Establishing Shot - NYC

[Senator Jack]

We know the camera loves the NY skyline - how golden era many films open with that establishing shot of it from the Queens side of the East River? You know, 'cue the grand piano and pan to the Empire State Building.' There are also the aerial shots from helicopter - the ones that usually come up from the south, shooting from the Financial District and then heading up to the ESB. If I correctly recall, The Naked City starts with the latter, and I'm thinking Dassin might have been the first to do that. Anyway, I'm working on project that focuses on those two shots and I'm looking to find the earliest example of the helicopter shot, and ultimately, a list of films that start with the NYC establishing shot. Please list any you can think of.

Thanks and kind regards,

Senator Jack

 

[Zig2k143]

West side story.

 

[Jack Scorpion]

You'd think more would come to mind...

I doubt it, but my first thought was of The Fountainhead. But maybe that is just something I remember of the book.

There was that crazy helicopter shot in Psycho. Forgot what city that was, though. -- Or was that The Birds...?

 

[happyfilmluvguy]

"The Money Pit"

"Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid"

Many films in the 80's began with an establishing shot of a major city. I've seen many set and beginning in New York.

 

[Novella]

Broadway Melody (1929):

And if I remember right, Dead End (1937) starts with an establishing shot of NYC (although I think it's a very theatrical set looking skyline and not so much an actual shot).

Also, maybe not quite what you're looking for, but the Lullaby of Broadway number in Golddiggers of 1935 has Wini Shaw's head turn into an overhead city shot that is probably suppose to be NYC.

 

[Fletch]

Yesterday I flew into LaGuardia on a puddlejumper 40-seater from my ancestral homeland of Des Moines. We got a flightpath over Staten Island presenting a perfect model city...Liberty and Ellis Islands on the left...ferries flocking around the Narrows Bridge...Brooklyn from the air: does anyone ever even imagine it that way?...the Navy Yard (minus Navy)...the sunlight at 9am throwing Manhattan into crisp relief...Name That Bridge: Brooklyn, Williamsburg, 59th St., Triborough...it seemed it was all there, a neat package to contain all the messy frenzy you knew you were coming back to.

I didn't get any pictures. My camera was across the aisle and I couldn't stand to think what I might miss getting it.

The real question is, how many establishing shots can you remember of a skyline other than NY?

 

[berrybuzz]

There was that crazy helicopter shot in Psycho. Forgot what city that was, though. -- Or was that The Birds...?

The opening shot of Psycho where she drives down the street is downtown Phoenix, AZ


Sorry, nothing relevant here, except maybe search TCM about their Celluloid Skyline series they did.

 

[dhermann1]

Hardly the first

Doesn't Woody Allen's "Manhattan" start with one? I would think there might even be silent films that have NYC skyline shots. I enjoy picking out the various buildings that are gone now, particularly the Singer Building, but there are others. Sorry, Jack, not much help.
Fletch, do you try to see the Parachute Jump at Coney Island when you land At La Guardia? That's my Brooklyn landmark. That and Prospect park.