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Editor's picks

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  Atlantic City

  DVD (Paramount)
  

  Rating (41 reviews):

  (4.6/5)

  

  A gem

  Europeans have always delighted in introducing America to itself. (I am thinking of de Tocqueville and Nabokov.) There is something very valuable about seeing ourselves through the eyes of others. In Atlantic City, assumptions about the American way of life, the American dream and the America reality, circa 1978, are examined through the artistry of master French film director, Louis Malle (Murmur of the Heart (1971), Pretty Baby (1978), Au Revoir Les Enfants (1987), etc.)The film begins with a shot of Sallie Matthews (Susan Sarandon at 34) at the kitchen sink of her apartment squeezing lemons and rubbing them on her arms, her neck, her face as Lou Pasco (Burt Lancaster at 68) watches unbeknownst to her from across the way, the window of his apartment looking into hers. She works at a clam bar in a casino on the boardwalk, which is why she smells like fish, which is why she is squeezing lemon on herself to get rid of the smell. She is taking classes to be a blackjack dealer... 5/5 Dennis Littrell (SoCal) - See all my reviews, September 12, 2002

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  Portrait of an Old Lion and a Tired City

  For whatever reasons, this film never has received the recognition and appreciation I think it deserves. It was directed by Louis Malle and stars Burt Lancaster as Lou. (In Atlantic City, first names are all you need to know about those around you.) Malle carefully develops three different story lines: Lou's long-term affair with Grace (Kate Reid), a mobster's widow; Lou's relationship with Sally (Susan Sarandon) to whom he feels both a paternal and romantic attraction; and his symbiotic relationship with Atlantic City. Both he and the city seem long past their prime. During the course of the film, Sally also becomes a widow. Credit Malle and his excellent cast as well as cinematographer Richard Ciupka for creating and then sustaining an atmosphere of deterioration and menace. Special note should also be made of John Guare's screenplay. He, Malle, Lancaster, Sarandon, and the film were all nominated for an Academy Award. (FYI, The respective winners in 1980 were Bo Goldman for Melvin... 5/5 Robert Morris (Dallas, Texas) - See all my reviews, March 9, 2004

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  City of dreams.

  A thorough pleasure. First and foremost, *Atlantic City* is about Burt Lancaster -- a more congenial subject than most, to be sure. The movie caters to sentimental feelings toward the actor and by extension his era, and there's nothing wrong with that. Lancaster's Lou tells a new acquaintance, a scuzzy young drug-dealer, all about the Good Old Days, back when they danced the "Floogie" and the "Floy Floy". Dreamily, he says, "Atlantic City was something in those days", and adds a sublime codicil: "The Atlantic OCEAN was something in those days." But playwright John Guare makes a point of infusing Lou with a dose of cynicism that acts as a healthy balance against his Old-Man sentimental nostalgia. He gripes about the "new" Atlantic City, with its Howard Johnson casinos and gentrified new boardwalk. "Too wholesome," he says with disdain. The old, seedy Atlantic City was a better match for old, seedy Lou, who is currently a penny-ante numbers runner, operating in the poor... 5/5 0, July 29, 2002

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  List Price: $14.98
  

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  Atlantic City

  Digital Music Track (Pyramid Media)
  

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• 

  Atlantic City

  Movie
  

  Rating (41 reviews):

  (4.6/5)

  

  A gem

  Europeans have always delighted in introducing America to itself. (I am thinking of de Tocqueville and Nabokov.) There is something very valuable about seeing ourselves through the eyes of others. In Atlantic City, assumptions about the American way of life, the American dream and the America reality, circa 1978, are examined through the artistry of master French film director, Louis Malle (Murmur of the Heart (1971), Pretty Baby (1978), Au Revoir Les Enfants (1987), etc.)The film begins with a shot of Sallie Matthews (Susan Sarandon at 34) at the kitchen sink of her apartment squeezing lemons and rubbing them on her arms, her neck, her face as Lou Pasco (Burt Lancaster at 68) watches unbeknownst to her from across the way, the window of his apartment looking into hers. She works at a clam bar in a casino on the boardwalk, which is why she smells like fish, which is why she is squeezing lemon on herself to get rid of the smell. She is taking classes to be a blackjack dealer... 5/5 Dennis Littrell (SoCal) - See all my reviews, September 12, 2002

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  Portrait of an Old Lion and a Tired City

  For whatever reasons, this film never has received the recognition and appreciation I think it deserves. It was directed by Louis Malle and stars Burt Lancaster as Lou. (In Atlantic City, first names are all you need to know about those around you.) Malle carefully develops three different story lines: Lou's long-term affair with Grace (Kate Reid), a mobster's widow; Lou's relationship with Sally (Susan Sarandon) to whom he feels both a paternal and romantic attraction; and his symbiotic relationship with Atlantic City. Both he and the city seem long past their prime. During the course of the film, Sally also becomes a widow. Credit Malle and his excellent cast as well as cinematographer Richard Ciupka for creating and then sustaining an atmosphere of deterioration and menace. Special note should also be made of John Guare's screenplay. He, Malle, Lancaster, Sarandon, and the film were all nominated for an Academy Award. (FYI, The respective winners in 1980 were Bo Goldman for Melvin... 5/5 Robert Morris (Dallas, Texas) - See all my reviews, March 9, 2004

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  City of dreams.

  A thorough pleasure. First and foremost, *Atlantic City* is about Burt Lancaster -- a more congenial subject than most, to be sure. The movie caters to sentimental feelings toward the actor and by extension his era, and there's nothing wrong with that. Lancaster's Lou tells a new acquaintance, a scuzzy young drug-dealer, all about the Good Old Days, back when they danced the "Floogie" and the "Floy Floy". Dreamily, he says, "Atlantic City was something in those days", and adds a sublime codicil: "The Atlantic OCEAN was something in those days." But playwright John Guare makes a point of infusing Lou with a dose of cynicism that acts as a healthy balance against his Old-Man sentimental nostalgia. He gripes about the "new" Atlantic City, with its Howard Johnson casinos and gentrified new boardwalk. "Too wholesome," he says with disdain. The old, seedy Atlantic City was a better match for old, seedy Lou, who is currently a penny-ante numbers runner, operating in the poor... 5/5 0, July 29, 2002

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  Atlantic City Then and Now (Then & Now Thunder Bay)

  Book (Thunder Bay Press)
  

  Rating (6 reviews):

  (4.7/5)

  

  Atlantic City - great book

  I bought this in a book store & wanted to send one to a friend. It has photos of things I saw in Atlantic City many years ago, and others that were before my time. It is nostalgic for some of us. They did a nice job on this book by showing the "then and now" of some buildings/areas. 5/5 LibLady (NJ United States) - See all my reviews Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?) This review is from: Atlantic City Then and Now (Then & Now Thunder Bay) (Hardcover) I bought this in a book store & wanted to send one to a friend. It has photos of things I saw in Atlantic City many years ago, and others that were before my time. It is nostalgic for some of us. They did a nice job on this book by showing the "then and now" of some buildings/areas. Help other customers find the most helpful reviews  Was this review helpful to you? , February 28, 2009

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  Memories of the Old Days

  This book was bought for my mom for Christmas who used to spend vacations in AC every year (prior to the gambling era). The book brought back fond memories for her and was definately worth the money. 4/5 Baltimore sports fan "Kate" (Land of Pleasant Living, MD) - See all my reviews Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?) This review is from: Atlantic City Then and Now (Then & Now Thunder Bay) (Hardcover) This book was bought for my mom for Christmas who used to spend vacations in AC every year (prior to the gambling era). The book brought back fond memories for her and was definately worth the money. Help other customers find the most helpful reviews  Was this review helpful to you? , December 30, 2009

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  Atlantic City Then and Now

  Very impressed with the HBO team for set and costume design. Pictures are fabulous. My husband enjoyed this group of books I purchased as a Christmas gift. We are both looking forward to other, related, books of this era.As far as Amazon, itself, I would rate the service and ease of shopping an easy 5 stars! 4/5 Debi - See all my reviews Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?) This review is from: Atlantic City Then and Now (Then & Now Thunder Bay) (Hardcover) Very impressed with the HBO team for set and costume design. Pictures are fabulous. My husband enjoyed this group of books I purchased as a Christmas gift. We are both looking forward to other, related, books of this era.As far as Amazon, itself, I would rate the service and ease of shopping an easy 5 stars! Help other customers find the most helpful reviews  Was this review helpful to you? , January 9, 2011

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  List Price: $19.95
  

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  Atlantic City

  Digital Music Track (Columbia)
  

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• 

  Atlantic City

  Movie
  

  Rating (41 reviews):

  (4.6/5)

  

  A gem

  Europeans have always delighted in introducing America to itself. (I am thinking of de Tocqueville and Nabokov.) There is something very valuable about seeing ourselves through the eyes of others. In Atlantic City, assumptions about the American way of life, the American dream and the America reality, circa 1978, are examined through the artistry of master French film director, Louis Malle (Murmur of the Heart (1971), Pretty Baby (1978), Au Revoir Les Enfants (1987), etc.)The film begins with a shot of Sallie Matthews (Susan Sarandon at 34) at the kitchen sink of her apartment squeezing lemons and rubbing them on her arms, her neck, her face as Lou Pasco (Burt Lancaster at 68) watches unbeknownst to her from across the way, the window of his apartment looking into hers. She works at a clam bar in a casino on the boardwalk, which is why she smells like fish, which is why she is squeezing lemon on herself to get rid of the smell. She is taking classes to be a blackjack dealer... 5/5 Dennis Littrell (SoCal) - See all my reviews, September 12, 2002

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  Portrait of an Old Lion and a Tired City

  For whatever reasons, this film never has received the recognition and appreciation I think it deserves. It was directed by Louis Malle and stars Burt Lancaster as Lou. (In Atlantic City, first names are all you need to know about those around you.) Malle carefully develops three different story lines: Lou's long-term affair with Grace (Kate Reid), a mobster's widow; Lou's relationship with Sally (Susan Sarandon) to whom he feels both a paternal and romantic attraction; and his symbiotic relationship with Atlantic City. Both he and the city seem long past their prime. During the course of the film, Sally also becomes a widow. Credit Malle and his excellent cast as well as cinematographer Richard Ciupka for creating and then sustaining an atmosphere of deterioration and menace. Special note should also be made of John Guare's screenplay. He, Malle, Lancaster, Sarandon, and the film were all nominated for an Academy Award. (FYI, The respective winners in 1980 were Bo Goldman for Melvin... 5/5 Robert Morris (Dallas, Texas) - See all my reviews, March 9, 2004

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  City of dreams.

  A thorough pleasure. First and foremost, *Atlantic City* is about Burt Lancaster -- a more congenial subject than most, to be sure. The movie caters to sentimental feelings toward the actor and by extension his era, and there's nothing wrong with that. Lancaster's Lou tells a new acquaintance, a scuzzy young drug-dealer, all about the Good Old Days, back when they danced the "Floogie" and the "Floy Floy". Dreamily, he says, "Atlantic City was something in those days", and adds a sublime codicil: "The Atlantic OCEAN was something in those days." But playwright John Guare makes a point of infusing Lou with a dose of cynicism that acts as a healthy balance against his Old-Man sentimental nostalgia. He gripes about the "new" Atlantic City, with its Howard Johnson casinos and gentrified new boardwalk. "Too wholesome," he says with disdain. The old, seedy Atlantic City was a better match for old, seedy Lou, who is currently a penny-ante numbers runner, operating in the poor... 5/5 0, July 29, 2002

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  Boardwalk of Dreams: Atlantic City and the Fate of Urban America

  Book (Oxford University Press, USA)
  

  Rating (7 reviews):

  (4.7/5)

  

  Review from the New Orleans Times-Picayune

  No one can deny that casinos have brought money and crowds back toAtlantic City. Since the first casino opened in 1978, gamblingcorporations have invested six billion dollars in the old resort townand, during the 1990s, more tourists visited Atlantic City than anyother place in the United States including Las Vegas and Disneyworld.Each year, the city entertains twice the population of metropolitan NewYork and those visitors "wager almost enough money to fund the nation'sspace program." During the past quarter century, the casinos havegenerated eighty percent of the city's total property taxes, five and ahalf billion tax dollars for the state, and created over 42,000 newjobs.Despite these impressive numbers, in "Boardwalk of Dreams" Bryant Simonconcludes that "the gaming industry has not saved Atlantic City."Instead, he finds that... 5/5 reviewer (new orleans, la USA) - See all my reviews This review is from: Boardwalk of Dreams: Atlantic City and the Fate of Urban America (Hardcover) No one can deny that casinos have brought money and crowds back toAtlantic City. Since the first casino opened in 1978, gamblingcorporations have invested six billion dollars in the old resort townand, during the 1990s, more tourists visited Atlantic City than anyother place in the United States including Las Vegas and Disneyworld.Each year, the city entertains twice the population of metropolitan NewYork and those visitors "wager almost enough money to fund the nation'sspace program." During the past quarter century, the casinos havegenerated eighty percent of the city's total property taxes, five and ahalf billion tax dollars for the state, and created over 42,000 newjobs.Despite these impressive numbers, in "Boardwalk of Dreams" Bryant Simonconcludes that "the gaming industry has not saved Atlantic City."Instead, he finds that... Read more Help other customers find the most helpful reviews  Was this review helpful to you? , October 11, 2004

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  Stranger (and better) than fiction.

  If you're searching for gripping non-fiction, look no further. "Boardwalk of Dreams" is almost as mesmerizing as a Caesars Palace slot machine.History Professor Bryant Simon superbly links the fate of Atlantic City to what happened in other urban areas -- blight and flight that culminated in the 1960s. The recurring theme of exclusion in what are assumed to be "public" places is illuminating. Simon unveils a cross-section of pettiness, greed, and corruption close to the heart of the American dream that is sobering.The author, a New Jersey native, leaves no stone unturned in bulldozing the myth of casino gambling as "magic bullet." The casinos didn't ruin Atlantic City but neither did they revive the city (which was, as Simon shows, predictable since casinos offer exclusion and isolation to relax their customers and keep them coming back).Depressed areas and struggling industries should read and heed Simon. Horse-racing track operators currently have stars in their... 5/5 Yaakov (James) Mosher (Connecticut, USA) - See all my reviews This review is from: Boardwalk of Dreams: Atlantic City and the Fate of Urban America (Paperback) If you're searching for gripping non-fiction, look no further. "Boardwalk of Dreams" is almost as mesmerizing as a Caesars Palace slot machine.History Professor Bryant Simon superbly links the fate of Atlantic City to what happened in other urban areas -- blight and flight that culminated in the 1960s. The recurring theme of exclusion in what are assumed to be "public" places is illuminating. Simon unveils a cross-section of pettiness, greed, and corruption close to the heart of the American dream that is sobering.The author, a New Jersey native, leaves no stone unturned in bulldozing the myth of casino gambling as "magic bullet." The casinos didn't ruin Atlantic City but neither did they revive the city (which was, as Simon shows, predictable since casinos offer exclusion and isolation to relax their customers and keep them coming back).Depressed areas and struggling industries should read and heed Simon. Horse-racing track operators currently have stars in their... Read more Help other customers find the most helpful reviews  Was this review helpful to you? , August 27, 2007

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  Sad tale of an American city

  Spaces became less public, as in the Atlantic City Boardwalk, and more private, as in TV watching in the suburban home, and later, in gambling casinos . Atlantic City flourished on seeing others and being seen in public in one's best clothes, as people did once they became middle class. As society became more consumer oriented, people became less public oriented. When Atlantic City hotels and attractions began to decay from lack of upkeep, more and more, people stayed away, sometimes traveling to the new Disneyland in California on the newly affordable airlines. The role of Jim Crow segregation is mentioned as being a significant part of what made Atlantic City. It allowed Caucasian people to see African Americans in the subservient role of cart pushers, for example. There are accounts from residents about what they consider the good old days. The Boardwalk of Dreams was substituted for Casinos of Dreams. It seems as if the city has not been able to flourish on that new dream as it... 4/5 S. Sourelis (Chicago, IL) - See all my reviews, April 19, 2010

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  List Price: $19.95
  

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  Atlantic City

  Digital Music Track (Columbia)
  

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• 

  Atlantic City [VHS]

  Video (Paramount)
  

  Rating (41 reviews):

  (4.6/5)

  

  A gem

  Europeans have always delighted in introducing America to itself. (I am thinking of de Tocqueville and Nabokov.) There is something very valuable about seeing ourselves through the eyes of others. In Atlantic City, assumptions about the American way of life, the American dream and the America reality, circa 1978, are examined through the artistry of master French film director, Louis Malle (Murmur of the Heart (1971), Pretty Baby (1978), Au Revoir Les Enfants (1987), etc.)The film begins with a shot of Sallie Matthews (Susan Sarandon at 34) at the kitchen sink of her apartment squeezing lemons and rubbing them on her arms, her neck, her face as Lou Pasco (Burt Lancaster at 68) watches unbeknownst to her from across the way, the window of his apartment looking into hers. She works at a clam bar in a casino on the boardwalk, which is why she smells like fish, which is why she is squeezing lemon on herself to get rid of the smell. She is taking classes to be a blackjack dealer... 5/5 Dennis Littrell (SoCal) - See all my reviews, September 12, 2002

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  Portrait of an Old Lion and a Tired City

  For whatever reasons, this film never has received the recognition and appreciation I think it deserves. It was directed by Louis Malle and stars Burt Lancaster as Lou. (In Atlantic City, first names are all you need to know about those around you.) Malle carefully develops three different story lines: Lou's long-term affair with Grace (Kate Reid), a mobster's widow; Lou's relationship with Sally (Susan Sarandon) to whom he feels both a paternal and romantic attraction; and his symbiotic relationship with Atlantic City. Both he and the city seem long past their prime. During the course of the film, Sally also becomes a widow. Credit Malle and his excellent cast as well as cinematographer Richard Ciupka for creating and then sustaining an atmosphere of deterioration and menace. Special note should also be made of John Guare's screenplay. He, Malle, Lancaster, Sarandon, and the film were all nominated for an Academy Award. (FYI, The respective winners in 1980 were Bo Goldman for Melvin... 5/5 Robert Morris (Dallas, Texas) - See all my reviews, March 9, 2004

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  City of dreams.

  A thorough pleasure. First and foremost, *Atlantic City* is about Burt Lancaster -- a more congenial subject than most, to be sure. The movie caters to sentimental feelings toward the actor and by extension his era, and there's nothing wrong with that. Lancaster's Lou tells a new acquaintance, a scuzzy young drug-dealer, all about the Good Old Days, back when they danced the "Floogie" and the "Floy Floy". Dreamily, he says, "Atlantic City was something in those days", and adds a sublime codicil: "The Atlantic OCEAN was something in those days." But playwright John Guare makes a point of infusing Lou with a dose of cynicism that acts as a healthy balance against his Old-Man sentimental nostalgia. He gripes about the "new" Atlantic City, with its Howard Johnson casinos and gentrified new boardwalk. "Too wholesome," he says with disdain. The old, seedy Atlantic City was a better match for old, seedy Lou, who is currently a penny-ante numbers runner, operating in the poor... 5/5 0, July 29, 2002

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  List Price: $14.95
  

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  Boardwalk Empire: The Birth, High Times, and Corruption of Atlantic City

  Book (Plexus Publishing)
  

  Rating (45 reviews):

  (4.2/5)

  

  A Valuable History

  When HBO wanted to develop a crime series with the unenviable task of following "The Sopranos," they turned to Martin Scorsese to produce it. The great director chose to base the show on a history book by Nelson Johnson, BOARDWALK EMPIRE, first published in 2002 and now re-released in paperback. The cable drama, starring Steve Buscemi, is shooting this fall in New York and will air next year, with Scorsese directing the pilot.When people hear the name "Atlantic City," they most likely think of gambling and casinos. But probably not many know that it was the birthplace of the American Mafia. On the Boardwalk today is a picture of a smiling Big Al Capone in a snazzy one-piece bathing suit on one of its historical markers. Few cities can boast of that. In just 30 years of the 19th century, Atlantic City went from being a 10-mile strip of sand dunes to a city based entirely upon two things: tourism and vice.Nelson Johnson, a New Jersey politician and judge, decided... 5/5 Bookreporter (New York, New York) - See all my reviews This review is from: Boardwalk Empire: The Birth, High Times, and Corruption of Atlantic City (Paperback) When HBO wanted to develop a crime series with the unenviable task of following "The Sopranos," they turned to Martin Scorsese to produce it. The great director chose to base the show on a history book by Nelson Johnson, BOARDWALK EMPIRE, first published in 2002 and now re-released in paperback. The cable drama, starring Steve Buscemi, is shooting this fall in New York and will air next year, with Scorsese directing the pilot.When people hear the name "Atlantic City," they most likely think of gambling and casinos. But probably not many know that it was the birthplace of the American Mafia. On the Boardwalk today is a picture of a smiling Big Al Capone in a snazzy one-piece bathing suit on one of its historical markers. Few cities can boast of that. In just 30 years of the 19th century, Atlantic City went from being a 10-mile strip of sand dunes to a city based entirely upon two things: tourism and vice.Nelson Johnson, a New Jersey politician and judge, decided... Read more Help other customers find the most helpful reviews  Was this review helpful to you? , September 28, 2009

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  Killer Read!

  Extremely solid research---the author says it took twenty years, and that is apparent. Johnson tells it all---from salacious anecdote (what the Reading Public demands!) to scholarly relating of broader historical movements to Atlantic City's unique and amazing (some might say "weird") story. So well written, it reads like a novel. From "The Commodore" to "The Donald", Johnson particularly excells at character description. Absolutely brilliant---Highest Recommendation. 5/5 James I. Manion (Shepherdstown, WV United States) - See all my reviews This review is from: Boardwalk Empire: The Birth, High Times, and Corruption of Atlantic City (Paperback) Extremely solid research---the author says it took twenty years, and that is apparent. Johnson tells it all---from salacious anecdote (what the Reading Public demands!) to scholarly relating of broader historical movements to Atlantic City's unique and amazing (some might say "weird") story. So well written, it reads like a novel. From "The Commodore" to "The Donald", Johnson particularly excells at character description. Absolutely brilliant---Highest Recommendation. Help other customers find the most helpful reviews  Was this review helpful to you? , September 30, 2002

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  NO GAMBLE

  I have been interested in this most amazing city for about 30 years now. I thought that I had nothing else to learn about the city until I read Boardwalk Empire. Thank you Mr. Johnson for bringing a lot of new information to light in a most enjoyable fashion. Once started, it was hard to put this excellent book to rest. I highly recommend this book to anyone remotely interested in urban America. This book is a sure thing. 5/5 Robert Wallis (Vancouver, WA USA) - See all my reviews This review is from: Boardwalk Empire: The Birth, High Times, and Corruption of Atlantic City (Paperback) I have been interested in this most amazing city for about 30 years now. I thought that I had nothing else to learn about the city until I read Boardwalk Empire. Thank you Mr. Johnson for bringing a lot of new information to light in a most enjoyable fashion. Once started, it was hard to put this excellent book to rest. I highly recommend this book to anyone remotely interested in urban America. This book is a sure thing. Help other customers find the most helpful reviews  Was this review helpful to you? , January 15, 2003

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  List Price: $16.95
  

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