Across 110th Street
Say “New York City in the 1970s,” and I immediately think of the gritty, blighted city that was the backdrop for movies such as The French Connection, Serpico, Report to the Commissioner, The Seven-Ups, The Taking of Pelham One Two Three.
As a teenager in a mid-size city in the South at the time, that New York had a certain appeal. It was familiar, yet very different. Bustling, lively, multicultural.
I had a chance to pinch-hit and pick this week’s movie for film club. Shaft (1971) had been on my short list several weeks ago, but it left the Criterion Channel at the end of March.
Looking for something similar, I came across the trailer for Across 110th Street. It had the vibe I was looking for, plus it starred Yaphet Kotto.