3 iconic movies filmed in New York City
What is the formula for the ideal New York film? For starters, the film is set to be shot in New York. This seems obvious, but you’d be surprised to learn how many films use other cities as a stand-in for New York. Not all scenes have to be filmed in New York, as many interior scenes are filmed on a soundstage. At the very least, there should be some action captured on the bustling streets of the Big Apple.
You could spend all day naming iconic films filmed in New York. We highlighted three films featuring iconic neighborhoods across the five boroughs. These locations include a fully functional fire station, a valuable hotel, and a neighborhood house of the famous superhero.
3
Ghostbusters
Who are you going to call? The phrase we all know and love stems from the theme of Ghostbusters. In Ivan Reitman’s iconic sci-fi comedy, a group of paranormal professors – Peter Venkman (Bill Murray), Ray Stantz (Dan Aykroyd) and Egon Spengler (Harold Ramis) – roam the streets of New York catching ghosts. Armed with proton packs and the Ectomobile, the Ghostbusters became the most popular group in town, so much so that they recruited Winston Zeddemore (Ernie Hudson) to join their group.
As Ivan Reitman told Vanity Fair: “I wanted the film to be…my New York film.” Reitman took advantage of the New York setting to film in some of the Concrete Jungle’s most iconic locations: Columbia University, the New York Public Library, the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building, Tavern on the Green, and 55 Central Park West.
By far the most memorable place in Ghostbusters is Hook & Ladder Company 8, a fire station located at 14 North Moore Street in Tribeca, Manhattan. Fans will quickly recognize the exterior of the fire station as the Ghostbusters headquarters. Established in 1903, Hook & Ladder Company 8 nearly closed its doors in 2011, but thanks to a fundraising campaign, the city saved the fire station. Nowadays, you might see a certain Marshmallow Man hanging outside the fire station on Halloween.
- Release date
-
June 8, 1984
- Runtime
-
105 minutes
- Director
-
Ivan Reitman
2
Home Alone 2: Lost in New York
In the Alone at home movies, Kevin McCallister (Macaulay Culkin) and family vacations don’t mix well. In this classic Christmas movie, Eight-year-old Kevin is mistakenly left at his home outside of Chicago while his family flies to Paris. Two years later, Kevin arrives at the airport and plans to spend Christmas in Miami with his family. After a chaotic run through the airport, Kevin accidentally boards the wrong plane and ends up in New York.
As soon as Kevin crosses the Queensboro Bridge in one of the city’s iconic yellow cabs, Home Alone 2 turns into a landmark New York film. Kevin wastes no time exploring the city, stopping at Radio City, the Empire Diner, Central Park, and the observation deck of the South Tower of the World Trade Center. Unfortunately, New York does not have a Duncan toy box, although it was heavily inspired by FAO Schwarz.
As it is his first time in New York, Kevin seeks refuge in the luxurious Plaza Hotel, located at 768 Fifth Avenue in Manhattan, New York. If you go to the Plaza, you can see the iconic lobby and stroll past the legendary Palm Court for afternoon tea. I doubt you’ll run into Donald Trump on your way to the front desk. Fans can now purchase a Alone at home experience at the Plaza and limo ride just like Kevin did. Of course you will receive your own cheese pizza.
- Release date
-
November 19, 1992
- Runtime
-
120 minutes
- Director
-
Chris Columbus
1
Spiderman
After spending decades in development hell, a live-action Spiderman finally premiered theatrically in 2002. Directed by Sam Raimi, Spiderman starred Tobey Maguire as Peter Parker, a nerdy high school student who develops spider-like senses after being bitten by a genetically modified spider. After honing his skills, Peter chooses to fight crime as Spider-Man and protect the citizens of New York from several enemies, including Green Goblin, who happens to be Norman Osborn (Willem Dafoe), a scientist and father of Peter’s best friend, Harry (James Franco).
Because Spider-Man guards Empire City, Raimi made sure to highlight some of the best places New York has to offer. When Peter moved to Manhattan, he accepted a job as a photographer at the Daily Bugle, whose offices were located in the Flatiron Building. During the climactic battle, Spider-Man fights Green Goblin on the Roosevelt Island Tramway along the Queensboro Bridge. Other notable locations include the New York Public Library at Bryant Park, the Low Memorial Library, and the Rockefeller Center Rooftop Gardens.
It would not be a Spiderman movie unless it includes Peter’s house in Queens. For most of his childhood and adolescence, Peter lived with Aunt May and Uncle Ben at 20 Ingram St. in Forest Hills, Queens. The house filmed in the movie is located at 8839 69th Road in Forest Hills, Queens. 20 Ingram St. does exist and many fans have started writing letters to this address. What was the real last name of the family who lived there? Parker.
- Release date
-
May 3, 2002
- Runtime
-
121 minutes
- Director
-
Sam Raimi
- Writers
-
David Koep
- Suite(s)
-
Spider-Man 2, Spider-Man 3
- Franchise(s)
-
Marvel, Spider-Man
-
Tobey Maguire
Spider-Man / Peter Parker
-
Willem Dafoe
Green Goblin / Norman Osborn
-
Kirsten Dunst
Mary Jane Watson
-
James Franco
Harry Osborn
All three sites still stand in New York. Many fans of these films embark on quests to take a selfie at each location. As mentioned before, there are thousands of films about New York City, so be on the lookout for our more in-depth coverage.
