MovieChat Forums > Black Caesar (1973) Discussion > Look! They're making a movie!!

Look! They're making a movie!!

posted 16 years ago by bababear
7 replies | jump to latest

This was on IFC tonight. It's held up pretty well over the years. I loved the scenes on the streets in New York when people passing by would stare at the camera.

Sure, a big studio movie could have gotten the streets blocked off and hired union extras who'd have done whatever the director said. But I like the idea of a director shooting on the streets the way that Cohen did. The Italian giallo specialist Lucio Fulci did the same thing.

Permits? We don't need no stinkin' permits!

I do hope that Cohen took proper precautions in those scenes with the taxi driving on the sidewalk, though.

[–] doombringergeneral 16 years ago

You have to buy the DVD and listen to the commentary, if you're interested by his "guerilla", permitless film making. He talks about how they stole the whole movie and even goes into detail about the sidewalk driving scene. Cohen's commentaries are really good. You'll love it.

[–] hollywoodpsychic 15 years ago

Yeah, Larry Cohen is the man. I posted a Q&A with him talking about 'The Private Files of J Edgar Hoover' on YouTube. That's the film where, without permission, he blocked off entire sections of Pennsylvania Ave in D.C. in order to get his period cars in there:) The cops would come by and just assume they had a permit... who's gonna shut down Pennsylvania ave and put period cars, movie stars and extras all over the place without asking first?

What a madman. I love it.

Anyway, the clip is on YouTube here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RVvLv_pTiM4

A lot of strange things happen in this world. Things you don't know about in Grand Rapids.

[–] WarpedRecord 15 years ago

Great anecdote! I love the gall of that man. I suspect he didn't have permission for the scene of the St. Patrick's Day Parade in New York in "God Told Me To" either.

Larry Cohen's films were true examples of guerrilla artistry. They may be cut-and-paste jobs at times, but there's an element of spontaneity that is so delightful. I wonder if Steve Martin's character in "Bowfinger" was based on him?

[–] thatguy_78757 11 years ago

HOLY S--T that is GANGSTA!

[–] Jordan_Haelend 10 years ago

According to Cohen, in "God Told Me To" they filmed the real St. Patrick's Day parade; however, the shooting scenes were filmed separately. The people seen in them were all actors and extras.

[–] Forgotten_Hero 10 years ago

Today, someone would probably sue because they were filmed without their consent.

[–] Prismark10 9 years ago

Larry Cohen has form for shooting in NYC without permission.

Its that man again!!