What an appalling thing to discover, darlings!!!!!!!!!!! And if our Saturday trip had not been screwed up, we never would have discovered this.
Saturday, March 23, after several delays, David and I were both well enough to make our trek out to Morris Plains, to see our friends, Lynda and Marilyn!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
We followed our usual trek, until we reached Penn Station. It seemed, at first, like the train we needed was cancelled, but, then, David saw a sign, directing us to go back to the PATH at 34th Street, take it to the Hoboken Station, and it would leave from there. Allegedly, this was just for that day, due to some Amtrak accident/derailment, the night before, which, interestingly enough, we never heard about, on the news. So, we had to backtrack, and take the train to the Hoboken station, but when we got there, and though we made the train, I was appalled by what I saw.
This station had an antiquated period charm, where people would visit it just to gaze on its period beauty. I am sure it was used in many films, but the two I remember best were "Funny Girl," in 1968, and "Julie And Julia," in 2009--oh, my God! That is already ten years ago!!!!!!!
I used to know the exact spot where BARBRA stood, and did the opening section of "Don't Rain On My Parade," with Anne Francis, in tow, as Georgia James!!!!!!!!!!!!! I would, on occasional visits, go there, and do it myself! I am sure other Theater Queens did the same thing. Surely, I could not have been the only one!
Alas, that spot is now gone, so there is no where, no mark or indicator, of where this celebrated film sequence took place! A plaque, at least!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
But, no, the whole thing is being dissembled, and what will be in its place but some dumb, charmless futuristic looking thing, along the lines of The Vessel!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
To hell with that, darlings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hey, BARBRA! Here I am!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Have you seen “Barbra in Movieland”
ReplyDeleteOne of those behind-the-scenes featurettes about the making of Funny Girl
I’m especially disappointed since I was under the impression that great pains were being taken to restore its original grandeur.
ReplyDeleteWhat else can you expect, when the town itself was drained of every last vestige of charm 20 years ago when it was overrun by a vile tide of 20-something useless aspiring migrant Wall Street MBA scumbags. Who were too stupid/cheap to live in Manhattan or Brooklyn Heights, and more interested in getting drunk off their asses 24/7 than anything else. Hoboken is literally all bars now: there is not a single non-alcohol-related business that isn't shuttered or struggling. The entire commercial area looks like Bluto's dreamland fantasy from "Animal House" - the entire town is now the living room of a frat house. And don't even get me started on the female members of this tribe, who out-drink the men (and shriek non-stop as if every single moment of their drunken lascivious stupor is incredible and original).
ReplyDeleteThe days of Sinatra and Funny Girl are long gone and forgotten, the vintage architectural splendor considered "quaint" at best and impediment to rapacious cardboard condo development at worst. The fading original spirit of the town is exacting revenge with its dying gasps, however: unbridled over-development has resulted in crushing, untenable burden to infrastructure. The 120 year old water pipes, sewers and electric/gas underpinning now collapse catastrophically nearly every week, leaving the brain-dead denizens of million-dollar plaster penthouses imprisoned in their own filth (with no ice for their drinks, or water to wash out their fetid genitals).
ReplyDeleteVictoria,
Have not seen "Barbra In Movieland,"
but would love to.
I had hoped charm would be preserved, but
I guess not. What a shame future generations
will not recall the onetime splendor of the
station!
ReplyDeleteDarling,
I had no idea this was being done,
till David and I were forced to
take that route on Saturday.
The last time I was in the Hoboken
station, it looked as it should.
It is sad that culture has no meaning
to people, anymore. What will society
become without it.
Cue in "Lord Of The Flies," then downgrade
to "Planet Of The Apes."
The truth is out there!