Michael SpudicApr 24th, 2005 - 11:20:02

Great review, would simply like to point out that the entire New York City portion of the Rockaways belongs to the borough of Queens and not Brooklyn. No matter, a more important point is that the little spit of land known as the Rockaways still hangs on tenuosly between ocean and bay to the collective whole of New York City. Thanks to Lawrence Ferlinghetti unique understanding of this predicament, it even gets nestled into a title for a collection of poems, knitting a web from the vibrant 1950s 'A Coney Island of the Mind' (definitely Brooklyn)into his subtle, more mature, rueful and refined 1990s meditation 'A Far Rockaway of the Heart' ('Where I might catch once more / a Sunday subway for / some Far Rockaway of the heart'). And come to think of it, perhaps part of the dissonant charm with the geographical sleight of placing the Rockaways in Brooklyn, is precisely it's 'background' existence in the way world metropolis mindset of 'urbs omnipotens' New York often forgets the specific locale of this off-the-beaten-trail community. That Mark Street brings the internal lives of these three teenagers into this backdrop, if nothing more, this film is a welcome addition in that it sheds a little more light on one of the 'bit player' communities that contribute silently in the background to the Big Apple's unique glow.

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Ron WilkinsonApr 24th, 2005 - 14:30:50

Thank you, Michael, for the articulate and accurate re-appraisel of Rockaway and my slightly off-kilter geography. I have lived in and out of cities for years but still stare in wonder at the bridges, factories and mysterious structures of the New York area that make up the backdrop for much of this film. Whether these are monuments to success or failure, some day when aliens focus on earth and look for signs of life, this American Stone Henge is what they'll see.

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belle harbor girlOct 9th, 2006 - 18:52:32

rockaway is not in Brooklyn! zip 11694 is queens -- peninsula south of coney island, brooklyn but attached to queens. the rockaway peninsula is home to many neighborhoods, such as mine: belle harbor.

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this is not the rockaway i knowOct 9th, 2006 - 19:01:59

rockaway, beach, queens, new york is actually a really nice place to live. we have nice homes, middle and upper middle class familites, and a beautiful beach!

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Barbara Perry-MarciniakOct 27th, 2008 - 06:33:12

I recently saw another movie called 'Rockaway'. Having grown up there, I was excited to to it on the shelf. In the opening scene, the guy coming back from Afganistan gets off of the A train at 44th street. They show some scenes of the beach but I have to say, I did not recognize many places in the movie. I believe some of it was filmed in Brooklyn (no offense). I have family in Sheepshead Bay and I know some of Brooklyn. Of course, that is no the only problem with the movie. The title should have been 'Walking Tall on 44th Street' because of all the violence and the story line. If I have to believe that it was an accurate portrayal of the place I spent most of my life, it would break my heart. I recently missed a Rockaway reunion that was held at The Sands (Long Beach or Atlantic Beach). It was not held any place in Rockaway. There has to be a reason for that. Most of my old friends have moved to Long Island and surrounding areas. Maybe the Rockaway of my past is all gone. What a shame. I grew up in a place where my bedroom faced the ocean. It was a beautiful place to grow up and most of the people have gotten back in touch since some Rockaway websites went up a few years ago. I have heard the old expression 'you can never go home again'. I never knew how true that was until recently. Far Rockaway will always live on in my heart. Not in the light it was portrayed in this crazy ass movie but in the memories I hold dear.

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