Just in time for New York to revert back to the mean streets of old, the blockbustery film Watchmen comes out offering us a reimagined 1985 cityscape. How does it compare to the real thing?

Here are some actual New York-in-the-80's scenes (well, not so much the first one):

The cover of Jay McInerney's Bright Lights, Big City, the definitive 1980's pop novel.

Sammiches.

Chinatown.



Times Square, feat. Burt Reynolds

Rock club of yesteryear, CBGB's.

Before Giuliani personally took a toothbrush to the subways. via Runs with Scissors' Flickr.

Times Square again.

via Runs with Scissors' Flickr.



Compare to these Watchmen one-sheet and stills:

Contact information for this author is not available.