney Island?" and presented by the City University of New York (CUNY).  Along with several local and city-wide preservation groups that will host the panel. The group hopes to answer vital questions regarding the future of Coney Island and its move forward.  The discussion also hopes to save the only remaining historic buildings, in Coney Island, from the impending doom they are facing at the hands of greed and the utter disregard for an important part of New York's social integrity that should be protected.

Envisioning the "Banker's Ballroom"
(Image courtesy of Save Coney Island
)
The panel will include Valerio Ferrari, CEO of Zamperla USA, the operator of the new amusement park Luna Park, Michael Immerso, historian and author of "The People's Playground" (whom in the last paragraph of his Coney Island book was the inspiration for the title of this blog).  Also included in the panel are; David Malmuth, developer and former Disney executive who oversaw the restoration of the New Amsterdam Theater, Lisa Ackerman, CEO of the World Monuments Fund, the leading private preservation organization with a worldwide focus, and Cora Cahan, President of The New 42nd Street, which has overseen the restoration of seven historic theaters in Times Square.

"Heritage, Rides, Redevelopment: What's Next For Coney Island?"
Thursday, September 30, 2010
6.30 pm to 8.30 pm
at the CUNY Graduate Center; Proshansky Auditorium
365 5th Ave (at 35th Street)


The event is sponsored by the Environmental Psychology Program at the Graduate Center of the City University of New York, the NYC Graduate Urban Research Network, the New York Landmarks Conservancy, Save Coney Island, the Historic Districts Council, Coney Island USA and the Coney Island History Project.


Friday, September 24, 2010

10th Annual Coney Island Film Festival 2010 - Sunday, September 26th Line-Up


10th Annual Coney Island Film Festival
Line-up!
Runs September 24-26, 2010

At Sideshows By The Seashore and The Coney Island Museum in the historic Brooklyn neighborhood Coney Island, New York!  The 2010 Honoree is Darren Aronofsky, this Sunday, September 26th, 5pm, at the Coney Island Museum. The opening night extravaganza starts this Friday, September 24th.

Sunday, September 26th

Program 12
1:00 pm
at the CONEY ISLAND MUSEUM
1208 Surf Ave. 2nd Floor
"Hey Rachel..."
Sylvia Liken, Brooklyn NY, USA. Animation, 2:00

What About the Father?
Sara Strahan, New York, NY, USA. Experimental, 3:16

Hoop Springs Eternal

Linda Goldman, Ted Fisher, New York, NY, USA. Documentary Short, 5:26 (pictured)

A Fool's Idea - An Exploration of Clown, Pilot: "What is Clown?"

Brian Bernhard, Brooklyn NY, USA. Documentary Short, 9:53

Mermaids Of New York
Ilise S. Carter, Mica Scalin, New York, NY. Documentary Short, 16:00

The Faux Real

Suzanne Hillinger, Brooklyn NY, USA. Documentary Short, 20:33, Brooklyn Premiere!

Hell On Wheels: Gang Girls Forever

Katrina del Mar, New York NY, USA. Short, 36:34, Brooklyn Premiere!
Program 13 Coney Island Films
2:00 pm
at SIDESHOWS BY THE SEASHORE
1208 Surf Ave. Ground Floor

Gizmo Kaleidoscope
Susan Shaw, New York, NY, USA. Experimental, 3:17

The Waking Artist
Jacob Mendel, Ann Arbor, MI, USA. Short, 4:07, World Premiere!

Coney Island: Secrets of the Universe
Charles Denson, Berkeley CA, USA. Short, 6:00, World Premiere! (pictured)

My Own Private March
Howie Alex, New York NY, USA. Experimental, 7:45, World Premiere!

Night Falls on Coney Island
Daniel Turkewitz, New York NY, USA. Experimental, 9:34

Saving The Sideshow
Mahawish Rezvi, Rebecca Huval, New York, NY, USA, Documentary Short, 17:54, World Premiere!

Last Night in Astroland with Jimmy Prince
Lou Dembrow, NY NY, USA. Documentary Feature, 44:22, World Premiere!


Program 14
3:00 pm
at the CONEY ISLAND MUSEUM
1208 Surf Ave. 2nd Floor

The Skisherman
Chandler Kauffman, Brooklyn NY, USA. Documentary Short, 5:20

Tiger Ted Lowry

Chris Cassidy, Brooklyn NY, USA. Documentary Short, 11:18

Enter The Beard

Matthew Lawrence, Toms River NJ, USA. Documentary Short, 15:00, New York Premiere!  (pictured)


1939 I Have Seen The Future
Lisa Seidenberg, Westport CT, USA. Documentary Short, 35:00

Moby: One Time We Lived

Robert Powers, Woodside NY, USA. Music Video, 3:50
Program 15
4:00 pm
at SIDESHOWS BY THE SEASHORE

1208 Surf Ave. Ground Floor

Slap Back Jack "High Five Master"
Mark Newell, New York NY, USA. Animation, 11:03, New York Premiere!

Gelber & Manning in Pictures
James Lester, Brooklyn NY, USA. Short, 10:53, Brooklyn Premiere!

Road Less Traveled

Laura Moss, New York, NY, USA. Short, 6:45, World Premiere!

Land Without Shadows

Antoine Blanchet, Paris France. Short, 16:22, New York Premiere! (pictured)

The Cycle
Roy Clovis, Brooklyn NY, USA, Short, 17:55

Empire Corner
JP Chan, New York NY, USA, Short, 12:13, Brooklyn Premiere!

The Final Weapon
Stephan Berwick, Falls Church, VA, USA. Short, 15:00, New York Premiere!


Program16
5:00 pm
at the CONEY ISLAND MUSEUM

1208 Surf Ave. 2nd Floor

Special Event: 2010 Coney Island Film Festival Honoree Darren Aronofsky (in person) plus "Requiem for a Dream"

Requiem for a Dream
Directed by Darren Aronofsky, Unrated, 102 Minutes



Program 17
6:00 pm
at SIDESHOWS BY THE SEASHORE
1208 Surf Ave. Ground Floor

Albert
Elin Gronblom Brooklyn NY, USA. Short, 13:10, World Premiere!

Jules and Candy
Joseph Quirk, New York NY, USA. Short, 8:32

Butterflies of Trip City
Nika Belianina, Toronto On, Canada. Short, 14:50, World Premiere!

Tollbooth Motel
Annika Kurnick, New York, NY, USA, Short, 11:42

Blindsided
Mark Cabaroy, Bronx NY, USA. Short, 15:00

Le tramway fantôme de Marseille
Lionel Laget, Marseille, France. Silent Film, 12:00

You're Here
David Vandas, Langley BC, Canada. Music Video, 5:16


FOR ALL PROGRAMS:


Advance Tickets are $6. Click here to purchase. There are no extra service fees to buy online. We strongly advise purchasing in advance. All tickets sales are non-refundable.

For further information visit the Coney Island Film Festival website.
Buy tickets now


Have a fun-filled festival!



Thursday, September 23, 2010

10th Annual Coney Island Film Festival 2010 - Saturday, September 25th Line-Up


10th Annual Coney Island Film Festival
Line-up!
Runs September 24-26, 2010

At Sideshows By The Seashore and The Coney Island Museum in the historic Brooklyn neighborhood Coney Island, New York!  The 2010 Honoree is Darren Aronofsky, this Sunday, September 26th, 5pm, at the Coney Island Museum. The opening night extravaganza starts this Friday, September 24th.

Saturday, September 25th

Program 1
1:00 pm
at the CONEY ISLAND MUSEUM
1208 Surf Ave. 2nd Floor
The Cow Who Wanted To Be a Hamburger
Bill Plympton, New York, NY , USA. Animation, 6:00
(pictured)

American Brooklyn

Michael Schloemer, Brooklyn, NY , USA. Documentary Short, 11:29

Ministry in the Subway
Dennis W. Ho, Brooklyn, NY , USA. Documentary Feature, 78:00, World Premiere!


Program 2
2:00 pm
at SIDESHOWS BY THE SEASHORE
1208 Surf Ave. Ground Floor

Ray Condo's Crazy Mixed Up World
Debra Dawson, Vancouver, BC, Canada. Animation, 4:07, World Premiere!

Banana Bread
Barton Landsman, New York NY, USA, Short, 9:00 (pictured)


We Could Be Ninjas

Poz Lang, New York NY, USA. Short, 10:47, New York Premiere!

With Anchovies...Without Mamma
Thomas Justino, Brooklyn NY, USA. Short, 24:36, Brooklyn Premiere!

Alienated
Paul Borghese, New York, NY, USA. Short, 21:47

Thy Kill Be Done
Greg Hanson, Casey Regan, Rocky Point, NY, USA. Short, 16:40, New York Premiere!

Bobby Visits The Library
Eric Krasner, MD, USA. Short, 3:12, New York Premiere!

Paradise Beach
Louis Netter , Yonkers, NY, USA. Animation, 2:11

Program 3 Sold out!
3:00 pm
at the CONEY ISLAND MUSEUM
1208 Surf Ave. 2nd Floor
Vinny Vino
Bill Sorice, New York, NY, USA. Short, 9:51, New York Premiere!

The Rocking Horse Winner
Bob Calabritto, Levittown NY, USA. Short, 10:57 (pictured)

Rain Dog
David Gutnik, New York NY, USA. Short, 12:00, World Premiere!

Poetry Man
James McSherry, Bronx, NY, USA. Short, 27:00

Utopia Lies at the Horizon
Leo Curbelo, New York, NY, USA. Short, 12:00, World Premiere!

Til My Voice Is Gone
Sam Griffith, Los Angeles Ca, USA. Music Video, 6:17

Program 4
4:00 pm
at SIDESHOWS BY THE SEASHORE

1208 Surf Ave. Ground Floor


Why is Blue Man Blue?
Charles Cohen, Baltimore MD, USA. Documentary Short, 12:00

Amant De Chaussure (Shoe Lover)
Michael Erland Walsh, Jersey City, NJ, USA. Short, 6:00

Career Advice
Peter Stass , Los Angeles CA. Short, 3:45, New York Premiere!

Socarrat
David Moreno, Madrid, Spain, Short, 11:40, Brooklyn Premiere!

Birth
Signe Baumane, New York NY, USA. Animation, 12:00, Brooklyn Premiere!

Love Comes Out of The Butt
Matthew Silver, Bergenfield, NJ, USA. Short, 23:23

OLIVE - Coney Island
Chris DePierro, Amanda Jencsik, West NY, NJ, USA. Short, 20:00 (pictured)

"This Town" Gambit

Randy Scott Slavin, New York, NY, US, Music Video, 4:23, Brooklyn Premiere!



Program 5
5:00 pm
at the CONEY ISLAND MUSEUM
1208 Surf Ave. 2nd Floor

Satan Hates You

James McKenney, Brooklyn NY, Feature, 94 minutes, New York Premiere! (pictured)


Program 6
6:00 pm
at SIDESHOWS BY THE SEASHORE
1208 Surf Ave. Ground Floor



Last Summer at Coney Island JL Aronson, Brooklyn, NY. Feature, 94:00
Now, after years of false starts, change is coming to Coney Island. Come Hell or high water, the city of New York is determined to revitalize the once glorious, world capitol of amusements. Meanwhile, a private developer with dubious motives has been purchasing every square foot of land he can get his hands on. The neighborhood's residents, along with the amusement community and the millions who cherish Coney Island's legacy are left wondering what will happen next. Seaside salvation or Brooklyn boondoggle? History will decide but this film is the first draft. Last Summer at Coney Island juxtaposes images of the past and present with interviews and observed scenes featuring many of the key players in this transformation.

Read the review from the New York Post!

Program 7 Sold out!
7:00 pm
at the CONEY ISLAND MUSEUM

1208 Surf Ave. 2nd Floor
Flushed
Luke Hansen, Somerset NJ, USA. Animatiion, 3:36, World Premiere!

Hairnimation #2
Amy Grumbling, Brooklyn NY, USA. Experimental, 2:43

"Va Fa Napoli, Hipster"
Matt Weckel, New York NY, USA. Short, 2:23, World Premiere! (pictured)


New York Trilogy
Tal Shamir, New York, NY, USA. Experimental, 9:09

Snapshots
Andres Rosende, Kate Barker, New York NY, USA. Short, 14:29

Two
Ryan Gielen, Sunnyside NY, USA. Short, 16:19, New York Premiere!
Midlife
Michael Swingler, Los Angeles Ca, USA. Short, 21:43

Bay Rizz: The Man for You
Mike Rizzo, Rachele Richards, Brooklyn NY, USA. Music Video, 3:30

Loop-da-Loop and Giuseppe
Jason R. Jaworski, Union City NJ, USA. Silent, 16:16, New York Premiere!


Program 8
8:00 pm

at SIDESHOWS BY THE SEASHORE
1208 Surf Ave. Ground Floor
DemiUrge Emesis
Voltaire, New York, NY, USA. Horror Animation, 2:30

Vision
Jamie Hooper, U.K. Horror, 8:40, New York Premiere!

Happy Face

Franklin P. Laviola, Islip, NY. , Horror, 14:27

Tub

Bobby Miller, Brooklyn NY, USA. Horror, 12:17 (pictured)

Alice Jacobs is Dead

Alex Horwitz, New York NY, USA. Horror, 21:10

Parking Space

David Bitton, Montreal, QC, Canada, Horror. 20:30, New York Premiere!

The Devil's To
y
Alex Lugones, Ridgefield, CT, USA, Horror. 8:05, New York Premiere!

Program 9

9:00 pm
at the CONEY ISLAND MUSEUM

1208 Surf Ave. 2nd Floor
Panache
Nicole Emmons, Val Verde, CA, USA. Experimental, 3:00 (pictured)

Coney Ideal
Anthony Simon, Brooklyn NY, USA. Short, 2:50

Springtime in November
Jane Dorogoyer, Brooklyn NY, USA. Documentary Short, 8:07, World Premiere!

 
The Sparrow and the Tigress
Billy Sharff, Cornish New Hampshire, USA. Feature, 62:00, New York Premiere!


Program 10
10:30 pm
at SIDESHOWS BY THE SEASHORE
1208 Surf Ave. Ground Floor

Warriors

WARRIORS, COME OUT TO PLAAYY YAAAY.
The leader of New York's biggest street gang declares a truce, and gangs from all 5 boroughs venture to the Bronx for a clandestine meeting. When an assasination takes place, one gang stands wrongly accused and the truce is off. Now they must fight they're way back home to Coney Island, because a whole city is gunning for - The Warriors!

A Coney Island cult classic. Every year we pack the house and wouldn't you know it, it becomes an interactive film going experience! People reciting lines, loud applause, clanging beer bottles. CAN YOU DIG IT?? Advance ticket purchase strongly suggested to avoid sell out.  We are the only venue in the Coney Island Amusement zone to screen this Coney Island Classic. See it in the actual neighborhood it was shot in!

Program 11
10:40 pm
at the CONEY ISLAND MUSEUM

1208 Surf Ave. 2nd Floor

Cellar
Steve Staso, New York NY, USA. Feature, 83:00


The film follows these three characters as they eventually intersect in a changing neighborhood [Hells Kitchen] during the month of November, 2008.


FOR ALL PROGRAMS:
Advance Tickets are $6. Click here to purchase.
There are no extra service fees to buy online. We strongly advise purchasing in advance. All tickets sales are non-refundable.

For further information visit the Coney Island Film Festival website.
Buy tickets now



Sunday line-up tomorrow



Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Future Of Coney Island's Historic District Could Boast The Banker's Ballroom

The Banker's Ballroom
(Click image to enlarge)

The Save Coney Island group, released, Wednesday, a new rendering envisioning the Bank of Coney Island as a new Bowery style ballroom for music and other events.  They named it “The Banker’s Ballroom”.
Their reasoning was to demonstrate that there is a different and positive option for the structure, other than that of destroying it, which is what Thor Equities plans to do.  Their disrespect for Coney Island has gone on for far too long.  Once you vanish the possibility of this historic place from having a genuine historic district, you can never bring it back.
Save Coney Island writes:
“The Bank of Coney Island could be restored and re-purposed as a Bowery-Ballroom-style event space,” said Save Coney Island spokesman Juan Rivero. “This would not only preserve one of Coney's most attractive and historic structures, but also give new life to the amusement area and contribute to its revitalization.”
While Thor Equities has to date not expressed interest in revitalizing the structure, Save Coney Island hopes that another entity might purchase the site from Thor and adaptively reuse the Bank of Coney Island building. 
The structure, which is still sound, was built in the early 1920’s by the Coney Island Chamber of Commerce.  It boasts a neo-classical architectural style.  As Save Coney Island notes, the bank dealt with many of the amusement businesses in the area.  It ceased to exist as a bank in the early 90’s.  After which, it was temporary making competition with Coney Island USA’s Sideshow by the Seashore, with Bobby Reynolds and his two headed babies and other freak shows before heading out west leaving the bank an empty oasis for almost twenty years.
We can only hope that the Bank building is saved and restored.  Hopefully, a miracle could come from around the corner and make Coney’s historic district a reality for it’s future.  Save Coney Island gives us a glimpse of hope with their comment:
“New York has a track record of saving wonderful structures from the chopping block at the eleventh hour,” said Simeon Bankoff, executive director of the Historic Districts Council.  “Grand Central, the High Line, even Coney Island's own Parachute Jump and Cyclone were all once threatened with demolition, but were ultimately restored and have become New York City icons. The Bank of Coney Island could be the next.”

[The history the Bank of Coney Island from the Save Coney Islands press release after the jump]:

10th Annual Coney Island Film Festival 2010 - Friday, September 24th Line-Up

10th Annual Coney Island Film Festival Line-up!
Runs September 24-26, 2010

At Sideshows By The Seashore and The Coney Island Museum in the historic Brooklyn neighborhood Coney Island, New York!  The
2010 Honoree is Darren Aronofsky, this Sunday, September 26th, 5pm, at the Coney Island Museum. The opening night extravaganza starts this Friday, September 24th.

Friday, September 24th
Opening Night Screenings
7:30 pm

at the CONEY ISLAND MUSEUM
1208 Surf Ave. 2nd Floor


Short Presentations: Museum of Wax, Shape of The Shapeless. Followed by the Feature Presentation: Dirty Martini and The New Burlesque (pictured).

Opening Night Party
9:30 pm
at SIDESHOWS BY THE SEASHORE
1208 Surf Ave. Ground Floor

The fun will take place at the Coney Island USA Freak Bar and Sideshows By The Seashore! Hosted by The Great Fredini. Live Sideshow and Burlesque Featuring: Insectavora, Serpentina, Bambi, Miss Tickle and the Japanese Pole Dancing sensations Cay Izumi and Tokyo Dolores. 2 hour Open Bar and Catered Food!  Click here for Opening Night Party Tickets.


For further information visit the Coney Island Film Festival website.
Buy tickets now



Saturday line-up tomorrow


Coney Events: Wasabassco Burlesque’s Coney Island Debut Revue

The Burlesque starts here at Coney Island!  A review off all that's Brooklyny and new in the stripteasey vaudevillianesque world.

Wasabassco returns to Coney Island’s Burlesque At the Beach - This time bringing a whole slew of what’s new! Brooklyn’s Best Burlesque Show brings a mix of Performers and numbers never before seen on the Coney Island Stage.



Starring The Cheese Queen of Coney Island - Nasty Canasta, with Victoria Privates, Cheeky Lane, Ginger Brown, Lily La Vamp, Lily Stitches, stage kitten Janissa Ramirez and Doc Wasabassco.


Burlesque at the Beach
Wasabassco Burlesque’s Coney Island Debut Revue

Thursday, Sepetember 23
9pm
$10
at Coney Island USA
1208 Surf Ave.

The Coney Island EarthCam

EarthCam has installed a high definition megapixel camera overlooking Coney Island at Luna Park, that automatically updates every 15 minutes and presents a live image of all the activity that goes on in the park. Today, New Yorkers and travelers from all over visit the renowned amusement park in order to experience the adventure that Coney Island brings.

Click the link here to get a time lapse image of Luna Park and keep on eye on Coney Island.


Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Official Poster Of The 10th Annual Coney Island Film Festival

Click image to enlarge

The 10th Annual Coney Island Film Festival is this coming weekend September, 24th to the 26th 2010.  Yes it's been a whole decade the film festival in Coney Island, which started as a shorts film festival is still going strong and vibrant.  And it only gets better and better.  It has also been named one the 25 coolest film festivals by Movie Maker magazine.  Like the fabled town it spurs from, the festival has showcased, in film and video, everything from the bizarreness to the conventional from more than 500 films which have screened in the last decade.  Rob Leddy of indiefilmpage.com has led the way along with Coney Island USA from its conception.

This year the festival honors Brooklyn filmmaker Darren Aronofsky.  And the long anticipated documentary film Last Summer at Coney Island, by Brooklyn filmmaker JL Aronson.

Event Details follows after the jump: