The Way We Were

Sixty mentioned that he recently saw the "Search for One Eyed Jimmy." I have written about this before at Trooper York.

This was an independent film made in Red Hook in 1994. That was right before gentrification turned Red Hook into a hipsters paradise. Red Hook used to be a pretty tough place. The projects were a horror show in the 1980's because of crack. You might remember the story of the principal of the grammar school who was murdered trying to protect one of his students caught in a crossfire. The only safe streets were the ones controlled by the Mob where they had a social club. Or the street where my friend Greg had a sandwich shop. The shop and Greg are in the movie. He later opened a jewelry store on Court St. His son stole the store when he had a stroke and moved the operation to Staten Island where its a big deal with radio commercials all the time.

Anyway they used some of the neighborhood characters as the basis for the characters in the movie. Just more exaggerated if that is possible. For example Disco Bean is based on John who owns Sal's pizza and never got over his disco years. The General is based on a homeless guy we used to call Rockefeller who was an ex navy guy who would preach that all of our problems were because of the rich people like Rockefeller who were shooting rays into our head to control us. Head is based on a couple of mooks from the neighborhood who had that nickname.

When I was growing up in the 1960's Red Hook still had a big Italian presence. Most of the small houses and small business were owned by the wops. Then they started to move. Many of the old time joints closed as the moolies took over. Then this guy opened up a Fairway Supermarket and it started to turn. Hipsters started moving in. Soon enough Movie Stars got condos. That dipshit Michael Shannon for one. If any of the old characters were around they would have them arrested. Now there  are million dollar condos where Disco Bean used to dance on cardboard.

The movie was really calling to mind an environment that existed twenty years before in the 1970/s. Still as a slice of life it is pretty funny.

I am glad you enjoyed it Sixty.