Thursday, July 19, 2012

[Updated] Q-and-A with Michael Dominic, director of 'Sunshine Hotel'


In 1999, filmmaker-photojournalist Michael Dominic set out to document the residents at the Sunshine Hotel, one of the few remaining flophouses on the Bowery. He wanted to know more about the men who had been living there, in four-by-six-foot cubicles topped by a ceiling made of chicken wire, with no particular place to go.

Dominic's ensuing documentary, "Sunshine Hotel," released in 2001, received a slew of festival awards and played on the Sundance Channel. The independently funded film was recently released on DVD for the first time. On this occasion, Dominic answered a few questions via email for us.

Have you been back to the hotel in recent years? Have you received any updates about the people who you featured in the film?

I pass by the hotel all the time but haven't been inside since 2002. But I have kept track of the changes to the hotel and the area. As far as I know, none of the residents that I knew are still living there. Many I know for a fact have died. The owners have stopped allowing new tenants and there are only a handful living in one section of the building now. [Updated: Dominic has learned that two of the men in the film, Bruce Davis and Tyrone, are still living at the hotel.]

The sister of one of my subjects in the film named Vic contacted me recently. He died in 2006, but she only found him again after nearly 50 years through my film. She and her brothers were able to gain some sort of closure after a very long time of believing he was a missing person. It was a moving experience.


For you, what are the most profound changes of the Bowery during which the film is set and the Bowery of today?

The Bowery is ever changing. Now it's on an upswing. On the ground floor of the Sunshine Hotel there is a new restaurant and an art gallery. It looks like they're planning another restaurant as well on the corner. As soon as the last of the tenants leave the Sunshine, I'm sure that they will convert the buildings into luxury housing.

When I shot Sunshine Hotel back in 1999, the Bowery was already what I thought of as gentrified. But now, looking back, that wasn't anything. Certain parts have been completely rebuilt and there's really nothing left of the old strip as far as the goings on. There are expensive restaurants, hotels and apartment buildings — and there isn't a single actual flophouse on the Bowery anymore.

Is that a bad thing? Times change and probably a long strip of drunken homeless men running through the center of the Lower East Side isn't the best idea. Still, when I look at the Whole Foods on the corner of Bowery and Houston, it leaves a bad taste in my mouth.



The DVD release allows a new audience to experience the film. What would you like people to take away from "The Sunshine Hotel"?

People should remember what NYC was. They should remember it as something unique and beautiful, albeit seedy. We as a city have overdone it on clean-up. We have lost character. I hope that my film caught a little of the last of that era of New York, "when the Bowery was the Bowery."

[Nathan Smith, the hotel's manager]

Some 13 years later, what has stayed with you about making this film?

Nathan [Smith — the hotel's manager]. His friendship. He died 10 years ago, but rarely a day goes by that I don't think about him.

[Yesterday outside the Sunshine... photo by Bobby Williams]

You can buy the DVD here ... it's also available on Amazon. Dominic is now working on a documentary titled "Clean Hands," which chronicles the residents of La Chureca — Nicaragua’s largest, most dangerous garbage dump.

15 comments:

Marty Wombacher said...

Great interview, sounds like a great film. I"m going to watch it tonight on Amazon's instant video. http://ow.ly/cm6rz

Anonymous said...

you might also want to read the book 'flophouse: life on the bowery" by
david isay, stacy abramson, and with great photos by harvey wang.

i recall the old bowery, when it reeked of stale pee and drunks laid around all over the place.

I-)

Laura Goggin Photography said...

Thank you for this interview and, Mr Dominic, for the documentary. I'll definitely be buying the DVD.

Anonymous said...

Sounds really interesting. Life is not a joke people. Some people are unfortunate and due to life's circumstances turning against them, they arrive at a Flop or a Dump..remember..it can happen to anyone. Life is hard.

Anonymous said...

you may also want to see 'on the bowery' by lionel rogosin.

I-)

Sami said...

I realize this article is 8yrs old but it was the only one w an update. I just finished watching on Prime and became invested in the characters and what became of them. It wasn't a surprise that many have died. I hope that many finally found peace. People tend to think that these men brought this on themselves but what I realized was that they all suffered from some form of mental illness. The alcoholic drinking,chain smoking, and other forms of drug use not shown are forms of self medicating as a way to obtain a small amount of sanity not bc of a character defect. People say docs like these are to depressing to watch, but these people are thrown away and forgotten. These docs give a voice and look at problems still relevant 20yrs later.

Unknown said...

I just watched the movie and I too became invested of sorts in these men who society has seemingly thrown away. I felt bad for them all, but the Vietnam vet in particular. This is not how how our veterans should end up. At least these men are warm, I hope. Dry. The hotel offers little else. I also thought the man playing jazz on his keyboard and singing was pretty good. That these residents could smile at all is a testament to their resilience. God bless them all.

Jazzysaxplayer said...

I watched the movie and it made me sad and smile at the same time. I found my self realizing how precious life is and all the things we take for granite. This film definitely makes us aware of our elderly people and everyone deserves second chances,3,4,5,6, etc...

Les said...

Did Tony ever find his family?

Malave748@yahoo.com said...

Is it possible to know if any of these men are living. I'm from the Bowery, and would like to help any of them if they're still around.

dianasndrs@gmail.com said...

Wow!!! Just watched the doc on Prime video last night and cant get it out of my head.There were no r
ules of cleanliness in their rooms..very disturbing
How I wonder could this place have been overlooked by public safety committee and various other agencies protecting the people.Obviously theres a missing link here. Great doc !

Anonymous said...

Funny, just watched a film about CBGB and now in this film you can see CBGB in a couple outdoor shots.

Anonymous said...

I found the tenants to be lovable & entertaining. I am attracted to seedy parts of a city where I find people with interesting stories & character. During my teens & twenties I often had a bottle of wine with the winos & bumbs as they were called back then. I enjoyed their company. As I watched the film I imagined myself in the lobby drinking a few beers with them. I miss those days. I’m blessed to have the life I have but oh to sit in the park or a doorway & share a bottle.

M T Carpenter said...

I find it hard to say I liked the documentary. It is interesting, well filmed and raw. As a recovering addict/alcoholic I see myself in so many ways, "not yet" comes to mind. Some may have mental illness, but not all. That's an excuse to make us feel better, "it wouldn't matter what we did, they have a mental illness "..... Nope, I think we failed them as a society, we should've held our hand out, not put a label on "them". I have a 15 month old baby and I can't help but see the faces of scared children. I pray they've found peace, and I hope we do more in the future.

Anonymous said...

I’m not from there, but this was SO damn powerful, God I wish I could have helped. Would love to know more of those still living.