Scorsese Filmed Graffiti Wall in 1967 [Video]

Posted on: January 24th, 2011 by Elie

While the Tony Goldman graffiti wall at Bowery and East Houston continues to nab local headlines for its ongoing commissioned artwork (and resultant vandalism), it’s important to take a step back. A step back in time to 1967, the year of Martin Scorsese’s directorial debut. At age 25, Who’s That Knocking at My Door became his first feature-length movie, which included fellow film student Harvey Keitel in the lead role of J.R.

Synchronized to the gritty garage rock of Mitch Ryder (“Jenny Take a Ride”), the opening sequence portrays one minute of gang violence directly in front of the now-cherished concrete slab. Note the perimeter chain-link fence.