The city dark A search for night on a planet that never sleeps

DVD - 2011

"The City Dark chronicles the disappearance of darkness. The film follows filmmaker (and amateur astronomer) Ian Cheney who moves to New York City from Maine and discovers an urban sky almost completely devoid of stars. He poses a deceptively simple question, 'What do we lose, when we lose the night?"--Container.

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Subjects
Genres
Documentary films
Video recordings for the hearing impaired
Published
Olney, PA : Bullfrog Films c2011.
Language
English
Other Authors
Ian Cheney (-)
Physical Description
1 videodisc (ca. 83 min.) : sd., col. ; 4 3/4 in
Format
DVD ; NTSC format.
Production Credits
Cinematography, Ian Cheney, Taylor Gentry ; editing, Ian Cheney, Frederick Shanahan ; music, The Fishermen Three, Ben Fries.
ISBN
9781937772079
  • Original version (83 min.)
  • Classroom version (58 min.).
Review by Library Journal Review

The dark of night (or, more specifically, the dark of the night sky) is something we think we know. But do we? As a result of nighttime light pollution, especially in major urban centers, the night sky we see is increasingly a shadow of its true nature, a notion expertly explored in this documentary. Losing our awareness of the night sky's inherent character has wide-ranging implications on everything from the search for killer asteroids to the migratory habits of birds to possibly even human health. There's also the increasing disconnection from our spiritual and cultural roots, which often include creation myths and beliefs involving the lights in the sky that we're ever less able to see. Yet solutions to this growing problem are possible if we are willing to implement them, for example, using outdoor lighting in different ways. VERDICT This film offers a clear, concise, well-documented exploration of a seldom-considered issue while simultaneously proposing answers to help offset it. Those concerned about the environment, wildlife, human health, and our vanishing cultural heritage will find The City Dark an enlightening view.-Brent Marchant, Chicago (c) Copyright 2012. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.