Coney Island of the Mind

[LemonMerigueTie]

i was born and raised in Ontario and have never even been to New York but i cant help but feel some sort of nostalgic sadness when looking at this. like it brings back memories that i never had in the first place

[rumble3020]

I LIKE THE WAY THIS WAS WORDED N SHOT I NEED TO GET TOUCH WITH THE PEOPLE WHO MADE CONEY ISLAND OF THE MIND CAN U PLZ GET BAK TO ME I HAVE A PROJECT IM WORKIN ON ABOUT CONEY ISLAND I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF THEY CAN HELP ME

[LokeyeMC]

Wow. I did not expect such a penetratingly beautiful video. It stirs up the childhood dreamer inside. What to do with the rest of my day now that THAT just happened...

[8oSwEeTAnGeLBaByo8]

truly spoken from the heart. great job!



[MROSEN62]

Beautiful job ... from a lifelong Brooklynite who also loves Coney, past and present.

[romka4567]

bensonhurst since 1996 coney island is amazing

[Beccalotte1021]

goosebumps everywhere. Thank u.

[DaddyClb]

Thank you BooUrns28 for this beautiful and poignant slice of Americana. This very well may be the most impressive video I've ever seen on YouTube! Born and raised in Lancaster, PA, my parents first took me to Coney Island back in 1958, when I was 7 years old. Steeplechase Park was still operating and Coney was very much alive & vibrant! My memories of that summer are vivid & intact. So sad to know that besides The Cyclone, that's all that remains...sweet memories. Great post! Thanx for sharing.

[Skywitness]

Well done...Salute!!

[hustledancer1]

I was born in the post war years and lived in Brooklyn until 1953. From 1945 to 1950 we spent summers visiting Coney Island.

In 1950 I began a 20 year love affair with Camp Diana-Dalmaqua. Alas my camp closed in 1990. Soon Coney will be gone too! I shed a tear thinking of these losses but they will forever remain in my heart! Thanks for keeping Coney Island Alive !

[kyyack2]

gave me chills. love it! i know the feeling

[bdiefendorf1]

beautiful video and words. One comment, let the film proceed more slowly so the beautiful words and images can sink in. But if you pause it, you can also savor it.

You might enjoy Rick Burns' CONEY ISLAND documentary. But I enjoyed this for its own special meaning and feelings. Thanks!!! I love Coney Island even tho i never say its glory. I just like all the decrepitude. Sorry! I just like it. Also, as a photog, the light is incredible there, slanting in from the horizon.

[shawn0612]

Fantastic.

[WKRPinCINN]

i am no sucker for poets who speak like a bowery boy movie extra, but as a brooklynite, this brought a tear to my eye. people who are not new yorkers cannot understand what summer in brooklyn was like. reis park and coney island beach was like holding the deed to sea side property, disneyland in your backyard. the dream is gone, but its not forgotten; thank you for this video.

[NOTACAB]

was born in coney in 1975 lived there for 17 years it hurts to see it go down but like with everthing in life must go on i miss that coney air to now i live in upstate ny but i always go back home coney will alaways be home no matter where i go i will never forget.

[armicron]

Powerful stuff.

[jerryneyk]

Jesus, I am close to tears, thanks so much for putting into so much beautiful words what we who lived it, who dreamed it, who always love it like one's eternal love forever. Bless you man always! Long live Coney.

[JackKerouac1922]

why they did destroy the amusment park? :(

[Rand0mProductions]

I lived in Coney Island for 13 years...i moved recently and i hate it...i want to go back to coney island so bad. i miss my friends, my house, and the boardwalk and the wonderful Coney air. I cant wait to go back.

[blklthrjkt]

Thanks for the touching glimpse of your personal history.

[zareh77]

coney island is the place. im gonna leave london england to come and live here in coney island brooklyn new york city. peace out yo.

[skot66]

Pisses me off that with soo many people wanting Coney preserved and not changed ..that the CEO's and developers don't care....I'm sad.

[filmmaker123]

this film is sweet!!! never been to coney island but looks cool. great video!

[m27velas]

Wow, I'm speechless. I didnt have a chance to go to Astroland this year before it closed down. But at least I got to enjoy it in my childhood years when my grandmother used to take me on the F train from 169th St. in Queens to the very last stop. Good times.

[Acez616]

Astroland is actually opening up again for the '08 season,FYI.

[mi6QBranch]

Goodbye Astroland, we'll miss you.

[mechwarrior58]

Very well done.

I enjoyed your small film,

it was very interesting.

"PEACE."

[ny2nj66]

Nice work! Was in Coney Island just today, taking much of the same video footage & photos as i see here in ur video, i'll be putting together another one of my little side shows later this month, just wanted to say how much i enjoyed watching yours, Thank you..

:-)

[expressomax]

Loved your video & wonderful poetry! I was there Sunday one last time before they tear it up next year. I was please that they STILL have pink popcorn at Williams Candies, and I forced myself to ride the Cyclone for the 1st time.

[simplydaft]

Beautiful, poignant and direct. Nice work.

[bigfatlazydork]

Your video is wonderful,

[mikethemike232]

I've never been there. So much affection for this place in your film. An 'A plus' production.

[aajad]

Thanks so much. I grew up in Coney and this spoke to me. This is what I would tell people to watch to understand how I feel. Thank you. Joey D from W.29th St and Surf Ave.

[Arlene434]

Hello aajad,

I spent many childhood years in Coney Island (1953-1960). This little video was so nostalgic for me and so well narrated. I'd like to make a video of the actual neighborhood. Do you remember the Shore Theatre, Mark Twain Junior High School, Our Lady of Solace Church and School, Gargiulio's Restaurant? What years were you there? Arlene

[aajad]

Hello Arlene

I lived in the Coney Island Houses from when they opened in 1956 to 1969 when I went off to college. I went to Our Lady of Solace and my Jewish friends went to Seth Low because their parents wouldn't let them go to Mark Twain because it wasn't very safe back then. Went to the Shore, the Tilyou and even remember going to the Surf theatre which became the bowling alley. Wonderful times.  Joe

[Acez616]

Hello all,

I am only 12,and still live in Coney Island,but I am very fascinated with the CI of old -- Steeplchase,Dreamland,the Elephant Hotel,all that stuff.I go to Bay Academy.I managed to find a book with many old pictures,and I must say that It contrasts so much -- this 'new' Coney Island is quite boring,I've been to Astroland a million times,rode the Cyclone countlessly,and eaten many hot dogs at a Keyspan game.

-Z

[4dville]

Damn.....that was sad.

[AntiMale]

Heartbreaking...I was born and raised in Brooklyn and have been going to Coney Island since I was 6 years old.

It's frustrating to me that Brooklyn is becoming gentrified to an extreme. I had heard that developers are thinking about building condos there, which makes me so angry.

Brooklynites, we need to make a stop to all these renovations that aren't even necessary. It has come to a point where the city is catering to the yuppies moving in and destroying historic landmarks.

[empigasser]

I too grew up in Brooklyn and used to go to Coney Island.

Thank you for a glimpse of the good ole days :-)

[schizopolisjen]

That was beautiful.

[DainaHiggins]

Dreamland is dead

[cha5]

I love Coney Island, I'm not a native but whenever I get up to New York during the Summertime,

I always try to get by Coney, I hope and pray we never loose it.

[Rollman1]

Coney was the Disney World of it time

[hummer040]

Coney Island to me will be as sacred as the Statue of liberty the Washington monument and Ground Zero

[hummer040]

To Me Coney Island is as sacred as The Satue of Liberty

the Washington monument and Ground Zero.

[mrstecstash]

Thank you so much. I want you to know that you are not the only one still watching. I haven't been home since 1995 and it breaks my heart also, I feel so helpless knowing that they are about tear it down. I grew up in C.I. in the 1980's and 90's, I lived at 2962 W.31st and went to P.S. 329. I hope you know what this means to people like myself. Thank you.

[rchadha5]

That was amazing. Good work.

[Devilofthering]

Born and raised on Coney. I moved away when I was just about to turn 13. Coney Island seems the same to me. My home. My childhood. I love it whenever I have a chance to get back. Walking on the boardwalk, visiting Astroland, or going to Neptune Avenue just to visit my old home and friends. Those memories will never leave me and I will always cherish them. To this day, I am proud to say that Coney Island is and will always be my home.

[55802]

This brought tears to my eyes.I grew up at 3025 w 32nd street,went to ps 288,left at the age of 10 for calif,my lifes never been the same,Dean left in 64

[kellbugcat040404]

grafiddied and no one remains there but a few if only not us but everyone started a project to restore CONEY ISLAND and return it to your dream land and many others too

[kellbugcat040404]

wow my mother , grandmother grew up in the bronx and tells me all the memories she had there when she was a little girl so that i had a pretty goood picture in my mind but when we were just there recently it really wasent what i thought it would be like and then my mom started to cry i was thinking because she missed it so much but that wasent only the fact it had CHANGED soooo much now there is trash on the ground the rides look torn down the restrunts

[itsed]

i fucking love coney island.

im from 29 29 west 31st.

[johnnydarling]

WOW!

[diavolobella]

Gorgeous. Really beautiful and the narration was so touching.

[beatlebrian]

My God! This reminded me so much of MY childhood growing up in Brooklyn in the late 1950's and 1960's..I vividly recall Steeplechase Park, the attractions along Coney's Bowery and the packed beaches with the men in white with their white brad-rimmed white hats selling Sundew orange drink, hot knishes and frozen malted on a stick! Al I have to do is close my eyes abd those memories, smells and sounds come right back to me! I just wirh kids of today could have experienced that!

[s0751]

Damn! I forgot all about those Sundew guys until now! And those fabulas knishes! "Shatkins Knishes" I believe. Look you made me cry again.

[beegirl6970]

This made me so homesick :(

[erikzero]

I feel that way too.

I now live in NJ now. I am not very far but miss living in brooklyn so much.

I went to william E gray H.S. only a 10 min walk to CI.

[Brooknamsfinest]

coney island will always hold a special place in my heart, i usually make the short 30 minute train ride a few times a year. they've changed it for the good, but i'll miss the good ole days :*)

[Brooknamsfinest]

pretty sad to see the burned down roller coaster not standing there anymore, that thing was so old it had vines growing on it and it hasn't been used in more than 40 years, shocked to see them tear it down, to me that burned wooden ride was so cool even tho it just stood there. that land is vacant now, just leave it like that

[Brooknamsfinest]

oh man,i usually take the F train to west 8th, i love that walk over that bridge that connects the subway to the broadwalk. i was just at coney just last week and i always embrace it when i go there. i hear you on those skeletons, those things are part of the expierence there, i hope they don't tear them down, just let them stand there.

[poorwhitetrash]

Wonderful trip down memory lane Al, I remember Steeplechase as a kid with my grandma, I remember taking the D train into Stillwell ave. station and eating fresh clams at Nathans...

[LilaVelvet]

Brilliant, loved it. Bittersweet. I can understand the longing. I'm from New York too and wish I could have seen Coney Island in the old days....I have a fascination for it since just about forever.

Care to make another one? :-)

[KALTOR]

THANKS! AL

[KRONlC13]

great video, im suprised you didnt mention the bar at coney island, ruby's. Nice video looking back at the good old days, kind of sad