150 Word Review: 'Drop Dead City' (2024)
The good ol' days
In 1975, New York City ran out of money. The city had enjoyed unprecedented growth for decades, but by the early ’70s, a perfect storm of social issues brought Gotham to its knees. Peter Yost and Michael Rohatyn’s documentary about this fiscal crisis, Drop Dead City, tracks the desperate negotiations between the mayor, union bosses, and the federal government to try to save the day, capturing one of the most perilous moments in the city’s history.
The doc benefits from incredible vintage film and interviews with surviving members of Mayor Abraham Beame’s administration and other now much older movers and shakers.
This is more than a historical doc; it’s a political examination of what happens when the system breaks. The dream of an affordable New York City lives on, but not like in the good ol’ days. The title refers to one of The Daily News’ most infamous tabloid headlines.