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Video: A Brief History Of Empty Times Squares On Film And TV
By
Garth Johnston
Published Nov 26, 2012
Modified Nov 26, 2012
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By
Garth Johnston
Published Nov 26, 2012
Modified Nov 26, 2012
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Way back in 2001 it was a big deal when Vanilla Sky showed what Times Square would look like devoid of any people. Yet last night a network television show did it again and nobody noticed. But that is what happens when you're the other zombie show on Sunday nights, we guess?
In last night's opening minutes of the canceled-but-still-on-the-air 666 Park Avenue, one of the main characters found herself in an eerily empty Times Square populated only by posters for more successful ABC Sunday night dramas... plus a few creepy elderly people. So, here is what an empty Times Square looks like when done for television in 2012 (we even cued it up for you):
Our guess? It was done on a green screen, rather than the half-CGI method used to empty Times Square out in 2007 for I Am Legend:
Because we think we'd certainly have heard about it if they'd emptied Times Square of people for a TV shoot, like they actually did for the film shoot of Vanilla Sky in 2001 (run, Tom, run!):
Though really all they had to do was visit during a major weather event (for instance, before Hurricane Irene)!
Can you think of any other examples of Times Square being emptied out for the arts? And no, that amazing '90s British Airways commercial is set in London, not New York.
Update: How could we forget the end of Sweet Smell of Success (as noted by commenter TK41c!). The fun starts at 5:17:
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