Central Park in popular culture

Central Park is an urban park in Manhattan, New York City. Central Park is the most visited urban park in the United States, with 40 million visitors in 2013, and one of the most filmed locations in the world. A landmark of New York City since 1857, it has been featured in numerous films, TV shows, songs, video games, books, photographs, and artwork.

Painting

* William Merritt Chase painted a portrait of Central Park in 1889.
* Pierre Alechinsky represented the Mall in Central Park in a 1965 acrylic painting.
* Maurice Prendergast represented Central Park in several paintings.

Photography

* Elliott Erwitt took photographs of dogs in Central Park in 1974.
* Bruce Davidson's photobook ''Central Park'' (1995) was a four-year exploration of the park.
*Tod Papageorge chronicled the park over several decades for his photobook ''Passing Through Eden'' (2007).

Literature

* In 1967, the Canadian poet Leonard Cohen sang in public in Central Park in the company of Judy Collins.
* The writer Evan H Rhodes published '' The Prince of Central Park'', a 1975 novel that describes the life of an 11-year-old in the park.
* In the book ''The Catcher in the Rye'', the main character, Holden Caulfield, often wonders what happens to the ducks and fish in Central Park when the ice begins to form in winter. He also spends time in the park in parts of the novel.

Films and TV

Central Park, as a universal symbol of the city, appeared and continues to appear in numerous film productions, as well as in numerous television series. Among its most famous appearances:
* The first film to feature Central Park was '' Romeo and Juliet'', in 1908. Since then there have been at least 305 films which feature Central Park, making it the most filmed location for films. Many Academy Award winning films feature a scene in the park.
* In 1960, early in the Academy Award-winning film ''The Apartment'', Bud is seen sleeping on the park benches after being denied access to the apartment.
* In 1970, the protagonists of the film ''The Out-of-Towners (1970 film), The Out-of-Towners'' sleep in (and get mugged in) Central Park.
* In 1970, the climactic final scene of the romantic comedy ''The Owl and the Pussycat (film), The Owl and the Pussycat'' occurs in Central Park on Cedar Hill.
* In 1970, a character gets repeatedly mugged while running across Central Park at night in the comedy ''Where's Poppa?''.
* In 1976 in film, 1976, the John Schlesinger film ''Marathon Man (film), Marathon Man'' shows the hero training in Central Park.
* In 1979 in film, 1979, Central Park is the place where main characters of ''Hair (film), Hair'' meet for the first time.
* In 1980 in film, 1980, in the Italian horror film ''Inferno (1980 film), Inferno'' one character gets killed at a pond in Central Park.
* In 1984 in film, 1984, the film ''Ghostbusters'' has Rick Moranis in the part of Louis Tully running through Central Park, while being chased by a Terror Dog.
* In 1986 in film, 1986, the film ''The Park Is Mine (1986 film), The Park Is Mine'' features Tommy Lee Jones, in the role of a Vietnam veteran, who takes the park hostage. The film is based on the novel ''Central Park'' by Stephen Peters (writer), Stephen Peters.
* in 1991 the film ''The Fisher King'' has scenes of Central Park.
* In 1992 in film, 1992, the film ''Home Alone 2: Lost in New York'' has some scenes in Central Park.
* In 1993 in film, 1993, in the animated film ''We're Back! A Dinosaur's Story (film), We're Back! A Dinosaur's Story'', the dinosaurs find themselves in Central Park.
* In 1994 in American television, 1994, the miniseries ''The Stand (1994 miniseries), The Stand'' depicts the park as part of an abandoned city in the wake of a world-ending plague.
* In 1994 in film, 1994, in the animated film ''A Troll in Central Park'', the titular troll is banished to Central Park.
* In 1994 in film, 1994, in the TV special "We Wish You a Turtle Christmas," the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles sing a number at Bethesda Terrace and Fountain.
* In 1995 in film, 1995, ''Die Hard with a Vengeance '' by John McTiernan had Bruce Willis driving a taxi through Central Park.
* In 1995 in film, 1995, in the animated film ''Balto (film), Balto'', there are live-action sequences at the beginning and end of an elderly woman and her granddaughter visiting the ''statue of Balto, Balto'' sculpture in Central Park.
* In 1996 in film, 1996, the film ''I'm Not Rappaport'' by Herb Gardner has most of the scenes in Central Park.
* In 1996 in film, 1996, ''James and the Giant Peach (film), James and the Giant Peach'' by Henry Selick, James and his friends insects settle in the Giant Peach in Central Park.
* In 1998 in film, 1998, ''Antz'',The First film from Dreamworks Animation is revealed to take place in Central Park
* In 1999 in film, 1999, ''Stuart Little (film), Stuart Little'', an American family comedy film directed by Rob Minkoff with Geena Davis and Hugh Laurie.
* In 2001 in American television, 2001, ''The Amazing Race 1'' started its competition at Bethesda Terrace and Fountain#Bethesda Fountain, Bethesda Fountain.
* In 2002 in film, 2002, ''Maid in Manhattan'' by Wayne Wang with Jennifer Lopez and Ralph Fiennes.
* In 2002, ''Prince of Central Park'' was released.
* In 2002 in ''The Time Machine (2002 film), The Time Machine'', the hero offers her engagement ring in Central Park.
* In 2003 in film, 2003, in ''Elf (film), Elf'' has many scenes that take place in Central Park.
* In 2005 in film, 2005, 2008 in film, 2008, and 2012 in film, 2012, in the animated film '' Madagascar (2005 film), Madagascar'' and its Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa, two Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted, sequels, the protagonists live in the Central Park Zoo.
* In 2005 in film, 2005, the film ''Little Manhattan'' by Mark Levin has some scenes in Central Park.
* in 2007, in the film ''August Rush'', Evan played by Freddie Highmore performs his last concert in Central Park
* In 2007 in film, 2007, in the animated film '' Bee Movie'' are scenes of Central Park.
* In 2007 in film, 2007, in the film ''Enchanted (film), Enchanted'', the musical number "That's How You Know" takes places in several parts of Central Park.
* In 2008 in film, 2008, in the film ''Cloverfield'', the last part of the film takes place in Central Park, where Rob and Beth take shelter under the List of arches and bridges in Central Park#Arches, Greyshot Arch, just before "Hammer Down Protocol" wipes down the island of Manhattan.
* In 2008 in film, 2008, Central Park is ground zero for the epidemic in ''The Happening (2008 film), The Happening''
*In 2011 in film, 2011, in the thriller film ''Limitless (film), Limitless'' with Bradley Cooper, Robert De Niro and Abbie Cornish, multiple shots show Cornish's character running through Central Park.
* In 2011 in film, 2011, in live-action/animated film ''The Smurfs (film), The Smurfs'' some final conflict scenes between the Smurfs and Gargamel occur in Central Park.
* In 2011 in American television, 2011, in the last episode of ''Glee (TV series), Glee''.
* In 2012 in film, 2012, '' The Avengers (2012 film), The Avengers'', one of the last scenes happens in Central Park.
* In 2012 in British television, 2012, the ''Doctor Who'' Doctor Who (series 7), seventh series episode "The Angels Take Manhattan" features several scenes in Central Park.
* In 2015 in film, 2015, '' Love Live! The School Idol Movie'' features several locations within Central Park.
* In 2016 in film, 2016, '' Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (film), Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them'', Newt Scamander and Jacob Kawolski track one of Newt's animals to the Central Park Zoo, and then chase it through Central Park, trying to recapture it.
* In 2017 in film, 2017,'' John Wick: Chapter 2'', in the last scene John Wick and his dog run through the park.
* In the series ''Sex and the City'', several scenes take place in Central Park.
* In the series ''Gossip Girl'', which takes place in the Upper East Side, multiple scenes take place in Central Park.
* The TV series ''Central Park West (TV series), Central Park West'' was set on Central Park West and several scenes take place in Central Park.
* Various episodes of ''Law & Order'', ''Law & Order: Special Victims Unit'', and ''Law & Order: Criminal Intent'' feature scenes in the park.
*The Disney series ''Jessie (2011 TV series), Jessie'' feature scenes in Central Park.
*In one episode of ''Liv and Maddie'', Liv is attending a Halloween event in Central Park (season 3).
* The animated Apple TV+ series ''Central Park (TV series), Central Park'' mainly takes place in the park.

Music

* Numerous concerts have been hosted in the park, mentioned #Entertainment, above.
* ''Central Park in the Dark'', composed in 1906, is one of the most famous works of American composer Charles Ives.
* The first album by Nina Simone, ''Little Girl Blue (album), Little Girl Blue'', has a song titled ''Central Park Blues''.
* A John Coltrane song is called "Central Park West".
*Steve Hunter released a blues guitar instrumental titled "Sunset in Central Park" on his 2013 CD ''The Manhattan Blues Project''

Videogames

* In the 1988 videogame ''Last Ninja 2'', level 1 is in Central Park.
* In the 1998 videogame ''Parasite Eve (video_game), Parasite Eve'', Central Park is one of the locations in Manhattan that the player must visit.
* In the 2001 videogame ''Spider-Man 2: The Sinister Six'', Central Park is one of the levels.
* In the 2008 videogame ''Alone in the Dark (2008 video game), Alone in the Dark'', most of its action takes place in Central Park.
* In the 2008 videogame ''Grand Theft Auto IV'' and its 2009 sequel ''Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars'', the park appears in Liberty City (Grand Theft Auto), Liberty City as Middle Park.
* In the 2009 ''Ghostbusters: The Video Game'', the last level, which features the mausoleum of Ivo Shandor, takes place in Central Park.
* In the 2016 videogame ''Tom Clancy's The Division'', Central Park is nearby the Dark Zone.
* In the 2018 videogame ''Spider-Man (2018 video game), Marvel’s Spider-Man'', an in-game depiction appears in the same position as its real world counterpart.

References

{{Central Park

Central Park, Popular culture
New York City in popular culture