Terminal Bar (2002) is a short documentary by Stefan Nadelman, focusing on the history of the bar and its location. It represents New York and its culture despite only focusing on 8th Avenue. The film is comprised of photographs taken by Sheldon Nadelman, between 1972 to 1982, who comments on the photos briefly throughout. The film has a strong emphasis on time passing as the customers age. This is further implied by Sheldon reflecting retrospectively on people and their stories as he talks in the past tense. There’s a direct comparison between old and new when Sheldon revisits where the bar was at the end.
The images create the narrative through the customers’ identities. It focuses on the ‘rough’ customers, locals and area. The bars identity is therefore based on the customers. The images are in twos/threes. Transitions are used by changing the proximity of images to one another, implying relationships growing closer/distancing when discussing acquaintances. Zooming in/out adds motion so it flows easily for the audience. When the image moves across the screen and is zoomed in on, it feels similar to a cameras point of view shot as the viewpoint of what you see changes rather than the still image.
Sound is key from the start with hectic New York life being heard. Without images, the sound would clearly portray New York. As the soundtracks play throughout, images interact in time with the beat. The music would’ve been chosen before editing to match the pace. The narration is taken from newspaper articles, creating an accurate representation from factual reports, supported by the photographs. The quotes from locals/customers also create a personal tone.
References:
- Terminal Bar (2002) Film. Directed by Stefan Nadelman. USA: Tourist Pictures. Available from: http://www.touristpictures.com/terminal_bar/ [Accessed: 9 October 2017]