Famous Nathan
Give'em and let'em eat!
Give'em and let'em eat!
Documentary
-
2015
Available on
Country
A Coney Island-inspired, densely-layered visually dynamic documentary portrait of the life and times of the original Nathan's Famous, created in 1916 by filmmaker Lloyd Handwerker's grandparents, Nathan and Ida Handwerker. 30 years in the making, Famous Nathan interweaves decades-spanning archival footage, family photos and home movies, an eclectic soundtrack and never-before-heard audio from Nathan: his only interview, ever as well as compelling, intimate and hilarious interviews with the dedicated band of workers, not at all shy at offering opinions, memories and the occasional tall tale.
Director:
Details
Rated:
Not Rated
Runtime:
86 min
Release date:
17 Jul 2015
Country:
US
Languages:
English
Budget:
$0
Revenue:
$0
Awards:
N/A
Top Critics Reviews
fresh:
Filmmaker Lloyd Handwerker treats the project as genealogy rather than corporate image-making. And with home movies and private interviews at his disposal, no one is better equipped to tell this story.
– Martin Tsai,
Los Angeles Times,
30 Jul 2015
fresh:
Throughout Famous Nathan there are enough scenes of customers gleefully wolfing down juicy frankfurters to convert even the most staunchly vegetarian viewer.
– Frank Scheck,
Hollywood Reporter,
28 Jul 2015
fresh:
A portrait of a classic rags-to-riches success, and a tough boss who was fanatical about the quality of his fare and the speed of its delivery.
– Daniel M. Gold,
New York Times,
16 Jul 2015
fresh:
There's a lot to chew on in this family-centered documentary, but the wonderful archival footage of Coney Island adds enough garnish to justify the time.
– Joe Neumaier,
New York Daily News,
16 Jul 2015
fresh:
Terrific documentaries are a dime a dozen; ones this multifaceted are to be cherished.
– Sam Weisberg,
Village Voice,
16 Jul 2015