Description

Jones Beach: An American Riviera, produced by filmmaker George Pozderec, explores the creation of a New York landmark by famed builder, Robert Moses. Conceived during the roaring twenties, Jones Beach was a revolutionary concept: an ocean playground for the urban masses. Centered around the beauty of nature, the park would have none of the commercial attractions of Coney Island. It was built against tremendous opposition from the wealthy and privileged, and when it opened in 1929, it was the engineering feat of its time. The film chronicles the park’s history from its origin to its position today as one of the most popular summer destinations in the country. Featuring rare newsreels and little seen photographs, the documentary includes accounts from celebrities reflecting upon their childhood memories of the beach, while historians detail the transformation of an isolated island into a “people’s palace” by the sea. Broadcast on public television, the film was nominated for an Emmy Award for Outstanding Historical/Cultural Program. The DVD contains over sixty minutes of Special Features including: extended interviews with historian Robert Caro, author Nelson DeMille, writer Ed Lowe, architect critic Paul Goldberger, actor Daniel Baldwin, and lifeguard Reggie Jones; a 1950s travelogue movie highlighting many New York parks; and a slide show containing digitally enhanced photos of Jones Beach throughout the decades.