MovieChat Forums > Nighthawks (1981) Discussion > Roosevelt Island Tram

Roosevelt Island Tram

posted 19 years ago by baz_dennistoun
2 replies | jump to latest

I saw Nighthawks last night again and I was wondering if it actually makes sense that the UN delegates were on the Tram. What would they be doing on Roosevelt Island, isn't that merely a residential area with apartment blocks? I have never been to NYC or the States for that matter so I really don't know. Also had to think of it when I saw the Tram appear again in the Dark Water remake.

So...New Yorkers out there, does it make sense or is it just an excuse for an admittedly spectacular scene?

[–] joego-3 19 years ago

I'm a New Yorker so maybe I can help out.

The Roosevelt Island Tramway is a tourist type attraction. Generally people use it as a simple form of transportation but I could see a curious tourist (like the delegates in the movie) hopping on for a ride even though there is no explanation in the story as to why they are on it.

Besides, you have to consider its location. Its located right where the 59th Street bridge comes into Manhattan from Queens.

It also offers a spectacular view of the city where the water, the bridge and the skyline meet.

Incidentally, a little trivia, when Nighthawks was being filmed, during early 1980, a group of Roosevelt Island residents staged a protest of the movie because they felt it might give terrorists and wacko's ideas to really do it.

[–] baz_dennistoun 19 years ago

Thanks for the info, I'm planning to visit NYC in the near future, maybe next year or so and as a big Nighthawks fan I will definitely check out the Tram.

Interesting to hear that the residents were not impressed, I've heard they were not too happy by the way Roosevelt Island was portrayed in 'Dark Water' either. I was pleased to see the Tram again in that film, I've always had an inexplicable fascination with it ever since I've seen Nighthawks for the first time about 20 years ago :-)