New York in the 1970s, filmed in Super 8 by Irving Schneider

This film of New York City streets, parks, and people was made in the early 1970s by amateur filmmaker Irving Schneider. Includes scenes of Brooklyn Heights, Washington Square and Greenwich Village, the Garment District, Times Square and 42nd Street, and Central Park. Music by John Coltrane.
There are some minor technical glitches caused by the age of the film and the transfer from Super 8 to digital video.

[@je19662008]

I never thought I'd feel nostalgic for the 70s, but the way things are now, I feel nostalgic for anytime that's not the here & now.

[@musicforthepeople4701]

The last 5 minutes are amazing. People looking and acting as individuals and free spirits and not looking all the same like robots today. We are completely dehumanized today. It's really sad how messed up we have become. I really don't know what we are today.

[@jamesmack3314]

Sadly true...mindless drones

[@jonidawn3668]

No...only some of us. Please speak w/ elders.

[@pmiskovic]

I hate what mobile phones have done to us, to humanity.

[@zenpaganwarrior]

Exactly what I was thinking while watching this. What happened? Preserve your soul, spirit, freedom, and individuality AT ALL COSTS, people!

[@paulph12002]

This video is a nice snapshot of a grittier but more interesting New York before it was turned into a giant theme park for tourists.

[@petermahr2511]

Nowadays it's just another Disney World. What auf waste of possibilities.

[@LannieLord]

Fast Forward to 2023. Or not. @@petermahr2511

[@donaldsexton1305]

I miss this old school gritty Times Square and 42d Street of New York City.

[@jamesmack3314]

Definitely...and port authority!!

[@sugartzus]

Strange to see people not looking down at screens

[@SuperChrisThor]

Holy cow. Isn't it amazing to see people outdoors (not indoors playing video games) and also interacting with each other (without a single person bowed down looking at their digital device). Amazing.

[@thomasklugh4345]

To SuperChrisThor... The same thing, only opposite, was said about people after the invention of commercial TV in 1948. Before TV was invented, people would be outside interacting. After, they stayed indoors more watching their TVs.

[@OrlandoPisegna]

Excellent video! The 70's is my favorite era of American films because of the grittiness and honesty. This video submerses me in the reality of that time.

[@uncletony6210]

right, the majority of our best films are from the 70's. that's because directors had creative freedom, which they don't have today.

[@chulodanny44]

John coletrane goes perfect for this super 8 gem

[@chulodanny44]

I can watch this over and over and never get tired

[@remysampson2193]

I use to hang in the fountain back then in central park everyday. I recognized fantuzi towards the end doing what he always did. Great film clips from that area I loved it.

[@drinkingpoolwater]

oh the ambiance. what a great time to be alive.

[@marinacamp2009]

People watching people. Curiosity abound. No phones. And people look a heck of a lot more relaxed and polite. I will take this over now.

[@Counterstream]

Haha the irony is im actually watching this on my phone while riding a nyc bus :D

[@NickAndTommyFight]

You want 1970s New York over the life today? Lol.

[@arturozamora412]

1970s life yes i prefer those times over today nice people nice cars nice times and technology was easier

[@NickAndTommyFight]

+arturo zamora 1970s New York, nice people? Quite a fairytale.

[@realboxing5208]

+Marina Camp New York in the 70s was a very violent place compared to today.

[@heathermccollom]

Fabulous, and everyone dressed with a little flash and style

[@LateBloomer777]

Seeing this was awesome! I was born in the 80s, so obviously i wasn't born yet, but THERE'S SOMETHING SO ICONIC ABOUT NEW YORK IN EVERY DECADE, EACH WITH ITS OWN UNIQUE ENVELOPING ENVIRONMENT. Great video.

[@Helmuesi911]

This is an era where people had character, charm, identity.. and every chick had a wide 70s style bush.

[@cagno1]

Life in those days. God how its changed for the worse. Good choice of music.

[@pjudispajz4577]

You give a candy to a unknown child on the street. 1970 - people say you are nice guy 2016 - you get arrested

[@Onlylettuce92]

Hahahahaha so true

[@OnVentUK]

... And then shot.

[@jonidawn3668]

Please never forget Etan Patz.

[@bax323]

I wonder if this was mostly filmed around 1971. A movie marquee had 'The ABCs of Marriage' on it which was made in 1970. Be great if they had a time machine where you could go back and just spend a few days experiencing it all.

[@2Brian]

IMDB shows release date of _The ABC's of Marriage_ May 1970 in NY City. Additionally, the construction crane still atop the WTC towers, while it's almost complete, 1:15 also dates this around mid 1970. IMDB: www.imdb.com/title/tt0285421/releaseinfo

[@sethw997]

I wasn't around yet, but I'd go check it out for a week if I could

[@gli7utubeo]

Beautiful footage. Thanks.

[@maccagrabme]

Could be my imagination but people looked far more chilled, sociable and carefree than today.

[@zenpaganwarrior]

Love this! Life in better times, as it should be lived. Thank you.

[@lee3way]

I had just arrived in NYC in 1971. 42nd street bus depot, just under the street. Couldn't afford a hotel, so I slept fitfully in a porn movie theater nearby. Brings back memories. Thanks Irving Schneider!

[@Counterstream]

What'd u do the next day?

[@NickAndTommyFight]

Yeah, what did you do the next day? (Assuming your comment is non-fiction).

[@lee3way]

Needed housing and went to what was called "The Munie" or men's shelter on the lower east side of town, which was skid row back then.

[@NickAndTommyFight]

+Jerome Nashem Oh, I see. Thank you for replying. That's actually quite interesting, glad it worked out for you.

[@PerpetualWalkerJoe]

A very unique capturing of the "characters" that are New Yawkers. Thanks for sharing. MAR 21 FL USA

[@mrstecstash]

I thank God I was born in NYC in the 70's.. What a time...

[@BradfordPost]

Nice video...cool. I grew up in New york in the 1970's.

[@jamesmack3314]

I remember going to a head shop on or near bleeker in 76...bought a carved box from india...still got it.

[@blackcatsandpoppies]

I love this film! Everyone is authentic. Love the shots of people wearing their regular clothes to ride their bikes.

[@ericdanville]

That was great! NYC was fun back then, and in a way things are still kind of the same today, when you think about it. Thanks!

[@aquaman199]

Love the history of new york city.thanks for posting

[@eternalme5672]

Thank you so very much for sharing your Images with us....with me! I'm not from the city, I was born and raised on the Island, a little town called Patchogue. My Godfather would often come out and pick me up and take me back to his place in Greenwich, this was back in the late 60's early 70's, and you're images take me right back instantly. I was 13-14 years old, WOW how nostalgic......again Thank you. I now live in Maui, but I miss home. It's been 20 years or more. ♥

[@claytonbegley8865]

Eternal Me how old are you?

[@_puffy]

Fantastic. Incredible to have this perspective, all this time later. I love the city... there's no place like it. This reel really sets the mood. Makes me want to get out and about tomorrow.

[@lucindariva08]

Thank you so much for this!! Some of the 1970s looked really seamy, but I love the footage. I knew the Theatre District and Times Square well in the 50s & 60s as my Dad was a Bway actor...Loved the Coltrane...Loved using the Super 8 as well!!! It has such a nice quality to it visually and easy to use. Thanks!!!!

[@NickAndTommyFight]

Your dad was a Broadway actor in the 60's?? Was he well aquatinted with others on Broadway? Lots of questions, sorry.

[@ThousandShakes]

People seem more laid back for sure.

[@Khultan]

I was just a baby in the early 1970s and way over on the western side of the USA.

[@jasoncamp483]

It was filmed in 1970. You can tell by the Jack Martin banner. Aside from that I wish I could have experienced NY around this time. Looks so damn relaxed. You can tell how much less paranoid people are compared to today. I experienced ny in the late 80s. It still had its grittyness that made it special. I would take a NY back then any day compared to 2016. It's become a souless sanitized overpriced Disney Land.

[@benjoseph8387]

dont fantasize too much about its peacefulness...Times Square was an all out pedophile center...at 14 or 15 I nearly got raped and was offered to model naked...scared me silly and if my parents knew i was taking the bus there!!! Those porn shops displayed naked children right in the windows...calling them art photos. Men went in with briefcases and dark shades constantly. Then i got chased numerous times by blacks and finally got robbed of my school tuition money by 5 black kids that argued whether to let me keep my army boots in snowy Central Park. They let me keep them...but i had to beg bus fare to get home! You had to avoid any empty looking places...or empty hallways in the subway....but that all said...it was a fun place...free museums...cheap subway rides to my relatives...lots of street musicians and crackpots galore...Tads Steakhouse ring a bell anyone? Tender Steak dinner with salad and baked potato for 3 bucks! And oooh the Jewish bagels and ethnic fast food places!!! Zum Zum, Teriyaki, Polish delis, Chinatown, u name it...and the Saberett hot dog stands and roasted chestnuts!!! That was one time in history...albeit dangerous!!!

[@jasoncamp483]

Ben Joseph Pretty well stated. Pros and Cons. I only wish NYC had the excitement element and middle class it used to.

[@fukcudave2686]

I just wish it still had some type of soul.. maybe I'd go back there.. its too plastic now

[@paullewis2413]

My first time in NYC was in 1972. Sure it had its bad side especially around Times Square and the roads were in a terrible condition and the subway covered in graffiti but overall I loved it, it was a real working city not as you say the souless sanitized and honestly quite boring place it is now - last visit 2 years ago, probably won´t be going back anymore there are many more interesting cities around. Great shame as I used to love it so much.

[@jamesmack3314]

This is priceless..especially the last 5 minutes or so...beautiful

[@nataliamiranda7475]

Amazing city. My home.

[@RobertoLopezstudyis]

This is such a wonderful and innocent time in New York during the 1970s. I was born in New York in 1972 and lived there until I was eight years old. I love this video! They were great times to live in the Big Apple!

[@robertglenn5398]

YOUxFILTHYxANIMAL I hear you, man! During the 70s, NYC was a shithole. I hated having to work there (Procter and Gamble) The air was dirty, the people fucked and it always stunk.,.a far cry from what I experienced after 1995...place was completely sanitized and made safe somehow.

[@RobertoLopezstudyis]

But I still miss the Big Apple a lot and the those were the days!

[@RRaquello]

@@robertglenn5398 You're right, man. I was a teenager in the 70s and NYC was a shit hole. There was one good thing about it though--I was still young. Now it's a shit hole again and I'm old, so it's actually worse. It got better for a while, but now it's as bad as it was in 1977.

[@dkstryker]

Look how Hip & Wonderful people used to be to each other in NYC!

[@richard4208]

I was a teen during the 1970s living in the city, I miss those days but not city living. With myself and my family struggling to somehow leave what was a dirty crime ridden concrete experiment gone very wrong, and thankfully we did leave New York City forever! Richard

[@rocketcab]

..... I can't thank you enough, uploader, for sharing this day-in-the-life slice of (obviously) early 70's New York City.... the years just before graffiti marred the quality-of-life there.... At least that's how I remember it.... Awesome film, anyway.

[@LannieLord]

Wuhan Virus Marred Life on Earth.

[@daphne4983]

10:46, to the left. The male with white shirt and grey jacket. Looks awfully a lot like serial killer Rodney Alcala, active and living in NY before capture in 1971.

[@joelcornes2095]

9:57 The original Superfly.

[@carlosortizrivera9866]

Good pimp

[@steve00055]

summer of 2015 ..... cenral park is almost a forest it has so much vegetation now ....

[@69threg]

Great footage, music works well with it. Takes me back.

[@lift2live1]

coltrane is perfect for the film.

[@drylaundry]

There's always arguments about the old and new NYC, I'm not a New yorker but I consider myself lucky that I was there.. I guess on the near end of the gritty era ( I visited there in 1989 / 90 ) I saw 42nd street . I guess when things get so cleaned up and replaced by 100 Starbucks...you see the same Starbucks all over the world, the Characters of the city is dead too ? i guess there's no other way around it, clean up or not clean up. I haven been back to NYC since, but when I say the word NYC the image I have is this video ..not the ones I see on Google pics now. ( it's still look really nice, great bright lights but nothing as edgy as it was ) Nothing against Starbucks ..I don't mind the coffee :)

[@XZITT]

yes please if you film an era or city, film the people and cars and storefronts, like this film has done. not only the buildings. I love this time period since I was a young man growing.

[@BizzeeB]

It's crazy how few people had smartphones then.

[@guilloponko]

they weren't invented yet

[@sawyershin1434]

but there were cell phones

[@jaworskij]

@@sawyershin1434, maybe just in your own sick and desmented world.

[@sawyershin1434]

excuse me lol@@jaworskij

[@lift2live1]

i can see people with expression on their faces, it's almost unbelievable and it's looks staged. today we're totally des-humanised.

[@FUCKINGENIOUS]

Speak for yourself

[@HAMRADIOJOE4178]

IMAGINE SEEING YOURSELF IN THIS VIDEO IN THE 70s

[@gonzadiazsola]

my favorite things and one of my favorite videos

[@drprogensteinphp]

The long-haired guy at 17:36 is guitarist Richie Wise of the NYC band Dust. Richie would also go onto produce many records during the 1970's/80's for artists such as Kiss, Ian Lloyd, and Gladys Knight. Dust also featured drummer Marc Bell (aka Marky Ramone) later of The Ramones.

[@marinacamp2009]

The sign for the Jack Martin Fund said 20th yr. That would put this at 1970.

[@Qboro66]

It said N.Y. Hilton Oct. 16 1971 probably putting it during Aug. or Sept. of that year.

[@Jefferges100]

it's sentimental to me and i'm not even from new york.

[@joeyoconnor3039]

Luv it thank you Irving

[@SuperMillions100]

McCoy Tyner on the keys 🎹

[@joeblow8593]

This is 1971...At 6:47 in the film clip there is a sign for the 20th annual dance for the Jack Martin fund. I Googled it and it led me to a PDF from the Jack Martin Fund. The dance was mentioned in the Mt. Sinai Medical Newsletter/Newspaper dated October 1971. The PDF is located at jackmartinfund.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/JMF-Booklet-5.15.2017-Final.pdf

[@eternalme5672]

P.S. GREAT SOUND TRACK!!!

[@jiaq]

Exquisito, gran fotografo, real testimonio.

[@squinkque]

I was pegging this at 1972 tops, early 70's for sure, still some of the 60's era hippie fashions. I don't know though I saw one of the movie marquees showing R.P.M. starring Anthony Quinn which came out in 1970 so I may be right, no later than '72. Anybody know for sure what year this was filmed?

[@plumeria66]

People had better manners then.

[@syedahmed1387]

What like the kind of "good manners" that make you graffiti the crap out of public transport?

[@WORSTDAYOFYOURLIFE]

+Syed Masum Ahmed lol.

[@arturozamora412]

yes in deed comparing with the people of today people of today you see them all worked up all muscled up looking for fights yes people of the 70s had better manners and were more mature the majority of them can not say the same for people of today

[@realboxing5208]

+plumeria66 Where are you getting that from? I don't remember that

[@arturozamora412]

my parents

[@ashland1977]

This is beautiful.

[@susancrandall9810]

this is early 1970's. the later 70's is really different

[@LateDecember1]

***** how so pls say a little...about that..

[@nutjaywoody4132]

LateDecember1 WTC is on construction..1.20 Early 70.s

[@jorgundmartinmanthey981]

Nearly no fat people in the 70's. How the food industry changed the people!

[@Antman-cy8ch]

@@Purplenpinkk I was a kid in the 70`s. Still live and work here in New York now. Agree with most of what you said except there was probably more pollution then. And the city was way more dirty in the 70`s then now. By far!

[@carlosortizrivera9866]

True

[@daphne4983]

2:31

[@jorgundmartinmanthey981]

Antman1265 yes it was a bit more dirty, but today NYC is sterile and clean. It lost a of its charm. Have a pleasant day

[@jimwhitman3678]

Nobody wearing an NFL jersey or lounge pants... fantastic!!! No body sucking down an energy drink..... and yet they have the energy to walk around all day. And.... nobody is overweight, especially the kids.

[@sugarjoe50]

There's nothing quite like donating blood on 42nd St ...it's extracted with switch blades!

[@jimwurzbach]

Thanks Irving!

[@arhondasmith967]

And those were the so-call bad days in NYC...call me crazy but l miss those days.

[@gregandrews6453]

No killer pandemic to face or deal with. Just good clean summer fun in the 70's!

[@1945joshuaruiz]

1970’s New York City was disgusting If you’ve seen American gangster you know how bad New York was . In the middle of the heroin epidemic. A couple of years before the crack and coke epidemic . Sure it was “good summer” but far from clean . Just because you see hippies doesn’t mean shit

[@FUCKINGENIOUS]

There's no killer pandemic

[@davidmay8104]

1970 was the year of NYC 🗑 garbage strike. Things certainly more "real" and down to earth here than today. Great John Coltrane soundtrack!

[@ralphsanchico2452]

In many ways i enjoyed this blast from the past of the streets me and my homies used to run. It's Funny though, I look at the food places like the steak house I used to stare at because I didn't have 2 nickels to rub together. And now i could afford to feed my entire family there, but I'm on a strict diet! DANG! go figure. But its a great video, great memories good and bad. But I enjoy it better from here!

[@lift2live1]

excellent post !

[@tranceontheplanet]

Man, I really envy you. Wish I lived to experience NYC in the 70's.. Thank you for sharing.

[@randys8590]

THIS WAS WHEN NEW YORK CITY WAS NEW YORK CITY!!!! I MISS THOSE DAYS .AS GRITTY AS THERE WERE.IT WAS REAL!!!

[@jamesmack3314]

Word

[@user-ez6bw4xf1g]

Moda 70 s ! So cool

[@theoryg]

From no real evidence I dont think Central Park is still the same with all the activity as this film shows.

[@retrovideofestival]

Very Nice!

[@ADAMSIXTIES]

It says early '70s, but could it be 1969? . There are a few clues like 10:17 all the movies on the 42nd St. billboards are from the late '60s & 10:37 the same Blood Donor sign that was in Midnight Cowboy which was filmed in summer of '68. But I guess they could have been just showing outdated movies, as the people and vehicles look more like '73. 11:30 Anyway what did that guy give the homeless guy that he ripped up? In any case this is an incredible glimpse of the streets and people of Midtown! Gotta love the cameraman keeping the focus on the skirts (;-p)

[@juliamejnertsen3349]

Dear Mr. Schneider, is it possible to license a clip from this work for a documentary? I haven't been able to reach on the e-mail you've included on some of the posts below. Thanks :)

[@randys8590]

THE BROTHER AT 9:58 LOOKS LIKE HE WAS ABOUT THE BUSINESS.

[@malcorub]

awesome find!

[@GeoffJaymes]

awesome video, although for me, it raises my curiosity more on image stabilization and how it works. I assume it works where it is judging by the outside of the frame, and compensates any movements. if you look at these clips, alot of things still seem jittery inside of objects being filmed. like the inside portion of subjects...if that makes any sense. probably sounds like I'm just on some good drugs.

[@snarkus63]

Yep...better start enjoying yourselves before they begin soylent green production.

[@Robert06087]

Its amazing how society has changed - I WANNA GO BACK !! If this was shot now - everyone would be on cellphones ...such ashame

[@1945joshuaruiz]

Lol you don’t wanna back

[@captaintime267]

This was the best NYC by far it was struggling but everyone was happy now is just a shit hole for tourists boy how I miss the days great video!!!!

[@1945joshuaruiz]

Lol 1970’s NYC was horrible !

[@carlyoung8657]

One guy was thinking,i will be glad when they invent the internet.

[@steve00055]

hhhhmmmmm..... not one person in this video has a .... CELL PHONE or IPHONE ...

[@Khultan]

+steve00055 Hmmmmmmm....nobody is wearing their pants below their asses.

[@steve00055]

+Libra Bey ..... ........................... yah i know ...... it was in the 90s that news reports came out of 1,000 LB. morbid obese persons being removed from their homes in fork lifts and placed into u-haul trucks .... food is a quadrillion dollar business today ... and competition is fierce .... sushi restaurants dont do well .... one time off the corner of 42 and 9 th ave. i saw a business change 4 times .... it was bagel bar for only a month .... cant remember the other business names .... but its now a chinese restaurant ..... and i told the manager its a tough spot ....

[@steve00055]

+Khultan ..... ...................... one time some news anchors asked a psychologist ....""whats up with this pants below the ass thing ""?????.... psychologist sais "" it's like the hippies of the 1960s walking bare foot , not cutting their hair and so on "" .... in the 1920s i think it was the belt was over the stomach , under the chest ... thats how high up it was ....

[@iorioriorio]

+steve00055 ITS NOTHING LIKE THE HIPPIES......it was(is) bullshit

[@syedahmed1387]

No shit Sherlock, something to do with title saying 1970s perhaps?

[@roberthenriksen4395]

hi .. do you think i can use a small snippet of this for a Brooklyn project i'm working on ??

[@russdangelo5142]

What year specially is this??

[@rachellelynn5660]

@ISchneider Would it be ok to use some portions of your footage for a project I'm doing?

[@t21229513]

1970 exactly.

[@daphne4983]

No flares or bell bottoms. Sure this is early 70s?

[@beethovenini8127]

Che musica!

[@malcorub]

5:28 Kid takes a wiz on the street.

[@maximandrei7183]

back then, they have spirit..now technology eat our souls!!

[@kyolym]

looks around 1972 a lot of cars from the 60 still and most of the fashion was no longer in by the mid 70s

[@Crispychicken156]

Jive turkey 9:59

[@skippbitman]

LOL!!!! Best friggen comment on all of KZbin!!!!

[@jamesmack3314]

Pimp?!

[@kevinbarton9052]

Good to see the World Trade Center in this film.

[@prospect4954]

Difference between old NY and New NY is old Ny was a lot of business owned mom and pop type of shops (bodegas, thrift shops, candy shops, meat shops) etc.. where you had families who lived and originated from there aka a Native NYer it was crazy during the crack era but after the early 00’s maybe around 07ish is when your introduced into the New NY which is what you see when you go at anytime of the year 2019 less individual owned business more retail higher cost of living due to tourist and outsiders who want to move here to NY Times Square is a tourist spot oppose to old days where it was porn and muggings each day from Natives sticking up tourist 😂 bottom line most of my friends and family with other Native NYers no longer have a “home” most relocated in the tri area some moved to the dmv others even went further.. so with my best regards middle fingers to all you ppl who turnt NY into a Shopping center at this point and gentrified the whole city 🌃 they don’t even bust the fire hydrants in the spring and summer anymore 😭 a lot of the cities best landmarks have been stepped on by these big market ad retail stores like H&M Starbucks etc..

[@hereisayana8207]

Another BIG difference is back then it was mainly: African American Puerto Rican Italian Jewish and Irish ( families there for generations). Now it's mostly: Africans Mexicans Arabs Hipsters And people from places like Yemen

[@jani6470]

Name of the first song ? forgot it

[@gabes80]

Irving -- is there any chance I could use some of this footage for a KZbin clip I'm preparing on how NYC's changed over the years? Would love your permission to use this fantastic raw footage of yours!

[@anaelenatejera9000]

Hi, Your films are very nice. I am creating a video art and I would love to use some fragment. Would it be possible? Thank you!

[@ischneider6593]

Thanks, and sorry for the untimely reply. If you are still interested, please contact me at irvingschneiderirving AT gmail.

[@frontbum420]

is that central park at 17.10