[youtube]http://youtube.com/watch?v=C-3wza6rnck[/youtube]
Despite the wave of happy-urbanism that has gripped Canadian cities over the past few years, one still hears tales of various relatives and old high school friends living in deepest suburbia who truly believe the city is a dangerous place full of the perps and perverts featured in the Taking of Pelham One Two Three trailer posted on Spacing Toronto in October. It’s sort of how one hears an urban legend, not knowing that person personally, but assured they’re out there. I wonder how much of this false city-view is the result of the gritty films of the 1970s that featured decaying American cities at their worst. They came to represent the idea of the big bad city in contrast to the good/better/cleaner/safer bucolic suburbs and rural areas. For many people this view has likely endured.
The above clip is the opening credit sequence of a 1975 film that is a classic of the era, but this opening shows some rather wonderful urban city moments. I’ve seen this film a few times, but forgot about this part, and the great Elton John song, as it’s somewhat at odds with the rest of the film’s darker theme. I won’t say the name of the film and let you discover it on your own when the credits finally roll, unless of course you remember this sequence.