80's Promo Video Portrays Waterbury as a Busy Bustling Hub of Act

The sun rises over the city, cue the voiceover:

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"A city wakens, emerges born-again to the New England morning with every glorious sunrise. You measure a city by the dawns it has seen over its term in history. You measure it by the pulse beat of it's people on the pavement. By the spinning hubs of it's railways and highways After all, when you select a site to plant your personal roots, you measure that community by it's people; their culture, their will and pride to produce."

Whoever wrote this ad was worth every penny. The words and the voice-over almost tricked me into thinking we were talking about another place. But in the end, it was Waterbury, CT they were describing. It was Waterbury in the 1980's and I'm guessing it was a very different place than it is today. This promotional video is from years gone by and was meant to entice a different generation to work and play in the Brass City. It got my attention on Youtube recently and I'm not alone. It has racked up over 31,000 views in the last 13 years. Watching this video posted by @CtWaterbury is like taking a trip back in time.

I don't know about you, but I made it all the way to the credits hoping to eyeball the production date and I didn't see it. So, I will guess this was produced in 1983 but I wouldn't be shocked if you told me it was filmed as early as the 70's, or as late as '89. No matter what, it's a great time capsule.

I guarantee the Director told my man here "just have fun with it, let's see a smile and people will really connect with your character."

Youtube/CtWaterbury

I was not the only fan of this video, here are some of the comments people left:

@vinland06: "This is the greatest video I've ever seen about Waterbury."

@nylons4ever: "Born and raised in Waterbury. Most of my life was in Wtby and Ct. My military career took me away in 1982. All over the world and country. CT STILL HAS THE CLASS AND CHARACTER. I can say this without a doubt. I currently live in CA or better known as "the toilet bowl of America". Looking to move back to CT soon."

@lawyersinconnecticut: "Boy have timed changed since the 1980s. General Data Com and Timex are both gone along with many other businesses. The outsourcing of jobs to China and other countries have decimated the Waterbury economy along with Connecticut's state economy. There are some careers and businesses that are still functioning at a high level such as personal injury law firms and family lawyers in Waterbury CT."

@besmirmujaj: "This is nothing like the Waterbury Today! Such a shame."

@ljude01: "FANTASTIC FRIGGEN PIZZA!"

P.S. I hear things and I read things so I'm not tone deaf to Waterbury's issues, but I like that city and I could see a comeback. It would not be the first time or the last time that a city has made a resurgence.

Hilarious 80’s Images from the Jefferson Valley Mall in Westchester

Wherever, there is money to be made, clever marketing will follow and the Jefferson Valley Mall had it in the 80’s. The mall had become the setting of a Westchester, NY cable access TV show called “What’s in Store.” The products, fashion and mall culture were on display. Frank McNanty and Debbie Weiner were the hosts, and thanks to Youtube, these videos are still available today. These are Some of the Most Hilarious Images from The Jefferson Valley Mall in the 80’s.

Exclusive Photos, Videos, and Interviews on the Set of New Milford Horror Movie

"Candlewood" is a horror film that just finished filming in New Milford, CT. This is how the filmmakers described the project on their Indiegogo:

"Candlewood is the first movie of three in the psychological/horror feature film franchise. A blended family moves from the city to a small town in Connecticut, where a local urban legend adds chaos and terror to an already fragile family dynamic. The staunch patriarch, who desperately wants his family to not see him as a failure but as the father that did everything, he could to keep his family together through difficult times. Candlewood follows a family leaving New York City for a simpler life in the country town of New Milford, CT. The haunting and mysterious true stories of missing hikers near a popular state park, Lover's Leap, coupled with the town of Jerusalem sitting at the bottom of Candlewood Lake gives credibility to our narrative. We bring to life the struggle of good vs evil and what happens when lifelong, outdated traditions are challenged."

A while back I got in touch with the folks behind the movie, invited them on the I-95 Morning Show with Ethan, Lou and Dave and talked about the film, and shooting in New Milford. We spoke with Director Myke Furhman and Writer/Executive Producer Victoria Flores-Argue. During that discussion, I demanded to be in the movie, telling the duo that I have some experience acting on TV shows that never actually made it onto TV. Against all odds, they did invite me to participate and I visited the set on October 20th to shoot a scene that is important. I was extremely nervous and I had zero idea of what I was in for. Below are some insider moments from my day on-set and from others.

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