Blog 20: Final Version of Major Research Essay

David Daniel Strack

Professor Luke Vassilou

ENG 103

31 May 2011

Saturday Night Nausea by dstrack

The Film Saturday Night Fever inaccurately portrays the realism of NYC in 1977. Instead this movie idealizes an inaccurate disco era trend in the subculture of Bay Ridge, Brooklyn. The story offers a fictional getaway from the true reality of living in NYC at the time. It fails to mentions any actual political events and incorrectly fabricates the social and economic life of a native Brooklyn youth. Yet the film does succeed in producing a cross-media marketing scheme, which earned the Saturday Night Fever Soundtrack the best selling soundtrack and popularizing the disco trend.

A New York City citizen during the 1970’s endured difficult times. The average salary according to kclibary.edu was $7,564; Food prices: milk, 33 cents a qt.; bread, 24 cents a loaf; round steak, $1.30 a pound. Economically, the City in 1975 was on a verge of bankruptcy. Desperate for federal government aid President Ford announced that he would block congress’s attempt to arrange a loan. After taking heat from a New York Times headline which read “Ford to City: Drop Dead” he was pressured into a change of mind. Many people feared that a financial collapse in New York City would lead to serious problems for worldwide banking. To figuratively keep the island Manhattan afloat, Ford signed legislation permitting the Federal Treasury to lend $2.3 billion each year for three years. Paying this loan back resulted in hefty tax increases for citizens. Many municipal services were cut and thousands of jobs were lost. To further add to the finicial crisis, citizens were faced with vast increases of gas prices. In 1973 the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) raised the price of oil by nearly 200% within a few months. A press release from the Saudi Arabian government stated “in view of the increase support for Israel, the Saudi Arabian Kingdom has decided to stop the export of oil to America for adopting such a stand”. Nationally, Americans experienced a time of economic turbulence.  As of 1976 the U.S unemployment rate rose for three months in a row, as estimated 25.9 million lived in poverty. Then a 15% rise in inflation struck the country, people made less money but continued to spend which causing money to be circulated and concluding the seventies in economic panic. (Craats 45).

There was an overwhelming change in the social atmospheres in the 1970’s. Roe v. Wade legalized abortion.  Women, minorities, and gays demanded full legal equality and privileges in society.  Women expanded their involvement in politics they also surpassed men in college enrollment in 1979. African-Americans also made their presence felt as the number of black members in Congress increased, and cities such as Los Angeles, Detroit, and Atlanta elected their first African-American mayors. In the summer of 1970 the first Gay Parade march was held in New York City. The voice of the people became heard as all over the country people gathered in masses to protest injustice, intolerance and inappropriate acts of the government. New York City received nadir judgment for its rise in crime rates and increasing poverty. It was a dark year for the city in 1977. For 25 hours the city suffered from heavy looting and civil unrest due to a citywide Blackout. According to Brooklyn: a state of mind source over 3,000 people was arrested and suggestions were made about possibly reopening the Manhattan Detention Complex.

To get a understanding of just how unstable the 1970s were in one single decade the nation was ran by three different presidents whose credibility come into question. Four students were killed by National Guardsmen during an anti-war demonstration at Kent State. In 1971 Daniel Ellsberg leaks the Pentagon Papers, whose publication helps to discredit the Vietnam War policies of the Nixon administration. And Republican agents burglarize Democratic headquarters at the Watergate Office complex 1972. In a obscene description of NYC author Allen Tannbauam named the era: Dirty, dangerous, and destitute.

“Conditions in Harlem and Bed-Stuy were horrendous, with abandoned buildings and widespread poverty. The subways were covered everywhere with ugly graffiti and they were unreliable. It seemed as if the entire infrastructure was in decay. Political corruption, sloppy accounting, and the cost of the war were killing the city. Times Square, the crossroads of the world, was seedy and sleazy. Pimps, hookers, and drug dealers owned the night there. Crime was rampant, and the police were powerless to stop it. Random killings by the “Son of Sam” made New Yorkers even more fearful. The parks were in decay, with litter and bare lawns, and it was home to muggers and rapists.” (wordpress.com.)

The plot of Saturday Night Fever revolves a youth living in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn in the 1970s. Life in NYC conflicts with the Character known as “Tony” coming of age. He struggles at his dead end job, fights at home with his father and competes for attention with his brother, the priest. His only time of escape happens when he rules as king of the disco. His love for the disco and attraction to ‘Stephanie’ drives him to enter a dance competition and dream for a better life over the bridge into the city. He comes to a realization at the climax of the movie and experiences a downfall from his flaws.

Being set in Brooklyn the issues from the film touches upon some areas of life surrounding a troubled youth but it seems to cinematic and unrealistic for the time. The setting of production remains valid but the plot is lost in another reality. The Shots of NYC are captured perfectly. But the characters living in are off shot. The mentality and accent are exaggerated. The city is portrayed to be glamorous but in reality NYC in the 70s was a utopia under a social, political and economic siege.

City life conditions in the 1970s were unimaginable for slum areas in Brooklyn and Manhattan. The depictions seen in Saturday Night Fever of radical racial tensions and minor drug use shade the window to the realistic world outside. People in other regions of the globe and in Hollywood only got a glance of a single immature individual’s point of view witnessed in this film. He works a dead-end job and lives at home with his unsupportive and bickering parents.  The only time Tony is satisficed with himself is when he is in the disco. This coming of age drama slightly explores the diversity and practicality of Brooklyn in the 1970s. It over-exemplifies “Tony” as the hero in the film so infer his popularity and celebrity career with Paramount Studios. The script is extremely stereo- typical and the on location production is probably the only aspect that remains valid to the portrayal of Bay Ridge, Brooklyn.  

The Film Saturday Night Fever doesn’t depict NYC in proper context but provides a dream like reality. The social, economic and political aspects of the 1970 are left out of the movie.  Life in the movie and life in reality isn’t the same. This story was based upon a 1976 New York magazine article by British writer Nik Cohn, "Tribal Rites of the New Saturday Night". In the late-1990s, Cohn acknowledged that the article had been fabricated. A newcomer to the United States and a stranger to the disco lifestyle, Cohn was unable to make any sense of the subculture he had been assigned to write about. Therefore the authenticity of this film doesn’t portray NYC for anyone who is a new to the city.

1.Wendy, Palitz. Brooklyn a State of Mind. New york: 2001. Print.

2.Gillis, Charles. "1970-1979." American Cultural History. Lone Star College-Kingwood Library,

     1999. Web. 1 Mar. 2011.

3.TANNENBAUM, ALLLAN. "DIRTY, DANGEROUS & DESTITUTE | NEW YORK IN THE 4.70s." New York in the 70s: A Remembrance. 15 09 2010. Web. 31 May 2011.

Blog 19: Reflection on Archives Essay

The archives helped me lean about the topic of planned shrinkage because of the information that came from primary sources. All of the sources were first accounts rather then a secondary author's perspective. The mayors press release and  interview with roger Starr with  gave me their point of view directly.
The introduction to the archives was very useful for providing me with a background into what a archive is and how useful the sources are. The archives guide explained the importance of a first account as well provide insight to the social, economic and political context of planned shrinkage.  
The archives project was less difficult then the major research paper because of the sources that differed. In the archives project it was only a matter choosing a position based on the facts that were distorted until the research was done correctly. As for the major research paper I didn't have access to too many primary sources online. The archive was closed when I choose to go.

Blog 18: Report on major research paper

The process of drafting this research paper began when I wrote down my thesis on a outline then  I proceeded to find sources from online databases that were prevalent to the era. Next I took a trip to the Laguradia Library where I spent many hours verifying data from online subscription finally I found a book that describe live in Brooklyn entitle Brooklyn a State of Mind.
A major difficult with this paper was the lack of information NYC had on their online information accounts. For example there was no records from the 1970s about anything. That fucking pissed me off I spent too much time browsing "NYC+ 1970s + bay ridge+Brooklyn. At a certain point research began to fustreate me and I was quickly losing movation.
I completely ultilized all the knowledge I aborsed in the ENG 103 classes. I developed topic sentences for each body and used variety in my sentences. Expect from downshifting I didn't know how to do that it sounds like driving a car.

Blog 15: Minority Report response (draft)

eyes/see- man in the beginning, the drug dealer ,
Self-control- suppress impulses, addiction, mental illness

The movie Minority Report presents a future where concerns about crime and security have turned society to extremes such as punishing criminals before the crime is even committed and privacy no longer exists (think of the retina scans and the invading spiders). Do you think a society should care for security above all, or is violation of privacy too high a price to pay for security? Write a blog response arguing your position and also anticipating and addressing the arguments of the opposing side. You may also want to consider the article “Free Will and Determinism in the World of Minority Report” in your response.

Intro- a brief non-fiction narrative 

Position: A society shouldn't put security above all because it will result in a deficit of individual privacy.     

1 body-  1st reason, "Flaws in the System and  Big Brother" 

Minority Report = Punishing criminals before the crime is even committed and privacy lost. the fact that errors are possible and the director of pre crime committed a murder is ironic. be a part of a system

2 body- 2nd reason, "Lost of Free will"

“Free Will and Determinism in the World of Minority Report” = Determinism 

3 body- 3rd reason, "Counter-punch"

Blog 17: Minority Report, Oedipus, and Free Will

         There are billions of people living on earth. All from different backgrounds and each are genetically unique. Every human shares the ability to possess consciousnesses and more importantly free will. The power of free will affects the present and ultimately the future. For ages the counter argument determinism has ruled people’s lives. People worship omniscient a God or just let fate take its course because its pre determined. Although what most people don’t understand is that consciousnesses and free will is what defines being human. The Play Oedipus the King and the film Minority Report both explore the concept of free will verse determinism. The central theme is based on the choices of the individuals.

Oedipus was given his fate which lead to his downfall. His attempts to change what was determined by fate consequently allowed it to happen. What Oedipus wasn't aware of is his free will to make the right decisions at the moment. His issue was that he felt a need to know everything regardless to how it would effect his choices. In line 1167 Oedipus tells the Herdsman "And i of hearing, but i still must hear." he had a determinist mind set blocked all other way of thinking to his own control.
As for the pre-determinted fate in Minority Report pre-crime unethically punished criminals who hasn't committed crimes yet. This would mean that since birth the suspect was already destined to be a murderer and had no ability to change it. of course there is flaw to that and the system in general,  free will exist and thats why there were minority reports.  In the film an officer explains "the fact that you prevented it from happening doesn't  change the fact that it was going to happen". but it does the action of changing the present is what defines free will.  
Providing closure on the dispute against determinism, Michael Huemer adds to his argument that in determinism there are no alternative possibilities. So for Hard Determinist that believe God is all-knowing then he sees events as they unfold. "if God knows for example, that i am going to commit a murder tomorrow, then i cant refrain from committing that murder". he explains that he would have to commit the murder for sure since its determined. There isn't a pre-deretminted future for all. destiny is controlled by the actions taken by the indivual at the moment of consciousness.

Blog 16: Report on Saturday Night Fever

The plot of Saturday Night Fever revolves  a youth living in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn in the 1970s. Life in NYC conflicts with the Character known as “Tony” coming of age. He struggles at his dead end job, fights at home with his father and competes for attention with his brother, the priest. His only time of escape happens when he rules as king of the disco. His love for the disco and attraction to ‘Stephanie’ drives him to enter a dance competition and dream for a better life over the bridge into the city. He comes to a realization at the climax of the movie and experiences a downfall from his flaws.
Being set in Brooklyn the issues from the film touches upon some areas of life surrounding a troubled youth but it seems to cinematic and unrealistic for the time. The setting of production remains valid but the plot is lost in another reality.
The Shots of NYC are captured perfectly. But the characters living in are off shot. The mentality and accent are exaggerated. The city is portrayed to be glamorous but in reality NYC in the 70s was a utopia under a social, political and econmic siege.

Special Activity: MOMI

- The rest point in our brain allows us to visualizes a sequences of still images in motion.
- Still images of a horse begun a massive film industry.
- charlie chaplain used show polish on his mustache.
- televisions were designed to look like other household appliances in order to market to women.
- the costume designs were created to leave behind a image of the actor like Bill Cosby.
- Star Wars and Star Trek made more profit on merchandise then on ticket sales.
- live broadcasting and its operation.

 Our tour guide had much to say about feminism in the flim industry and bought up a few good points. one being that the stay at home wives can be easily marketed to by designing televisions to resemble household appliances such as ovens and washing machines. She also mentioned that women played a key role in the editing process of film.

We were able to understand the development of motion pictures thanks to our tour guide who explained that the rest point in our brain allows us to visualizes a sequences of still images in motion. Lighting, speed and rest point are all elements in the compound motion picture. She demonstrated an extraordinary art piece that incorporated all three of the elements and was stunning to the brains perception.

The group was fortunate enough to spend extra amount of time watching the behind the scene production of a live programing. we visualized all the different shots being captured at the same time. then viewed the directors job of calling out the shots to create one all seeing sequence of the game.  

Blog 13: Draft of Archives Project Essay

David Daniel Strack
Professor Vassilou
ENG 103
9, May 2011
                                                            Housing Hysteria
     Imagine for a moment you are living in a building that a fellow tenant was burned in the furnace. Most people’s initial reactions to this tragedy would be fear and confusion. Sad to say this was an actual reality for a woman residing in Harlem in the ‘70s. She believed that she wasn’t living in a slum but was dwelling among “very nice people”. Slums were a common home to many inner city residents of New York City around the time of the 1970’s. This archive based essay will explore the concept of “Planned Shrinkage as introduced by Roger Starr as appropriate for the times. This will include Starr’s philosophy behind his idea and the Medias reaction.

     Roger Starr understood that the city needed to shrink down its responsibilities in order to accommodate with a tremendous loss in the city’s revenue. In a 9-2-93 interview with Roger Starr, he states that “…with a decline in population which will inevitably follow a decline in jobs, with increased costs to the city, we’ve got to find a way to make the city’s obligations smaller.” He proposed an idea that would cut back on services to slum areas of south Bronx and Brooklyn for later redevelopment. Roger Starr received mass received mass criticism for his idea to budget better for the city. According to March 4th article from the Daily News titled “Display of Ignorance” council man Fredrick Samuel called planned shrinkage “genocidal ,racist, inhuman arrogant and irresponsible”. Starr replied later by saying ''Although my phrase ''planned shrinkage'' will run a poor second to ''benign neglect'' in the unappreciated phrases derby,'' he wrote, ''it will remain the most prominent label in the file of my government service.'' (Obituary, New York Times)

     In NYC 1970s the economic and social status of the city, including those boroughs with slums was a growing disaster. Jobs and population was dropping quickly, headlines read “3,432 city jobs cut in a month”. In a press release statement made by Mayor Beame on May 20, 1975 he declares the president accountable for his lack of regard in aided New York City. Beame criticizes the president inferring that his current deficit and policy of economic inaction is responsible for “…the country’s worst recession in 34 years, with more than eight million Americans unemployed”. The Mayor added in an earlier release dated May 14th “The Ford recession and the Ford inflation is crippling our city and nation… New York’s problems [are] created not by the sins of its people, but by national policies… [Ford’s] advice to us is to cripple our vital services”.

     Beame appointed Roger Starr head of the housing and development administration. In the interview with Robert Fitch, Mr. Starr explains that he was suggested to be head of the committee by Bob Tischman who gave generous contributions to Beame’s campaign. The main idea was that Beame had experience from his early work with his father’s barge company and his duties as board of Citizens housing and planning council. Starr thought of housing as a mythology. In the interview Starr added his views on bad tenants by mentioning that the problem with housing is to find “…tenants who are not destructive and who will pay their rent on time”. He also commented on federal policy by saying “the problem with government programs is that you find yourself having to take in tenants that who are extremely destructive and whom you can’t get rid of”. Starr made a statement about the Brook amendment when asked about federal programs. He said that this amendment was “devastating”, that the tenants who couldn’t pay an adequate rental made it difficult to keep maintenance so public housing deteriorated very rapidly that cause most of the good tenants to move out.

     The interview of Roger Starr in 1993 portraits his philosophy on the fact that “social programs assume that all people are alike and that all people are fundamentally good and decent and, that you don’t have to worry about the character and quality of the people” he says “as long as you give them money to do the job, everything is going to be well done, which is unfortunately true”. A March 5, 1976 Daily News article quotes Starr’s idea of planned shrinkage. He says that planned shrinkage will “Spur Population movement of such areas and conserve services during a crisis”. According to his obituary in the New York Times his philosophy was tough-love code of social morality and individual responsibility. His remarks to his plans remained ''Although my phrase ''planned shrinkage'' will run a poor second to ''benign neglect'' in the unappreciated phrases derby,'' he wrote, ''it will remain the most prominent label in the file of my government service.''

     Given the social context, the financial reality of the city, and Starr’s own beliefs, I judge his initial ideas with proper intentions and correctly appropriate for the situation of the city. Roger Starr’s creditability in urban affairs as an outspoken leader is a quality that should be trusted. He eventually became disillusioned by what he viewed as the flawed execution of good intention. (LAMBERT) Just because the idea seemed so extreme and controversial it was disavowed immediately. Never seeing possibility, but making it impossible. Mr. Starr foreshadowed events future in New York from his oral report saying that it will happen all over again, “that stocks just don’t go up”.