FIGHTING FOR BRONX FILM

In early 2002, plans were announced to either create or expand the film industry across the city. New financial commitments would be made in Brooklyn, Staten Island, Queens and Manhattan. City leaders were hot on Hollywood, and wanted to do everything they could to increase its involvement in New York City. Even Yonkers got in on the act, announcing that Miramax had taken a serious interest in a former military manufacturing plant.

While the Staten Island plan has been defeated after a serious push by an investment group, led by actor Danny Aiello, to make it happen, other areas have benefited from Hollywood's favor. But some parts of the city are still seemingly locked in the shadows. Among the Tinseltown hubbub regarding NYC shoots, The Bronx is conspicuously absent. Responding to criticism that his own borough was lagging behind the rest of the city, Bronx Borough President Adolfo Carrion, Jr. took action. In his 2002 State of the Borough speech, Carrion made it clear that his Bronx would be a player in the film industry, and that he would make it happen, stating that he would approach the city's Office of Film, Theatre and Broad-casting and offer them several locations in industrial parks in the east and south Bronx that would be suitable for such business. 

"We will be competitively positioned in this market," said Carrion.

That competition Carrion spoke of has been less than forthcoming. In March, Warner Bros. announced that they were in negotiations with the New York City Economic Development Corpor-ation to rent the entire first floor of the Kingsbridge Armory to shoot the film adaptation of Richard Matheson's science fiction classic I Am Legend (which has been made once before as the Charlton Heston vehicle The Omega Man). Prior to that, and despite the assurances of Carrion and his administration, there has been zero public movement on the movie front in the Bronx.

At one point, Carrion did reach out to a favorite daughter of The Bronx and urge her to help. In the summer of 2002, as she was being inducted into the publicity-fueled Bronx Walk of Fame, Cathy Moriarty-Gentile announced a plan. The actress, famous for her role in Raging Bull, told the audience that her company, Utopia Studios, was planning to build a 1,600 acre film, television and entertainment complex at a Bronx location.

No specifics were ever given, but Bronxites everywhere rejoiced. Finally, their own borough would have a chance to experience the limitless economic potential of Hollywood like their neighbors. Alas, it was not to be. Her Bronx connections were not enough to keep her loyal to her hometown, and in October 2004 Moriarty-Gentile instead announced plans to build the same exact studio in Norwich, Connecticut. Since no real specifics were ever announced regarding the Bronx plan, many wondered if the plan was real or just staged to help Carrion deflect criticism.

Though the Bronx was once a major location for the film industry, having even once been home to two silent movie studios, the more recent history of the Bronx in film is mixed at best. Robert DeNiro's classic tale of a boy's struggle in the working class Bronx, 1993's A Bronx Tale, was mostly filmed in Queens. Jackie Chan's 1995 action-fest Rumble in The Bronx was actually filmed in Toronto, a fact made obvious by the appearance of a snow-capped mountain in the background of one scene. 

When the Bronx does host movies, they seem to do more harm than good. In 1981's Fort Apache, The Bronx, Paul Newman plays a cop in the roughest south Bronx precinct anyone could ever imagine. The crime-ridden screenplay and burned out rubble that made up the backdrop left an immeasurable black mark on the Bronx that has yet to be lifted. Sure, the Bronx was a nightmare in those days. But that rubble has been cleaned up, and things are definitely better than they were in those days, though there is still a great deal of improvement to be had.

Still, there may be hope just yet. Norwich political leaders have been forcing Utopia Studios to jump through hoops to get their project, which now includes a theme park and resort, approved. Though they claim they are still very interested in doing business with Norwich, Utopia last week postponed a meeting with Norwich Mayor Ben Lathrop to further discuss the project, a move that led many observers to wonder if Utopia wasn't interested in Norwich anymore. Though the company says they're committed to Norwich, now might be the best time to throw a bunch of incentives at the company and urge them to head back south to The Boogie Down.

When there is nothing going on, it's usually very obvious. Nothing serious is happening to bring the film industry to the Bronx, but Norwich seems to be doing everything it can to push its own slice of Hollywood away. Perhaps, Mr. Carrion, a phone call to Moriarty-Gentile is in order.