Requiem For Detroit?

13th March 2010 - 21.00 on BBC2

Julien Temple’s new film for Films of Record is a vivid evocation of an apocalyptic vision: a slow-motion Katrina that has had many more victims. Detroit was once America’s fourth largest city. Built by the car for the car, with its groundbreaking suburbs, freeways and shopping centres, it was the embodiment of the American dream.

With its intense race riots that brought the Army into the city, and violent union struggles against the fierce resistance of Henry Ford and the Big Three, it was also the scene of American nightmares.

Now it is truly a dystopic post-industrial city, in which 40% of the land in the centre is returning to prairie. Greenery grows up through abandoned office blocks and houses, and collapsing car plants and swallows up street lights. Police stations and post offices have been left with papers on the desks like the Marie Celeste. There is no more rush hour on what were the first freeways in America. Crime, vandalism, arson and dog fighting are the main activities in once the largest building in North America. But it’s also a source of hope.

Streets are being turned to art. Farming is coming back to the centre of the city. Young people are flocking to help. The burgeoning urban agricultural movement is the fastest growing movement in the US

Credits: Director Julien Temple
Producer: Georgina Hencken
Executive Producer: Roger Graef

Temple is a good film maker. I'm looking forward to wtaching this before I visit the city for the 2nd time in April.