Los Angeles Plays Itself

Jul 28, 2004

2h 49m

★ 7.6

Overview

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.

Genres

Documentary

Los Angeles Plays Itself Trailers

Cast

Narrator (voice)

Encke King

Officer Frank Smith in Dragnet (archive footage)

Ben Alexander

Frank Stark in Rebel Without A Cause (archive footage)

Jim Backus

Lana Turner in L.A. Confidential (archive footage)

Brenda Bakke

Dorothy in Bush Mama (archive footage)

Barbara O. Jones

Dr. Clayton Forrester in The War of The Worlds (archive footage)

Gene Barry

Roy Morgan/Roy Martin in He Walked By Night (archive footage)

Richard Basehart

George Copeland in The Blue Dahlia (archive footage)

Hugh Beaumont

Buzz Wanchek in The Blue Dahlia (archive footage)

William Bendix

Veda Pierce in Mildred Pierce (archive footage)

Ann Blyth

Terry Lennox in The Long Goodbye (archive footage)

Jim Bouton

FBI Agent Little Johnson in Die Hard (archive footage)

Grand L. Bush

As notions of civil rights transformed across the world, so was the screen landscape reformed by the ascension of grassroots film movements seeking to challenge the mainstream. Some aspired to push form to its limit; others worked to destabilise what they saw as a homogenous industry, or to provoke questions around gender, sexuality, migration and race.

8.1

One Six Right

Nov 25, 2005

An exhilarating documentary film that celebrates the unsung hero of aviation - the local airport - by tracing the life, history, and struggles of an airport icon: Southern California's Van Nuys Airport. Featuring thrilling aerial photography and a sweeping original score, the film dispels common misconceptions and opposes criticism of General Aviation airports.

7.1

The Decline of Western Civilization

Jul 1, 1981

The Los Angeles punk music scene circa 1980 is the focus of this film. With Alice Bag Band, Black Flag, Catholic Discipline, Circle Jerks, Fear, Germs, and X.

10.0

Blake and Gwen: Now and Then

Jul 1, 2021

Follow the offstage, unlikely romance of the king of country, Blake Shelton, and pop princess, Gwen Stefani. Both stars braved their share of challenges on the way to writing their own love song.

7.7

LA 92

Apr 28, 2017

Twenty-five years after the verdict in the Rodney King trial sparked several days of protests, violence and looting in Los Angeles, LA 92 immerses viewers in that tumultuous period through stunning and rarely seen archival footage.

8.2

Andy Warhol: A Documentary Film

Sep 1, 2006

Ric Burns unearths rarely seen footage and offers keen observations on the life and artistic influence of Andy Warhol. [Made for and aired on PBS's American Masters series.]

6.9

The Blade Runner Phenomenon

May 27, 2021

Ridley Scott's cult film Blade Runner, based on a novel by Philip K. Dick and released in 1982, is one of the most influential science fiction films ever made. Its depiction of Los Angeles in the year 2019 is oppressively prophetic: climate catastrophe, increasing public surveillance, powerful monopolistic corporations, highly evolved artificial intelligence; a fantastic vision of the future world that has become a frightening reality.

6.9

An Open Secret

Nov 14, 2014

An investigation into accusations of teenagers being sexually abused within the film industry.

0.0

Life Is a Carnival: A Musical Celebration of Robbie Robertson

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Robbie Robertson. Life Is a Carnival: A Musical Celebration of Robbie Robertson will take place on Thursday, October 17, 2024, at the Kia Forum, in Los Angeles, CA, featuring once-in-a-lifetime performances with an incredible lineup of superstar artists, including Trey Anastasio, Ryan Bingham, Mike Campbell, Eric Church, Eric Clapton, Elvis Costello, Warren Haynes, Bruce Hornsby, Jim James, Jamey Johnson, Noah Kahan, Daniel Lanois, Taj Mahal, Van Morrison, Margo Price, Robert Randolph, Nathaniel Rateliff, Allison Russell, Mavis Staples, Benmont Tench, Don Was, Bobby Weir, and Lucinda Williams.

7.3

Heaven is a Traffic Jam on the 405

Oct 14, 2016

56-year-old artist Mindy Alper has suffered severe depression and anxiety for most of her life. For a time she even lost the power of speech, and it was during this period that her drawings became extraordinarily articulate.

6.0

Round About Hollywood

May 22, 1931

This short travelogue depicts snippets of locations in Hollywood, California, most of them as seen from the streets. Considerable time is taken showing the kinds of architecture of private homes. There are images of various important buildings, and a depiction of the Hollywood Bowl. Finally, there is a sequence revolving around the premiere of the film “Dirigible” (1931) at the famed Chinese Theatre.

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0.0

The L.A. Riots: 25 Years Later

Apr 23, 2017

HISTORY brings you an all-encompassing documentary event cantered around the 25th anniversary of the LA Riots, the most destructive riot in American history that left 53 people dead and caused over a billion dollars in damage.

7.7

Let It Fall: Los Angeles 1982-1992

Apr 21, 2017

An in-depth look at the culture of Los Angeles in the ten years leading up to the 1992 uprising that erupted after the verdict of police officers cleared of beating Rodney King.

7.0

Wattstax

Feb 4, 1973

A documentary film about the Afro-American Woodstock concert held in Los Angeles seven years after the Watts riots. Director Mel Stuart mixes footage from the concert with footage of the living conditions in the current-day Watts neighborhood.

6.6

Rize

Jan 15, 2005

A documentary film that highlights two street derived dance styles, Clowning and Krumping, that came out of the low income neighborhoods of L.A.. Director David LaChapelle interviews each dance crew about how their unique dances evolved. A new and positive activity away from the drugs, guns, and gangs that ruled their neighborhood. A raw film about a growing sub-culture movements in America.

5.7

Out of Print

Aug 23, 2014

A documentary exploring the importance of revival cinema and 35mm exhibition - seen through the lens of the patrons of the New Beverly Cinema - a unique and independent revival cinema in Los Angeles.

5.3

Mondo Hollywood

Jun 30, 1967

Long considered a cult classic, "Mondo Hollywood" captures the underside of Hollywood by documenting a moment in time (1965-67), when an inquisitive trust in the unknown was paramount, hope for the future was tangible and life was worth living on the fringe. An interior monologue narrative approach is used throughout the film, where each principal person shown not only decided on what they wanted to be filmed doing, but also narrated their own scenes. The film opens with Gypsy Boots (the original hippie vegan - desert hopping blender salesman), and stripper Jennie Lee, working out 'Watusi-style' beneath the 'Hollywood' sign -- leading into the 'sustainable community' insight of Lewis Beach Marvin III, the S&H Green Stamp heir, who lived in a $10 a month garage while owning a mountain retreat in Malibu.

4.5

Carlos Almaraz: Playing with Fire

May 1, 2019

Mixing archival footage with interviews, this film celebrates one of Los Angeles's most influential painters and Chicano art activists from the 1970s.

7.0

The Go-Go's

Jan 24, 2020

As the first all-female band to play their instruments, write their songs and have a No. 1 album, The Go-Go’s made history. Underpinned by candid testimonies, this film chronicles the meteoric rise to fame of a band born in the LA punk scene who became a pop phenomenon.

6.0

The Boys & Girls Guide to Getting Down

Mar 23, 2007

Tongue-in-cheek look at 20-something singles clubbing and partying in L.A. Voice-over narration, charts and graphs, and visits to a research laboratory punctuate the story of a single night when groups of friends go out, drink alcohol, take drugs, dance and talk, and look for someone to go home with.