Sunday, March 3, 2024

'Mall City' – A 1983 Documentary is Time Capsule of a More Innocent Time

 



Mall City is a 1983 documentary filmed by students from NYU. They attempted to cover the mall culture of the time, which was no doubt at the height of its glory. Besides capturing the honest reactions of visitors to the mall – from teenage denizens to senior citizens just hanging out – the NYU crew unwittingly caught lightning in a bottle, giving us a time capsule of what life was like 40 years ago.

The film shows us a more innocent age. Yes, kids are talking about meeting other boys and girls and even some of them about doing drugs, Everyone seems to be smoking inside the mall, which will be shocker for many people today. But there is also the sense of wonder and accessibility to free thought without any filters. In the days before cable news and the internet, there seems to be an honest look at how people thought and felt about life. 

I hope you enjoy this look into how people lived and shopped and had fun in 1983. 

No comments: