Product Details

• Actors: Timothy 'Speed' Levitch
• Directors: Bennett Miller
• Producers: Bennett Miller, David Cohen, David Yamner, J.B. Miller, Kevin McLeod
• Format: Black & White, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, NTSC
• Rated: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: Live / Artisan
• VHS Release Date: May 18, 1999
• Run Time: 76 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (44 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 0784012024
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #316,782 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

From The New Yorker

Timothy Levitch, a New York City tour-bus guide, is profiled in this documentary that is basically a seventy-six-minute rant about what Levitch sees and what he thinks of his life in the city. Director Bennett Miller films him as a tourist would with a video camera-that is to say, poorly-but Levitch's rich use of poetic language and imagery provides a strong counterpart. If Levitch seems a little unhinged at times-there's a desperation and ugliness to some of his musings that is disturbing to watch-he's still a fascinating, delusional raconteur. His travelogue is never glib, and often very funny. -Bruce Diones
Copyright © 2006 The New Yorker

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars 74 years old and in love with Timothy Levitch, June 20, 2001

By A Customer

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Cruise [VHS] (VHS Tape)

Timothy Levitch is one of the people that makes New York the wonderland that it will always remain for people like me who grew up there and then were wrested from our roots in the fifties to go where the jobs, (and the apartments)were available, and to finally explore as well that mysterious land beyond the Hudson - and then if we were lucky on to the rest of the world. When we return, we are, alas,only tourists. But what a pleasure to meet Timothy, and ride his bus, his magic carpet, up and down the streets of Manhattan. Timothy: reminds me of Franz Schubert, the boy who despite his inner beauty and his enormous capacity for love, just never got the girl, or the appropriate job, or could make his parents understand that whatever he was, it was not ORDINARY. Timothy: Extraordinary. Will he survive in the world of brand names and fashion madness and where courting position and material wealth is required first and foremost before a man can even be judged to own a soul? I hope so, because as I said: to see him and hear him talk, and watch his sad and gallant walk, is to fall in love with him. If I were 50 years younger we would be walking (gallantly) down Third Avenue, together holding hands and happy.

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great mind., September 30, 2002

By 

dave-o (boston) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Cruise [VHS] (VHS Tape)

Witnessing Tim Levitch's New York unflold in his honest, artful, poetic monologues is like watching the universe spit out its greatest secrets. The city becomes a living metaphor from the grid system of the streets to the terra-cotta cornices running up a building. Even familiar landmarks such as the Empire State Building and the Crystler Building take on new personas in the eyes of Levitch. He champions a simple beauty which holds high above all else individuality which he calls a "beautiful lie".

Challenge yourself and everything you think. This is a must-see.

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars a crazy and informative trip, March 27, 2004

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"coolhand666" (Toronto, Ontario Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Cruise [VHS] (VHS Tape)

This is a great documentary. Timothy is a total riot. I wish I could have taken one of his tours of N.Y.C. He is the kind of New Yorker that make me want to go back again and again. He is full of personality and passion. The world needs more people like Timothy. He is a unique individual in this white bread homoginzed middle of the road wastland we live in.