Interesting HD doco on Detroit...

Very interesting indeed! Yes, the people are great, for the most part, but the auto industry in the USA is on the verge of collapse. As a result, Michigan has the worst economy in the USA. Unfortunately, when the economy falls, the crime rate rises. Yes, my business (security) is booming, but it's only as a direct side effect of the economy. Michigan is facing some extremely difficult times and the auto industry is only one part of it. Foreclosures and bankruptcies - personal and commercial - are at an all-time high with no end in sight. There will be NO quick solution. Time will tell if we will survive this crisis.

We'll survive, I have no doubt of that... But we'll never be the same as we were 10 years ago... People's ways of thinking and acting are being adjusted and provided we learn from our mistakes, we'll never be the same... In time we'll come out better than we were, but the big question remains how long will it take... And as Obama keeps telling people, "It Will Get Worse, Before It Gets Better"...

Hey Cubbie,

I'm from Detroit, too. I was born and raised in Detroit and still live in the metro-Detroit area just a couple miles north of the city limits.

My impression of the video is that the person who made it had a particular vision to present and was very successful at presenting an almost desolate portrait of the city. I would have to guess that the downtown scenes were filmed early on a Sunday morning or something like that. The city is generally nothing like it appeared in the video. Parking downtown is almost impossible, the streets are busy and there are generally plenty of cars and people about.

But Detroit is different than many other big cities in one particular respect: Most big cities have their prime activities concentrated in the downtown area and the downtown also tends to be the high-rent district. Detroit is just the opposite. It has grown outward into a de-centralized and seamless conglomeration of cities and townships covering several hundred square miles. There are several diverse, upscale and widely scattered downtown areas in the Detroit metro area. Royal Oak, Ferndale, Wayondotte, Pontiac, Ann Arbor, Birmingham, Grosse Pointe and, of course, Detroit.

I really loved growing up in Detroit. I grew up near Rouge Park, which is a huge, heavily wooded area about ten square miles and a very unusual environment to find in the middle of a big city. I can't describe how much fun we used to have there, rafting down the river, swinging from trees, swimming, skating, camping. All just minutes form home.

I think that the biggest mistake the Detroit city-planners made was not developing the riverfront in the downtown area. And with Windsor, Ontario (Canada) right across the river, it would have been international riverfront. Something fairly unique.

The other big mistake that hurt Detroit was the corrupt government of Colman A Young. I don't know if it was just a coincidence or not, but Detroit seemed to rapidly lose its luster under the so-called 'leadership' of Mayor Young.

Anyway. Detroit is far from dead and it is not nearly as quiet and desolate as portrayed in the film.

Interesting perspective Doc. I did notice that the lighting on a lot of the shots (not to mention the crispness of the air) did signify early morning shoot times. Good to know that it is still booming and lively. It is interesting how you said that the prime activities are totally de-centrallised as well.

In terms of growing up, I don't think I have ever met someone from the area who hasn't enjoyed their childhood growing up there... even the folks in that Doco who (apparently) live in solitude seem to appreciate every bit of history related to the town.

-Cub. =o)

Was I the only one expecting Robocop every time we saw an outside shot?

Never been to Detroit, but it looks a lot better than Pontiac. That place was a tad scary.

It's rare for me to feel glad that I'm in Louisiana.