SUBWAYStories: Tales from the Underground (1997)

The actual experiences of New York City subway riders are dramatized in a collection of 10 intriguing and very different vignettes. The tales showcase an ensemble of familiar faces, and ... See full summary »

Directors:

Bob Balaban, Patricia Benoit

Writers:

Adam Brooks (segment), John Guare (segment)

Stars:

Bill Irwin, KRS-One, Tina North

2 wins.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Bill Irwin	...	Bill Irwin (segment "Subway Car from Hell")
KRS-One	...	Vendor (segment "Subway Car from Hell") (as Kris Parker 'KRS-One')
Tina North	...	Grandmother (segment "Subway Car from Hell")
Paul Lazar	...	Mr. Nervous (segment "Subway Car from Hell")
Andre B. Blake	...	Knish Buyer (segment "Subway Car from Hell")
Anthony S. Calypso	...	Knish Buyer (segment "Subway Car from Hell")
Robert W. Castle	...	Knish Buyer (segment "Subway Car from Hell")
Marlon Cherry	...	Musician (segment "Subway Car from Hell")
Carl J. Ferrazza	...	Hot Dog Buyer (segment "Subway Car from Hell")
Daniel Freedman	...	Strange Man (segment "Subway Car from Hell")
Marc Mueller	...	Musician (segment "Subway Car from Hell")
Paul Mueller	...	Musician (segment "Subway Car from Hell")
Simon Seven	...	Musician (segment "Subway Car from Hell")
Joe Toutebon	...	Knish Buyer (segment "Subway Car from Hell") (as Joseph Toutebon)
Daniel Wolff	...	Knish Buyer (segment "Subway Car from Hell")

Storyline

The actual experiences of New York City subway riders are dramatized in a collection of 10 intriguing and very different vignettes. The tales showcase an ensemble of familiar faces, and range from stories of compassion and love to reflections on violence and loss. Among them: a disabled beggar quarrels with a woman and ruins her shoes with his wheelchair, provoking onlookers to wrath and pity; a skittish tourist proves to be her own worst enemy; a newlywed trysts with a mysterious sexpot; a commuter helplessly witnesses a suicide attempt; and, in the most affecting segment, a young woman grieves over her mother's imminent death.

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Plot Keywords:

subway | short story | train passenger | public transport | new york subway | 

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Taglines:

Every ride is as unpredictable as the city itself.

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Genres:

Drama

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Certificate:

TV-MA

Did You Know?

Trivia

Spike Lee directed a segment titled "Niggericans" but it did not make the final cut.

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Goofs

Tucker gets off at the 7th avenue stop, noted by the signs on the brick pole, but at the top, the sign hanging from the ceiling is revealing the actual true stop, which looked to be Church Avenue.

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Quotes

Old Man (segment "The 5:24"): As the hooker once said, "If they pay you for it, it's not love."

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Crazy Credits

The camera pans around and breaks the fourth wall by showing the crew during the closing credits.

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Connections

Featured in Venice Report (1997)

User Reviews

Subway Stories is worthy of your time!

I love short story films, especially when, of one particular theme, they are connected to satisfy a feature length running time.

Like taking any subway/underground/metro train, with Subway Stories, if you don't like one particular story, wait a few minutes and a better one will come along.

Of course everyone will have their particular favourites, but for me

Fern's Heart of Darkness, Sax Cantor Riff, Manhattan Miracle, Love on the A Train, and Underground were simply original and wonderful.

I'm English and lived in London for four years so these types of stories are not exclusive to New York.

Where there are people, there are possibilities.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

17 August 1997 (USA)

Also Known As:

Subway Stories

Filming Locations:

New York City, New York, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Clinica Estetico, HBO NYC Productions, Ten in a Car Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

80 min

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1