DbcultAccessing Vault...
6.6/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 6.6/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. Manhattan Medley remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
If you like old documentaries where the camera just sits there and stares at people walking, you’ll dig this. It’s for the history nerds and the folks who love seeing what the streets looked like before everything became a neon advertisement. If you need a plot, or dialogue, or even a main character who isn't a concrete building, stay away. You’ll be bored out of your mind in five minutes.
The whole thing feels like a fever dream of steel and steam. Bonney Powell points the lens at the skyline, and honestly, the sheer amount of smoke and haze is wild. It’s like the city was constantly holding its breath.
It’s not as polished as something like Studies in Movement, but it’s got a grit to it that I actually prefer. It doesn't try to teach you anything. It just shows you a wall of brick and then cuts to a boat, and you’re just expected to keep up. I appreciate that.
There's a moment near the middle where the film just stops trying to be a 'documentary' and turns into a study of patterns. It’s less 'here is New York' and more 'here is what light looks like hitting a window.' It’s the best part of the whole experience, even if it feels completely random compared to what came before.
Sometimes, the camera pans way too fast. You get a motion blur that makes you feel like you’re actually standing on a street corner in 1929, trying not to get hit by a taxi. It’s messy. I like it that way.
Don't expect a masterpiece. Just expect a time machine that works about 60% of the time. It’s a nice little snack of a movie, not a full meal. Sometimes that's exactly what I need on a Tuesday night. 🏙️