Film – 80 Blocks from Tiffanys

Plucked from obscurity, the 1979 critically-acclaimed documentary 80 Blocks from Tiffanys has been ressurected, and is now set for a DVD release this autumn, on 21st November. Aptly titled to highlight the small geographical distance between the two boroughs of the Bronx and Manhattan, yet massive cultural void.

80 Blocks from Tiffanys is a stark, intimate  portrayal of life in the 1970′s in the South Bronx, which encompasses insightful interviews with members of the two NYC gangs, Savage Skulls and Savage Nomands. These make up the majority of the feature, where the desolation and decay of 70′s South Bronx is really articulated.

The re-release features never before seen interviews (including Gary Weis), a 40-page booklet, and even the Esquire article ‘Savage Skulls’  penned by Jon Bradshaw that actually inspired the film. All of these artifacts sketch a representation of the South Bronx that seems completely lost in cultural history; and although perhaps not particularly pleasant, definitely deserves awakening for its sheer honesty.

Think The Wire, but in NYC and scarily real. Catch the trailer here.