U.S. autos, 1979

Late last night, Comcast digital channel 168 (Retroplex) was showing Woody Allen's "Manhattan", filmed in 1979.

If you can get past the creepiness of one of the sub plots (Woody Allen's on screen alter ego is having an affair with a 17 year old high school senior, while, in real life, Woody Allen was later caught carrying on with his live in girlfriend's daughter), check out the street scenes.

Filmed on location in New York City, using the streetscape as background, the movie is a documentary portrait of the streets of Manhattan in 1979.

Notice the cars. Other than one Porsche (the only set up car in the film, the Porsche is purchased by his on screen jerky best friend as evidence of mid life crisis), every single car parked on or driving down the streets of Manhattan is American made. Every single one.

Think about it. Twenty nine years ago, if you randomly filmed the streets of Manhattan, you didn't film one foreign car.

P.S. - Something else really creepy about the movie? The late Bella Abzug has a cameo at a black tie fundraiser for the Equal Rights Amendment (where the Woody Allen character connects with his jerky best friend's mistress, played by Diane Keaton). Think about it - - the film celebrates both the sexual exploitation of underage girls by old men and feminism. And, it won awards.