Episode 9 / The Real Mean Streets of Little Italy
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- Опубліковано 2 жов 2024
- The Last Days of Little Italy: An Original Documentary Series.
Little Italy, a historic haven for immigrant families from the old country, was once threatened by an ever-expanding Chinatown. But now the fatal blow is being delivered by the gentrifiers. Corporations, yuppies, and chain stores all moved in. How did Little Italy transform itself from a working class neighborhood of tenement buildings to the third most expensive zip code in the United States?
Part funny, part sad, the series explores the impact gentrification is having on Little Italy's long-term residents. The striking imagery captures the neighborhood before it is completely erased by sterile trendy stores and upper middle class sameness.
Will New York City lose another cultural touchstone to the forces of greed?
A Nolita Films Production
Written and Directed by Paul Stone
Produced by Claudia Montano
Cinematography & Editing by Paul Stone
Shot in New York City, Rome, Amalfi Coast & Puglia, Italy.
#newyork #littleitaly #nyc
I am Puerto Rican and was married to an Italian for many yrs. Italians are great people, hardworking, they stick together, protect each other and they will be missed. I loved being around Italians. They treated me great. I do not see many of them in the city like before. Sad. I will miss them.
Puerto Rican’s and Italians have very similar cultures. ♥️
i was married to one also she made the best gabagu
They’re mostly in Staten Island
@@AGAM1911 very similar
@@SuperShinobi95not anymore ! SI has become Asian and Indian !!
One of the most legendary and historical neighborhood in the country. 🇺🇸 Many people see Little Italy today, not knowing how living there really was. A great struggle we call it. Wouldn’t change it for the world. 🇮🇹💪🏼❤️
100%
I grew up poor. I know what he means.
And yes a pump is a fire hydrant. Us New York’Rs call them pumps. Love that.
@@daedaetinez6406 haha. Thanks for watching!
Johnny pumps is what we called them too.
What an awesome little series. Holy hell. I did not live in Little Italy, and I’m not Italian but I was born across the river in Brooklyn in the 70’s and lived in neighborhoods with a similar feel and vibe to how Little Italy comes across in this series. I know it was real because I lived it, and felt it deeply. I agree with Dominic Fararro in episode 9, coming up poor in NYC during the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s was hard, but truly special in its own, strange way. It was hard at times but damn, was it great overall. Playing in the streets till all hours. Friends up and down the block. Wow. This series captures that so well. The music, the editing, the people interviewed and the descriptions of daily life and stories they tell, and even the color grading really hit me hard in the nostalgia gland. The photos throughout the series too! Oh man. Wow. Has me longing for days, people and places so long gone now. Wow. Mr. Stone, hats off to you, and thank you.
@@amv7m thanks so much. So glad you’re enjoying the work!
I'm from Brooklyn too, Bath Beach
what a great comment
Me too. NYC was always a City of neighborhoods. I lived there most of my life 50+ years and no matter where you go and how nice it is, you will always miss the old neighborhood. There's nothing like it.
Keep this series going, been watching since the first one dropped. Thank you for stopping by and filming/covering the old neighborhood. Salute to you. 🇮🇹🇺🇸🙏🏼🗽
@@JoJo.Christmas thanks for watching. Really appreciate it.
I love this. I truly wish I grew up among my own people. There's something about the camaraderie here you can never replicate.
These stories keep you watching even though I'm not from around here it's so fascinating and interesting
Thanks for watching!
Great stories!! Italians left years ago!!! For upstate,LI,Queens,Brooklyn,Staten Island,Connecticut, jersey or Florida! And also the other thing that was Italians stopped immigrating in large numbers when Italia became more stable!
Nice name. I'm a Salierno.
Hi there from Sicily palermo
Iam from the Malo Clan and visited litle Italy in 1975
@@landoyuma5926 Did you like it?
Beautiful!! Pure artistry. These are the true New Yorkers, old school, OG. Viva Little Italy 🇮🇹 ❤ 🇺🇸
@@xneapolisx thanks!
I lived in that area from the early 90's til 2001.Seen the end of the old Life. The shops, the "Social Clubs"(LOl!!!!) Knew who the Bookies were when they passed me in the street. Tomorrow I fly to NYC for 10 days to see the Family in Brooklyn. I have No plans to go to Manhattan. It ain't the same place. I'll have some Pizza from W1st. St. and Bagels from Stillwell Ave.. Some Italian bread from King's Highway Bakery. NYC isn't the same for me anymore. My "Home" disapeared whilst I was gone.
‘Time is a sort of river of passing events, and strong is its current; no sooner is a thing brought to sight than it is swept by and another takes its place, and this too shall be swept away.’ Marcus Aurelius
Yup. Families are all spread apart these days. We stuck together back in the old days.
I lived there from1960 to 1989...had to get out.. got involved in bad things....
Bronx Irish worked with many Italians in food industry...it was Gravey!!
Then others warred Sauce vs Gravey
This was beautiful ! There really are real New Yorkers, by that l mean people that were born and raised in the neighborhoods of NYC. I am a 3rd generation New Yorker my kids and granddaughter are 4th and 5th generation, I am from Washington Heights that is located in upper Manhattan, I was born on 186th. Street, my part of the heights was from 181st. Street to 193rd. Street, east of broadway to the Harlem River. It was almost all Irish, today it is almost all Dominican. It was a great place to grow up, it was safe, we had parks, and woods to play in, we played in the streets, curb ball, stick ball, fast pitching, Chinese, 2 hand touch, it was amazing. Today, it’s like this never existed, it’s like there was this civilization that just disappeared, but that’s New York, people come and go, memories are created, it’s like one big happy / sad cycle.
@@thomashowlin4353 thanks for watching!
Washington Heights today is a lot better than most part of the nyc.
It got too Expensive to live there.... But didn't the Italians own most of the buildings? So who really raised the rents and caused people to move ?
2012 was the last time we were there, ice cream in the day time then back for a few bars and an evening dinner, good times ❤
Glad you had a good time!
Great interview !!!
You can alway tell when something is genuinely REAL amd spoken from the heart !
I'm from New Orleans and I feel the same way about here and my neighborhood !
Was ALWAYS a big Italian presence and good sense of community that is sadly slipping away from todays ( Modern Times ) and its sad that today's youth will not have or understand.
Love the video and I hope to see more !!
@@flyordie7098 thanks!
It’s sad u can’t live anywhere in nyc
First Movie was Who’s that knocking at my door. My sister Margaret and I were in it along with Theresa and Frankie Scorcese. Filmed behind Moes at 238 Elizabeth St
@@DeeTorres-t2o Yup. Most people think it’s Mean Streets.
My dad and uncles moved to Little Italy from Sicily in the 60s. The bathtub was in the kitchen and there was one communal bathroom in the hallway. They all eventually moved to Bensonhurst (18th Ave) to have families. It was Brooklyn’s Little Italy. It’s unrecognizable now as most of the Italians left. Never thought I’d miss it but I do.
Really enjoying this series. It’s nicely done. I live not too far on Pearl Street and I try to make to the Cafes for an espresso as much as I can.
You should interview Vinnie “Stigma" Capuccio. He is the guitarist for veteran hardcore band Agnostic Front…a punk rock legend. His family has lived in Little Italy since the early 1900s. He still lives in the same apartment he was born in. He probably has stories for days.
@@exithero I know Vinnie. Great guy. Maybe he’ll be in season 2!
Seeing Bensonhurst now - is HEART BREAKING !!!!!!! I miss Hy Tulip deli , Rollerama and the Benson theatre . My grandmother was watching them film people on the street for Saturday Night Fever.
Moved to Staten Island from Brooklyn in the 1970s and most of the neighborhood were people who had relocated from Little Italy and Bay Ridge Brooklyn it was kind of the same culture and people but instead of bricks and mortar it was aluminum siding and grass😅😅😅😅
I'm a white Aussie of germa, Irish, English Scottish mix.
And Italians are easy going and friendly.
Id love to move to Italy and marry a beautifull Italian women.
I remember when Chinese didn’t cross Canal Street
Guissepe"Peppino" Sylvestri & Carrado "Ceasar" Rotundi mi zio's born there.
Wow just wow… great story, the pictures… top notch, greetings from the Netherlands
I grew up in Little Sicily, we never stepped foot in Little Italy
I too was born dirt poor, no cars in our part of town........... Lots of violence and throughout we learned respect for everything! Being poor made me a better man.
Im from that era, and I thought growing up poor was the worst! Now that I'm older, I look back, and I thank God for all the good times and bad! It made me who I am today! I ❤ NYC!! 🏢🏨🏠
I love this guy! A true New Yorker. I grew up with guys like him. They looked out for you and the neighborhood. God's Blessings to you. 🙏🙏🙏🙏💯💯💯👍😨👍💋
My extended family owned Paolucci’s on Mulberry. They closed a few years back because the new owner made the rent infeasible. So sad.
@@AGAM1911 sorry to hear that. The city is a mess. It’s a boring mall now
Interesting series, but the only reason Little Italy is disappearing is that the Italians moved away.
Do you blame them? The NY politicians squandered or tax money and bankrupted NYC in the 70s . They had no choice but to leave the city.
Very sad. I guess change is inevitable but it’s still a shame.
Part of S. Philly is still Little Italy. It's called Bella Vista.
It's getting that way everywhere , everyone is being priced out of their neighborhoods ..
I grew up on e. 6th between 1 and 2 aves. I remember the bocci court on houston. The new York I knew and loved is dead and gone. Makes me sick.
@@anthonytripp2251 I hear you!
I lived at 385 Broome for 15 years!. The best period of my life!!!
Love how gritty and DIY these are. Despite your impressive body of work you still have have the spirit of the indie filmmaker.
Thanks for the compliment!
I was born at 177 Mulberry Street. I loved it. My dad owned a luncheonette on Grand St. Next door to Ferraras. It was always filled with the. Culture that was brought here by the Italians at the turn of the century.
Amazing
so the mobsters didnt hold it down for its turf?
Thank you for this video. Did not know there will be more episodes
@@Bullet_1987 🇮🇹👌🏻
He mentioned his crew got theirs asses kicked on the west side. Likely by the Irish gangs in the Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood. The Irish mob was known as the Westies back then (from the West side of Manhattan). Sad that the Italian and Irish enclaves are disappearing.
So sad, there's no more neighborhoods like back than. Different time and different people. All had character. Now its just a bunch of high price living and crime
Great work/ video...We ( my parents, my brother and me) lived in New York City 24 years and one of the great moments I have memories with Italians in Brooklyn neighbors...Now, we ( my mom passed away) my father, my brother and me are living in our big ancient house, big garden, yard in Tbilisi, Georgia...
One of the clients, an Italian by origin, when he found out that my brother was Georgian, he said about the Georgians" Ah, they are our cousin, and this is absolutely true,in the face of the common ethno-cultural origin of the ancestors of Georgians and Sardinians, Etruscans (which also appears in common in some forms of folk architecture too), in the face of mixed ethno-cultural relations between the ancestors of Georgians and the Romans, and then between Georgians and Eastern Romans, as well as in the face of the common ethno-origin between Georgians and Corsicans and the common folklore culture, in different types of folk architecture and so on and so forth. I had repeatedly noted that with more details, as from a historian by profession...
With respect from Georgia, to the beautiful, diverse Italian culture, to Italy people, to Italy. 🇮🇹 🇬🇪
Thanks!
When u will upload a new video brother Im. Your subscriber from the Philippines
@@johngomez3570 I was yesterday but I got sick with the flu. I’m hoping to have one up by Monday. Thanks for subscribing!
Miss little italy I Live in Florida now. I miss The restaurants Angelos Vincents Casa Ballas. I miss the Feast San Genaro every year! And I definitely miss Feraro Pastry!!
Mr. Stone, I'm Italian American and recently found your channel and your series, I quickly became a subscriber after watching the first installment of "The last days of Little Italy". This is absolutely superb, to me it's not even a series of documentaries, it's more art than anything else. The music, the interviews, the camera work and the way it's all edited and put together. It's just amazing work. The content is sad, I hate seeing Little Italy slowly disappear, I was there in 2004 and even then it was very small compared to what the people you interviewed described it as even into the 1980's. But please keep these incredible pieces you've made coming! I plan on showing these to my relatives, I know they will appreciate them. Thank you for your continued work for the old neighborhood.
@@salvatorericca8353 Thanks Sal! Means a lot!
The gentrification of working class neighborhoods difficult to witness. Inspired testimonial for the history of New York City.
Has happened in Philadelphia too.
But a lot of S. Phila( Little Italy here) has maintained the same character it's always had. The open air street market, the Italian Market, is why.
The director he was talking about… was it marti scorsayzi…or something like that or…!?
@@makingpeoplesmile4843 Martin Scorsese
Love this one
Very informative thanks for sharing this love New York and Italian food ❤❤❤
@@acquanellaogbemudia9930 thanks!
My family has been on Elizabeth & prince since the 40s. Surrounding area as well,my cousin always bragged about godfather filmed a part in his building 😂😂😂 was a great neighborhood 👍🏽
@@MyNewYorkCity. Elizabeth Street is my favorite street in Manhattan
it seems like the take down of the MOB meant the death of Little Italy
Wish I grew up in this era
Fantastic documentary I used to love to be at Umberto's on mulberry and Broome and across the street was maraschinos now it's some mulberry Street bar and grill how sad
He is an honest man accepting that he is dixlexic
@@yoyo8303 thanks for watching!
I'm Italian, I'm alone out here in California. I own property and own some apartments and I wish I could take in Italians but we're all so disconnected now and I don't have the social connections. What can be done 🙏☝️. It's true, I have to be the best at whatever I do
Another great episode, Paul. Been watching since episode One. My grandparents are from the neighborhood, and I revere those streets. Thank you for these stories.
When I lived in NYC, the friendlyist and most helpful people to me were the jews, the puerto ricans, and the italians. The blacks were militant even in the workplace.
Respect. The number one thing right there. These kids nowadays don't have that.
@@Optim40 I don’t blame the kids. I blame the parents. Parents gave up on parenting.
I love ,love his story im from Cleveland little Italy not as big as yours but we have lots in common
Miss Eddie and the boys who met Mondays in the back room !
I agree with everything this man said
@@gennerobootz6490 words of wisdom. 🇮🇹
I can add something to this I just divorce somebody who is Italian unfortunately I thought I was in the Mafia so 'cause it's a process of the divorce. That's a podcast I'm making on to its own but his kids were dyslexic. He had a hearing problem so I think a lot of it comes from the talents often will not take their kids to the doctor sometimes and so sometimes they get infections that were retreatable they become deaf no offense to Italianist but there is a lot of cheating among the Mafia they have mistresses. Pick up an std there's a couple of them that can cause blindness and deafness in your children paired back in the day they didn't screen for these things at birth in the United States they do now because sometimes with treatment before they come out of the birth canal they can treat this and prevent deafness. The dyslexia seems to run high. I saw this in the large Italian community in a part of Canada.
my mom was born in Little Italy in cicero Illinois in 1928. My grandmother was going into labor at their apt and when my grandfather was attempting to get my grandmother into the car and out to the hospital, they could not exit because Al Capone was having a standoff with the police and feds and the Law had barricaded their block. Eventually they made it out and mom was born at the hospital. Fast forward five years: my mom is 5 years old and being held by the hand my her parents as they strolled into town on a weekend morning. Al Capone was in that neighborhood with all of his guys and mobs of people because he was giving away shoes to the City's poorest children. My grandparents and my mom approached Mr. Capone and his mob or protectors. My grandpa explained to one of his guys what had happened five years earlier in Little Italy and they asked if they could personally share that story with Mr. Capone. They did get permission and Mr. Capone had a good chuckle that now he was meeting that little girl, my mom, that he almost caused to be born at home. 😄 My grandparents and my mom chatted with him for a while and then left.
@@SunsetBoulevard111 wow amazing story. Thanks for watching.
I love Italians so much I even considered moving to Italy when I was young.
Man what an amazing vlog.I used to walk through Little Italy and just pretend in my head it was the old neighborhood. I miss seeing the old groups the Italians the irish. Great video.
Good stuff!
Reminds me the episode of Sopranos when Tony goes back to his old neighborhood.
Another great vid
@@nicmackavely7764 thanks!
I loved working in the Fulton fish market
The yuppies ruined Little Italy and the rest of New York City! The New York City that inspired so many movies and songs is long gone!
@@scotbeane5123 we call them Trustafarians now. 🤣
I just subscribed to your channel.
everybody should be born poor amen
Good stuff cugine.
@@greggsiano5920 thanks
how old is this guy?
@@scienz 80 in Nov
My mother and her family (Provenzano, Dellacroce, Naso, etc.) grew up there. I remember visiting my uncle Charlie Naso at his apartment on Bleeker St. when I graduated college in 1976. He was paying $38 a month rent.
Thanks for watching!
I remember those beutiful smells,all home made.
Great video !
@@christygum3384 thanks!
I love this stuff and listening to nostalgia! I went down last week only to be disappointed to see a change way different than what it was. The place was not filled with native new yorkers like myself. I grew up in the Bronx and practically grew up in little Italy in the Bronx and that too changed big time but i gotta say there is way more Italian shops and Italian owned restaurants in Little Italy, Bronx.
Great documentary.great guy.
your making beautiful videos, thank you😊
@@georgespiropoulos4892 thanks for watching!
Keep it up , this serie is amazing , especially for those who knew it back then
Thanks!
This guy sounds like he is ripping off some of Gravanos story
@@Seegie16 how?
Very good video, I liked the old photos of the neighborhood, if you do another one with this guy I could just watch him talk of his friends in the photos. I just wish he had pointed himself out in the photos.
@@larryro8872 he was the one taking the pictures so he wasn’t in the photos of the group of guys
@@PaulStoneFilmsThanks for telling me that, I was trying to figure out who he was in the pictures. Great job on these films.
Remember Italian guys selling "Fireworks" in 1981.
Great video! Always are! Keep up the good work! ❤
@@arthurhatten thanks! Will do!
Same as benherst
So great Paul, I'm a huge fan of your work!
@@loujohnson1664 Thanks Lou!
Never been to NYC but someday.....
@@JILOA thanks!
Wow; I’m glad I found this - this guy is the best - funny - full of wisdom .
@@dennisliamardell8906 Dom is the best!
Another great episode Thanks
Thanks for watching!
Yet another wonderful film about the last Italians of Little Italy. I've been working in the neighborhood for several months now and can't really make sense of things anymore. My parents were born and raised in the Bronx, then moved to Westchester. We always came to Little Italy--to walk around, see the feast--and like mostly everyone else I guess we took it for granted that it would be here forever. Thanks again Paul for your beautiful work and for taking the time to capture their stories!
@@benzynyc Thank you!
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
This was a “friend of mine” ah capisce
Hi there from Sicily palermo
@@landoyuma5926 ciao!
Love this series.
Thanks for watching!
💪🏻👊🏻
Please keep goin then to the next best Italy Boston or is New York number 1 Hmmmm????
I heard that it’s little china now😂
Tourist trap🎉