Vintage 1960s New York Through the Eyes of Martians [VIDEO]
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We’re usually pretty keen on vintage finds depicting our beloved city, and this video is no exception. The premise is that of a creepy faux documentary where peaceful martians visit Earth as interplanetary tourists. It’s exactly as the opening suggests – “Something Weird” – but if you can get past the odd martian babies bantering in a wacky “dontcha know” cadence, you are treated to an enjoyable, albeit brief, tour of Gotham in the 1960s.
Highlights of this 9-minute film include a glimpse into MOMA, where a patron hilariously overreacts when the martians sneak up from behind him and ask him to explain modern art (around the 7:20 mark), and when the invaders visit old-school Coney Island (8:30 mark). Here we catch flashes of the Cyclone and Wonder Wheel, as well as the Tilt-A-Whirl, Merry-Go-Round and other childhood favorites at Ward’s Kiddie Park (sadly, no clips of bumper cars).
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While we were hard-pressed to find any Lower East Side shots in this, it is nevertheless always cool to see classic cars, ’60s fashions and freaky little puppets through a vintage lens.
[via @ConeyIslandUSA]
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