3rd Ave. El

3rd Ave. El ACI Presents an Ardee Films Release / Dir. Carson Davidson Impressionistic picture of the Third Avenue Elevated Railway in Manhattan, New York City, filmed shortly before its closure & demolition. Haydn Concerto in D for Harpsichord played by Wanda Landowska. Film was nominated for 1956 Academy Award / Oscar for Best Short Subject. 20:37:48 Titles over empty NYC street scenes & angled skyscraper views - Summer day. Young man w/ camera on tripod as train passes above - enters El & boards train. CUs passengers inc. young couple, drunk asleep. Views from window show passing buildings, streets below, glimpse of Brooklyn Bridge. Man tries to remove coin stuck in floor of car but gets hand stepped on. Girl looks out window, people below, train arrives in station; montage shots of architectural details. Sign: Bowery & Grand St. Train passes above on el w/ Empire State Building in BG. 20:41:33 Drunk man boards train - PoV shots showing railway - coin in floor used as device to link vignettes - drunk swigs from bottle, falls onto floor trying to reach coin. More streets pass by. Drunk falls asleep leading to montage of railroad w/ negative & sepia special effects - speeded-up PoV along tracks. Drunk man off train, stumbles along street sidewalk. 20:43:58 Little girl boards train w/ father - looks excited; tries to pick up coin but moved along by father. Good shots passing tenements w/ many clotheslines of washing hanging out to dry. Train approaches bridge, stops; moving rail bridge - tug boat underneath. CU signal, train across bridge; shadow silhouette of elevated subway on traffic passing beneath. Girl looks up at Empire State Building. Aerial views of El from skyscraper. 20:47:07 Young couple climb steps to El; inside carriage at night - lights on - man picks up coin in floor - NYC night time scenes w/ neon signs etc. Very good - well filmed & edited. Public Transport; Railway History; Transportation; Travelogues; 1950s NYC Street Scenes; Slums; Urban Decay. NOTE: Client must clear music.