Shot in 1959, Michael Blackwood's first film, Broadway Express, is a portrait of the people of New York City, as experienced in the city's lively subways. Blackwood's camera captures the beautiful and chaotic choreography of the commuters - a well dressed older gentleman picking his nose, a carefree drunkard keeping himself entertained, the symmetry of two reserved nuns in full habit juxtaposed with two adolescents locked in lighthearted fisticuffs, a young boy dancing with a youthful vitality that captures the attention of some onlookers and forces others to hide even further behind their newspapers. Accompanied by a sparse musical score driven by punchy snare drums and rumbling piano notes that emulate the rhythmic, pacing pounding of the subway cars, this short film pulses with a frenetic energy that builds to a crescendo before collapsing into the collective weariness of New York City at days end. The subway's cars and platforms empty out in preparation for another day, when the dance will start all over again.
There are no TV Airings of Broadway Express in the next 14 days.
Add Broadway Express to your Watchlist to find out when it's coming back.
Check if it is available to stream online via "Where to Watch".