Films aren’t just stories and emotions, they’re also a veritable time machine. Thanks to cinema, we can see what cities looked like decades ago. Films from the late 1980s offer a glimpse into New York’s past: streets, buildings, advertising, and, of course, cars.
Even today, when some films are increasingly being shot on soundstages or recreated using 3D graphics, film crews still take to the streets. And each day of filming turns into a “historical” moment — especially if you just happen to be there.
New York Yellow Cab: Chevrolet Caprice
Recently, while walking through Tribeca (20 Harrison St), I happened to stumble upon a film set. The camera captured a shot that could easily be mistaken for a documentary from the 1980s: a classic yellow Chevrolet Caprice taxi parked on the street.
This model was the most common among New York City taxis in the late 1980s. It’s easily recognizable by its:
- square body with chrome bumpers,
- spacious interior with a “sofa” seat,
- and huge trunk.
- The fares of the time are posted on the door: $1.50 for entry and 25 cents for 1/5 of a mile. If you do the math, that’s about $1.25 per mile, or about 75 cents per kilometer.
The irony is that the car that became New York’s most reliable workhorse was named “Caprice,” a word denoting something fleeting and fickle. However, the “Caprice era” didn’t last long. From the mid-1990s onward, they were gradually replaced by the Ford Crown Victoria. This model later became a symbol of 2000s New York, appearing on screen as often as Manhattan’s famous skyscrapers.
New York in the 1980s in Film: What to Watch
If you want to see what the city was like back then, check out these films:
- “Taxi Driver” (1976) – the iconic atmosphere of New York City at night: neon, streets, yellow cabs. “Ghostbusters” (1984) is a comedy about ghostbusters, in which Manhattan plays a full-fledged character.
- “Police Academy 2” (1985) depicts the streets of New York City with humor but authenticity.
- “Crocodile Dundee” (1986) contrasts the bustling city with a hero “from another world.”
- “Office Romance,” American-style, “Working Girl” (1988) depicts the real-life Manhattan office life of the late 1980s.
- “Good Morning, Vietnam” (1987) – although set in Saigon, many of the city scenes were filmed in New York.
- “When Harry Met Sally” (1989) is a romantic story that depicts Central Park, cafes, and the street life of the time.
