Historian Charles Denson’s “Coney Island: Secrets of the Universe” is both eloquent and enigmatic. When the six-minute short premiered at the Coney Island Film Festival in September, the program notes read: “Coney’s iconic cosmology comes into play when a mysterious crypto-governmental force seeks domination of the island. Secrets of the Universe probes Coney Island’s hyper-mythological role in fantasy, neo-symbolism, and the infinite!”
At the film fest screening, someone asked us if the opening scenes of the Marine helicopters landing on Coney Island’s beach were real. Yes, indeed! Gorgeous shots of the Astroland Rocket and Burger Boy atop Gregory and Paul’s (now Paul’s Daughter) roof, Astroland, the Astrotower, Wonder Wheel and Parachute Jump are prominently featured. We’ll leave it to you, dear reader, to decipher the secrets of this universe.
Related posts on ATZ…
August 27, 2012: Video of the Day: Raw Footage of 1960s Coney Island
January 15, 2011: ATZ Saturday Matinee: Shorty at Coney Island
September 12, 2010: Video: Coney Island’s Faber’s Fascination by Charles Denson
Amusing the Zillion 
Another beautiful work by Charles Denson. I wish the world could see Coney’s greatness as you do.
Absolutely love this. So glad you posted it. Gorgeous and mysterious.
A truely beautiful piece of work on such a tragic subject. The camera work, angles etc, combined with the soundtrack are fantastic! Charles Denson has captured the essence of the moment. The dismemberment of Astroland and the surrounding area is a very sad part of the history of Coney Island.
Thank you for posting this striking tribute to Coney Island.
I Loved This!!! Thanks for posting this Tricia. So beautiful to see the Rocket again. The Burger people really miss it, things haven’t been the same since it left.
Yes, it was a sad part of the history of Coney Island, but look at Coney now!!!
Coney Island’s amusement park is back, bigger, better and still thrilling the zillions!!!