A documentary about New York on the brink in 1975

NYC, 1975: the greatest, grittiest city on Earth is minutes away from bankruptcy when an unlikely alliance of rookies, rivals, fixers and flexers finds common ground - and a way out.

“An extraordinary historical documentary.”
— Richard Brody, The New Yorker
“Drop Dead City charts how those pivotal months of 1975 unfolded like a thriller.”
— Owen Gleiberman, Variety
“Drop Dead City succeeds superbly.”
— Chris Barsanti, Pop Matters
“Wonkish but gripping!”
— Owen Gleiberman, Variety

HELD FOR 14 WEEKS AT IFC

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LIBRARY OF CONGRESS LAVINE/KEN BURNS AWARD WINNER

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91% Rotten Tomatoes

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HELD FOR 14 WEEKS AT IFC 〰️ LIBRARY OF CONGRESS LAVINE/KEN BURNS AWARD WINNER 〰️ 91% Rotten Tomatoes 〰️

Upcoming Film Screenings

  • October 30th, 6pm

    Panel discussion 8-8:30pm

    At the Museum of the City of New York

    Tickets

  • November 3rd, 6-8pm

    7 Stories Up Screens Drop Dead City

    At the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Library (SNFL), Event Center

    Tickets
A group of people outside near a barricade, including a cameraman and several men in suits. Police officers in helmets are seen in the background.
Police protest, laid off cop holding System Sucketh sign, Brooklyn Bridge, NYC July 1, 1975 credit ABC VideoSource SMALL.jpg
NYC, trash strewn street, 1975 credit ABC News VideoSource.png
Protestors holding signs and American flags in front of skyscrapers, possibly the Twin Towers.
A group of people, some shirtless, gathered outdoors under a blue sky, with one person holding an American flag. They appear to be enthusiastically clapping and cheering. The Brooklyn Bridge is visible in the background.
Group of men in casual clothing interacting outdoors with city buildings in the background.
Garbage truck with "on strike" sign in front of piled trash bags and people standing nearby on a city street.
Protesters holding signs on a sidewalk, advocating for better school conditions. Signs read "Schools will not be Sweat shops" and "45 Kids per class is no class." They are associated with UFT NYSUT AFT AFL/CIO. People are wearing casual clothing.
NYC sanitation men on strike, July 1, 1975 credit ABC News VideoSource SMALL.jpg
NYC Sanitation men's strike signs, NYC, July 1, 1975 credit ABC VideoSource SMALL.jpg

Recent Reviews & Press

Featured
DROP DEAD CITY – Review by Diane Carson
Reviews
DROP DEAD CITY – Review by Diane Carson
Reviews

Some documentaries contribute an expansive survey of an issue or topic; some explore one subject more intensively, analyzing in depth. That latter choice guides Peter Yost and Michael Rohatyn’s Drop Dead City.

Reviews
‘Drop Dead City’ Review: A Gripping Look at How New York City Almost Went Bankrupt in 1975, Foreshadowing the Current Moment
Reviews
‘Drop Dead City’ Review: A Gripping Look at How New York City Almost Went Bankrupt in 1975, Foreshadowing the Current Moment
Reviews

VARIETY: “Drop Dead City” falls into a category of documentary I think of as wonkish but gripping. Produced and directed by Peter Yost and Michael Rohatyn, the film is about the financial cataclysm that hit New York City in 1975, when the powers that be figured out that the city was $6 billion in debt.

Reviews
“Drop Dead City” Spotlights a Lost Era of Liberal Government
Reviews
“Drop Dead City” Spotlights a Lost Era of Liberal Government
Reviews

THE NEW YORKER: The delight of “Drop Dead City” is that it’s a symphony of voices, past and present. The film’s interviews mesh, even rhyme, with archival clips documenting events as they unfolded, participants discussing their activities in the moment, and news reports that aired at the time. 

Reviews