Los Angeles Plays Itself

A scene from Thom Andersen's film-essay masterpiece Los Angeles Plays Itself.

• Category

  Film & Animation

[bufoarborealis]

Nice video, but the thesis is silly. The houses are in movies because they're cool, modernist and speak of big money. Hollywood loves these houses.

[astrosecret]

I agree to an extent, that what you're saying is the reason that producers, directors and loc. scouts choose these locations primarily. However I believe you're missing the point, as Andersen argues what theoretically becomes of these houses once they are used in a certain context inside the narrative and then impressed upon an audience.

[insomniacgrace]

And I guess, the title says it all.

[erlendsp]

One of my all time favourite documentaries, and one that desperately needs a home video release. "The Los Angeles Police Department is the only one I know of that puts it's motto in quotation marks. Are they trying to be ironic?" 

[giggie]

nice one geezer



[theuofc]

Many thanks for sharing this clip from Andersen's great LA Plays Itself!

[filmasart]

Was that a miniature at the end or did they really collapse this house? Stupid question maybe...

[Cary Georges]

Thom anderson works as a professor at Calarts. You can try to contact him there

[ckn4]

I know what you're saying but most of the tangents in the film are very tongue in cheek... that's part of the fun.

[Virginia Postrel]

It will be playing at the Aero in Santa Monica September 5 & 6.