Newly released old-timey newsreels show black and white life in Coney Island

We’re all getting antsy for it to warm up, especially now that it’s past Coney Island’s official opening day but we still need jackets for some reason. Those of us with beach fever can make it a little bit worse now, courtesy of a bunch of old-timey Coney Island newsreels released by newsreel service British Pathé. If you’ve ever wondered what life was like in Coney in the 30s (and judging by your mustache, you probably have), now you can find out.

Amusing the Zillion noticed the release of the archives being put out onto YouTube and found a whole bunch of footage shot in Coney Island from back in the days when just rewinding film and put it on screen counted as a goddamn miracle. Other clips you can see include a whale being fed lunch at the New York Aquarium and people riding the Cyclone, and hey, you do that too! Our favorite though, is one from the 30s where two old men ogle the Miss Venus 1931 beauty contest, where apparently you need your ankles to conform to some weird beauty standard back in the day:

You can check the whole Pathé collection out here, or head to Amusing the Zillion, where most of the Coney clips have been collected. And the more we pay attention to Coney Island, the quicker summer will get here.

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