From its distinctive neighborhoods to its architectural homes, Los Angeles has been the backdrop to countless movies. In this dazzling work, Andersen takes viewers on a whirlwind tour through the metropolis' real and cinematic history, investigating the myriad stories and legends that have come to define it, and meticulously, judiciously revealing the real city that lives beneath.
Writing
Andersen's essay narration is bitter, poetic, unforgettable.
Editing
Three hours of clips that recontextualize Hollywood's LA.
Production
Impossible licensing feat—hundreds of films woven together.
Director
Thom Andersen
Ben Alexander
Officer Frank Smith in Dragnet (archive footage)
Jim Backus
Frank Stark in Rebel Without A Cause (archive footage)
Brenda Bakke
Lana Turner in L.A. Confidential (archive footage)
Barbara O. Jones
Dorothy in Bush Mama (archive footage)
Gene Barry
Dr. Clayton Forrester in The War of The Worlds (archive footage)
Richard Basehart
Roy Morgan/Roy Martin in He Walked By Night (archive footage)
Hugh Beaumont
George Copeland in The Blue Dahlia (archive footage)
William Bendix
Buzz Wanchek in The Blue Dahlia (archive footage)
Ann Blyth
Veda Pierce in Mildred Pierce (archive footage)
Jim Bouton
Terry Lennox in The Long Goodbye (archive footage)
Grand L. Bush
FBI Agent Little Johnson in Die Hard (archive footage)
James Cagney
Tom Powers in The Public Enemy (archive footage)
Lon Chaney Jr.
Charles Benton in The Indestructible Man (archive footage)
John Considine
Matthew Crawford in Timestalkers (archive footage)
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Andersen spent nearly a decade securing rights to over 200 films, often paying studios per second of footage. The $12,000 budget ballooned mostly to legal clearances.
This film single-handedly revived academic and popular interest in 'place' in cinema studies; you'll spot its influence in every video essay about cities now.
No ratings yet
Sign in to join the discussion — comments are spoiler-gated to your watch progress.
Discussion starters
US
