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Post by BunnyWhit on Nov 2, 2022 16:25:26 GMT
Lisa Hurwitz's documentary, The Automat (2021), is a love letter to the gone-but-not-forgotten culinary and social experiment that was the automat. The Horn and Hardart company began these automatic/self-serve eateries in Philadelphia then expanded to New York and points beyond, but it was New York City that so lovingly embraced the automat. This documentary looks at the beginnings of the Horn and Hardart company, its expansion, and its eventual demise. Interviewees include Mel Brooks, Carl Reiner, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and Colin Powell. Hurwitz blends interesting, informative material with a heaping helping of emotion. It is a look at a better America.
The Automat is currently available to view on HBOMax.
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Post by Fading Fast on Nov 2, 2022 17:21:16 GMT
Great comments, thank you.
TCM is also showing it on 11/22 at 8pm - I'm very excited to see it.
When I first moved to NYC, just out of college, in the 1980s, there was one - the last one in NYC - in my neighborhood. Being a fan of old movies, I was a regular even though the place was rundown and kinda seedy. I just loved the connect to the old movie world I enjoyed escaping to since I was a kid in the 1970s.
There's a book "The Automat" by Hardart (granddaughter of the founder of Horn and Hardart) and Diehl that was published in 2002 that's a fun and informative read.
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Post by BunnyWhit on Nov 2, 2022 19:54:12 GMT
Hardart and Diehl appear in this documentary. There is also an "automat historian" in it, but I've forgotten his name. They all speak very lovingly, passionately, and nostalgically about the topic. I enjoyed the program so much that I know I'll watch it again.
Yes, by the 70's the automat was no longer what it once was. I must confess that I found myself tearing up a bit to see such beautiful buildings fall into disrepair, and to know that the entire concept of providing a wholesome meal at an inexpensive price was no longer to be.
I grew up in the mid-West, so I never witnessed the splendor of a Horn and Hardart, but I did get to enjoy the magic that was the automat on a smaller and less impressive scale. Still, it seemed pretty darned grand to me.
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Post by topbilled on Nov 2, 2022 22:56:13 GMT
Seems like a cool documentary. The automat is an interesting concept and it's fun to see scenes in classic films that take place in automats.
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Post by BingFan on Nov 3, 2022 21:31:11 GMT
I’ve always found Automats and diners fascinating, in part because I’ve seen them both in movies many times but have rarely (actual old-time diners) or never (Automats) been able to eat in one. They’re usually portrayed in movies as a place to get a hearty but inexpensive meal, a combination that I value. (Granted, the diners are sometimes shown to be greasy spoons.)
The Automat documentary that’s coming up on TCM on November 22 has gotten very good reviews, so I’m looking forward to seeing it.
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Post by sagebrush on Nov 9, 2022 0:10:04 GMT
I'm really looking forward to this documentary. My mother grew up in New York, and she would tell us stories about the Automats and how people who frequented them began to talk to each other as if they were friends; something that doesn't happen easily in busy New York. I'm always fascinated when I see them in films!
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Post by LiamCasey on Nov 13, 2022 3:12:16 GMT
BunnyWhit: Thanks for putting this one on my radar. Caught it tonight on HBO Max as I wasn't in a Svengoolie mood. Being from Chicago, my knowledge of automats was limited to what little was shown of them in the movies. But I love history. So I learned a lot and very much enjoyed this in depth dive into them.
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Post by BunnyWhit on Nov 13, 2022 15:08:54 GMT
BunnyWhit : Thanks for putting this one on my radar. Caught it tonight on HBO Max as I wasn't in a Svengoolie mood. Being from Chicago, my knowledge of automats was limited to what little was shown of them in the movies. But I love history. So I learned a lot and very much enjoyed this in depth dive into them. I'm glad you enjoyed it, LiamCasey! I was very impressed with how well Hurwitz blended the history with the emotional; this film truly is a love letter. There are so few places in life that honestly offer something for everyone, but the automat was just such a place. It was a delight for the eyes and feeling of wonder for kids; a place where no language skills were needed; a place for the poor to get a good, affordable meal; a centralized meeting place for the upper class to gather before or after other outings in the city. Having created such beautiful places, it's a wonder the names Horn and Hardart aren't on the lips of every American. |
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Post by galacticgirrrl on Dec 5, 2022 19:34:23 GMT
Lisa Hurwitz's documentary, The Automat (2021), is a love letter to the gone-but-not-forgotten culinary and social experiment that was the automat. Thank you! Really looking forward to seeing this once my DVD arrives. I know already this will be one I want to watch many times. |
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Post by Fading Fast on Dec 9, 2022 9:24:56 GMT
I watched my recorded-from-TCM copy last night and loved it. The archival footage is fantastic and the interviews are engaging, both those with the average guy/gal on the street and the ones with the several well-known public figures.
I had mentioned earlier in the thread that when I was a kid just out of college, I lived near and went to the last Automat in New York City, it was pretty rundown by then. It was neat to see that same Automat highlighted several times in the documentary.
The documentary even reminded me that, when that last Automat closed in '91, it got a bit of press coverage, so it was fun to see, in the documentary, the clips of the local TV and newspaper reporting of that event.
Thank you BunnyWhit for pointed out this very enjoyable if a bit sad documentary.
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